Throughout Scripture, festivals and feast days form a backdrop for the biblical narrative. Even today, holidays reflect the unique intersection of the sacred and the secular. When we understand the origin of these observances, it becomes possible to have meaningful conversations that can open the door to discussions about faith.
St. Patrick’s Day: A Brief History
Today is the day that commemorates the death a man named Patrick who born in the late 4th century. In many ways, Patrick is a larger than life figure. What really fascinates me about his story is that he was an ordinary person, living a fairly ordinary life. But, somewhere along the line, a seed was planted in him; and because there was good soil, it grew and multiplied. Initially, there was no way to know that this would happen. Patrick was born in Britain to wealthy parents. Historians say that there is no evidence that Patrick came from a particularly religious family.
In the meantime, Julius Caesar had withdrawn from Britain. Without the protection of being a part of the Roman Empire, Britain was vulnerable to attack. As a result, the Celts overtook the country, raided Patrick’s family estate, and took him captive. For the next six years, Patrick was a slave in Ireland, and worked as a shepherd. While tending sheep and living in danger and isolation, Patrick had a conversion experience in which he became a devout follower of Jesus Christ.
Eventually, Patrick escaped and went back to Britain. According to his writings, he heard the voice of the Lord which instructed him to return to Ireland as a missionary. Before returning to Ireland, Patrick spent fifteen years training and preparing for his life's work. After his ordination as a priest, he was sent to Ireland with a dual mission-to minister to Christians already living in Ireland and to begin to convert the Celts to Christianity.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Rung 1: READ
Luke 11:5-11
Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.' "Then the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.'I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs.
"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
Rung 2: MEDITATE
Use your imagination to enter the scene. It’s the middle of the night. Some visitors have come and you have nothing to offer them. The stores are closed. You throw on a robe, and run over to your neighbor in your pajamas and slippers. You bang on the door. Lights come on, dogs start barking. There is a commotion behind the door, but no one opens it.
• What other things do you see, hear or feel?
• What are you thinking, and what emotions are you experiencing?
• Read the passage again slowly. Repeat and ponder whatever words or phrases from your reading strike you.
Let’s take a moment to look at one of the primary images- the bread. Bread is food and life for us all. When Israel was in the dessert, God provided manna or bread from heaven. The city Bethlehem means “House of Bread” in Hebrew. Jesus said, "I am the bread of life". In Scripture, famine or lack of bread meant physical as well as spiritual death.
Rung 3: PRAY & CONTEMPLATE
This is where we listen for God’s voice within the text.
Verses 5-6
• What pressing issues in your life are represented by a lack of bread?
• Is there anyone in your life who has been on a long journey, and is looking to you for hospitality?
Verses 7-8
• What are the logical arguments, circumstances or past experiences that cause you to make excuses for why the door will not be answered?
Verses 9-10
• Jesus is speaking directly to you. What thoughts or feelings come to mind when you hear his words to you:
1. Ask!
2. Seek!
3. Knock!
Verses 11-13
• What are some good gifts that you would like to see manifest in your life?
• Do you Trust that God will give you what you need?
• Do you believe that He is the giver of good gifts?
Rung 4: DISCUSS
Rung 5: WITNESS IN THE WORLD
How is God inspiring you to take bold action for yourself due to a “ lack of bread”?
In what way is God challenging you to take bold action on behalf of others?
Luke 11:5-11
Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.' "Then the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.'I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs.
"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
Rung 2: MEDITATE
Use your imagination to enter the scene. It’s the middle of the night. Some visitors have come and you have nothing to offer them. The stores are closed. You throw on a robe, and run over to your neighbor in your pajamas and slippers. You bang on the door. Lights come on, dogs start barking. There is a commotion behind the door, but no one opens it.
• What other things do you see, hear or feel?
• What are you thinking, and what emotions are you experiencing?
• Read the passage again slowly. Repeat and ponder whatever words or phrases from your reading strike you.
Let’s take a moment to look at one of the primary images- the bread. Bread is food and life for us all. When Israel was in the dessert, God provided manna or bread from heaven. The city Bethlehem means “House of Bread” in Hebrew. Jesus said, "I am the bread of life". In Scripture, famine or lack of bread meant physical as well as spiritual death.
Rung 3: PRAY & CONTEMPLATE
This is where we listen for God’s voice within the text.
Verses 5-6
• What pressing issues in your life are represented by a lack of bread?
• Is there anyone in your life who has been on a long journey, and is looking to you for hospitality?
Verses 7-8
• What are the logical arguments, circumstances or past experiences that cause you to make excuses for why the door will not be answered?
Verses 9-10
• Jesus is speaking directly to you. What thoughts or feelings come to mind when you hear his words to you:
1. Ask!
2. Seek!
3. Knock!
Verses 11-13
• What are some good gifts that you would like to see manifest in your life?
• Do you Trust that God will give you what you need?
• Do you believe that He is the giver of good gifts?
Rung 4: DISCUSS
Rung 5: WITNESS IN THE WORLD
How is God inspiring you to take bold action for yourself due to a “ lack of bread”?
In what way is God challenging you to take bold action on behalf of others?
Lectio Divina
Chew on this.
Lectio Divina is Latin for “Divine Reading”. It is the spiritual exercise of praying or singing the Scriptures slowly and contemplatively.
Ruminate: ru•mi•nate
1. To chew the cud, as a ruminant.
2. To chew again or over and over.
3. To meditate on; ponder or muse.
While the word ruminate may not be familiar, the activity of ruminating is. It is what we do when we worry or fret over something. We re-play arguments or hurts in our mind, over and over; we imagine what we would say to the person who has wronged us; we mutter and mumble to ourselves saying, “I can’t believe she had the nerve to say that to me!” We imagine all kinds of terrible scenarios. This is ruminating in a negative way.
Instead of running this type of internal dialogue, we should recall the Apostle Paul’s encouragement to the Philippians:
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
It Makes Me Wonder…
You may have thought that the band Led Zeppelin came up with the phrase, “Stairway to Heaven”. Actually, it was a 12th century European monk named Guigo de Castro who described Lectio Divina by this term. In his work, Guigo outlined a form of meditative pray that was analogous to the rungs of a ladder.
Rung 1: READ (Lectio)
Rung 2: MEDITATE (Meditatio)
Rung 3: PRAY (Oratio) & CONTEMPLATE (Contemplatio)
Rung 4: DISCUSS (Collatio)
Rung 5: WITNESS IN THE WORLD (Operatio)
Lectio Divina is Latin for “Divine Reading”. It is the spiritual exercise of praying or singing the Scriptures slowly and contemplatively.
Ruminate: ru•mi•nate
1. To chew the cud, as a ruminant.
2. To chew again or over and over.
3. To meditate on; ponder or muse.
While the word ruminate may not be familiar, the activity of ruminating is. It is what we do when we worry or fret over something. We re-play arguments or hurts in our mind, over and over; we imagine what we would say to the person who has wronged us; we mutter and mumble to ourselves saying, “I can’t believe she had the nerve to say that to me!” We imagine all kinds of terrible scenarios. This is ruminating in a negative way.
Instead of running this type of internal dialogue, we should recall the Apostle Paul’s encouragement to the Philippians:
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
It Makes Me Wonder…
You may have thought that the band Led Zeppelin came up with the phrase, “Stairway to Heaven”. Actually, it was a 12th century European monk named Guigo de Castro who described Lectio Divina by this term. In his work, Guigo outlined a form of meditative pray that was analogous to the rungs of a ladder.
Rung 1: READ (Lectio)
Rung 2: MEDITATE (Meditatio)
Rung 3: PRAY (Oratio) & CONTEMPLATE (Contemplatio)
Rung 4: DISCUSS (Collatio)
Rung 5: WITNESS IN THE WORLD (Operatio)
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