James 5:13-15; Hebrews 12: 28-29
How to do Lectio Devina:
Sisters, this is really your time with the Lord. This will be a challenge but so fruitful. There will also be a short reflection. Give this a chance and see where the Lord takes you.
There are a couple of different ways to do this but there is one way that I will point out. This is a simple way to pray. A great resource here is your prayer journal.
1: Read the whole Scripture: James 5:13-15
2: Reflect on it for a short time (3 min or more) and see if any particular verse stands out to you.
3: Read the verse that stood out to you again.
4: Reflect on it and see if a particular word stands out to you (3 min or more)
5: Reflect on the word and see what the Lord is trying to point out to you.
You can go back and read any verses that you stood out to you and just spend a short time in prayer (silence) and listening to what God wants to point out to you. God will show up. He always does.
Short Reflection
These verses reminded me of our humanness. God is so good and he knows us so well. Not everything is spiritual and we are not only made up of spirit. We are both body and spirit. So when we want to literally sing praise to God, we should! When we are sick and are coughing up a lung, we should ask someone to pray over us. We are one person. We are not half spirit and half body. We are one whole person. Sometimes, I know in my mind, I can separate the two: Spirit and body. I can get caught up in the idea that the spirit is for inside of me and my body is for everything else. This is a very false notion.
I recently had the privilege & blessing of getting a job to work as an executive assistant to a CEO. He is not your average CEO. He is a very Catholic man who believes in living an integrated life: a life that encompasses all of who we are. He doesn’t believe in leaving your “personal” issues at the door but integrating them into work and work integrating into our home. And he lives this out. He has this joy and authentic self that you can't help but want for yourself. When I asked him once, over email, how he lives his Catholic Faith and be a CEO, his response to me was really remarkable:
“The world will sell you the lie that the two are mutually exclusive. It tries to convince you that you have to balance one with the other. The reality is the opposite. They are one in the same. I was made, by God, to be something in particular. I was made to be in the world, but not of the world. I would not be as effective of a CEO without being Catholic. My leadership is fueled by my desire to live for Him and uphold the dignity of the person. I see my role as to make a piece of God's Kingdom available on earth. My authority is given by Him. This is what He made me to be - to be an example of his Fatherhood to my employees. If I can be a mere reflection, I will be more impactful than I could be if I were void of him.
Yes - people try to take advantage of me - and worse - all the time. Didn't they do the same to Christ? It doesn't bother me. It's just an opportunity to witness.”
This is someone who trusts God with his everything. I believe these verses in James are the Lord asking us to invite him into every aspect of our lives. He wants to guide us and lead us to this full life with him. He tells us over and over again that he will forgive our sins, all we have to do is let them go.
May we all live this integrated life with Christ and join ourselves to his love and mercy. Sisters, you are loved!
“Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12: 28-29
Sweet Jesus we come before you, asking you teach us how to live this integrated life here on earth with you. Help us not to be afraid to speak your name or afraid to be who you made us to be. Teach us wisdom Lord. Set us on fire with your love!
