Journey of Lenten Discipleship: A Thirsty Soul

Lent is a season of penance, reflection, and fasting which prepares us for “new life” on Easter Sunday.  During the season of Lent we are invited to look deep within ourselves to consider our spiritual lives and how we fall short of what God intends for us.

Lent is a time when God seeks us and when we seek God.  In the early church and still in many churches today, lent is the time of preparation for experiencing God in the waters of baptism and in the remembrance of baptism.   We remember not the physical act but we remember that we belong to God and we walk in community with others.    As we prepare ourselves for remembering our baptism at the Easter Vigil, we join our thirsty souls with the thirsty soul of the Psalmist.  We concentrate on the Journey of Discipleship through contemplative/reflective prayer practices such as Lectio Divina, Breath Prayers, Centering Prayer and Walking the Labyrinth …

As we continue on our Journey of Lenten Discipleship let us breathe a gentle breath prayer.
Use this one or allow one to emerge from within your own spirit ...

                                     Breathe in … My soul thirsts (pause)  
                                     Breath out … O God for You (pause) 

When you are ready to move into the text, use this prayer that emerges from Psalm 63 as a heart prayer:

I come to your word as a seeker with a thirsty soul, O God
Open my heart and mind and fill me with living water!  Amen.



Read Psalm 63:1-8 with the "ear of your heart" using Lectio Divina, during which you will breathe and drink deeply of the living word of God.  Listen and let your heart sing praises with the Psalmist who knows God so intimately.  Allow these words to draw you closer to God. Listen as God speaks to your heart as you read.

1. Lectio (Read) the actual reading of the sacred text ... Read slowly and pay attention in order to "receive" a word or a phrase as you read.
 

 O God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you;

my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory.
Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.

So I will bless you as long as I live; I will lift up my hands and call on your name.
My soul is satisfied as with a rich feast, and my mouth praises you with joyful lips
when I think of you on my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night;
for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I sing for joy.

My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.

 2. Meditatio (Meditation-Reflect) reflecting or pondering upon the words of the sacred text.  Read the text again and when a word or phrase captures your attention, stop and sit with it.  Note: It may the same word but it also may be a different word.  Take the word and turn it over in your mind, think about where this word speaks to your life circumstances and your spiritual journey right now.

3. Oratio (Prayer-Respond) spontaneous movement of the will in response to reflections.  Read the text through to the end again.  How are you moved to respond to God?   Allow your prayers to flow from your time with God.

4. Contemplatio (Contemplation-Rest) resting in the presence of God... Simply be still.  Simply rest in the silence within yourself as long as it seems good to you.  

When you are ready to move on, pray this prayer that emerges from Psalm 63
 

O God my God, I will praise you with joy on my lips.

I will raise my hands as I call out to you, O God my God

O God my God, fill my soul to overflowing with your presence

Always, and I will never again thirst, O God my God!  Amen.

Close your time of Lectio Divina, Praying with Scripture, by viewing this youtube video of beautiful nature photographs and listening to As the Deer.