One of the best contemplative practices, for me personally, is Lectio Divina. This practice is not for everybody, but it really works well for me. I would like to thank Reverend Bill Wallace from Durham Street Methodist ChristChurch, New Zealand for the passages for our Lectio Divina in this post.
For those people who have not had the opportunity to experience Lectio Divina, here is a link to the Omega Center’s description of the practice. There are generally only four steps in this practice, but please make it your own.
- Lectio: Read and understand the passages below twice so that the the details become familiar.
- Meditatio: In the meditation ask, what does this text say to me, today, and to my life.
- Oratio: Consider prayer to be a simple conversation with the Cosmic Christ spirit within you.
- Contemplatio: Contemplation can take many forms, writing, drawing, sharing with others, etc. For the best results there should be a willingness to change, an openness and trust in Christ, and the decision to follow Christ’s spirit rather than our own ego. What conversion of the mind, heart, and life is the Spirit of Christ asking of me.
The following are the passages for our Earth Lectio Divina:
“All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Earth, our mother, who feeds us in her sovereignty and produces various fruits with colored flowers and herbs.” “Since, Lord, I your priest have today neither bread nor wine, nor altar, I lift towards you in my hands the totality of the universe; and make of its immensity the matter of my sacrifice . . .” “God does not die on the day when we cease to believe in a personal deity, but we die on the day when our lives cease to be illumined by the steady radiance, renewed daily, of a wonder, the source of which is beyond all reason.” “God is Spirit and only by the power of Spirit will people worship God as God really is”
Now, read the words again. In truth, read them as many times as necessary to become familiar with them.
In quiet meditation ask yourself what word or words caught your attention. What in the passages challenged you?
Read the passages again and speak directly to Christ who resides within you.
Read the passages one more time and through contemplation ask what conversion of mind and heart is the Spirit of Christ asking from you today.
How am I immersed into the ecosystem?
In what ways do I remember that the Earth does not belong to me but I belong to it?
How can I make my life a gift to the Earth understanding that while we cannot exist without the Earth, the Earth can exist without us?
Thank you for your time today. I hope this was a blessing to your life.
God Bless,
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