Advent 4: Emmanuel, God With Us

Lectio Divina is a contemplative way of "praying" the scriptures.   Lectio is a receptive way of reading the scripture rather that "taking" something away from it.  Many people refer to the act of lectio divina as "reading with the ear of the heart" in the way of St. Benedict.   Advent is a time of waiting and anticipation.   Advent is a time of receptivity.  We wait to receive the gift of the Christ Child and yet we wait for the time when Christ comes and the time Christ will come again.

Although there are essentially 4 movements in the prayerful reading of the sacred text known as Lectio Divina,  lectio (read), meditatio (reflect), oratio (respond), and contemplatio (rest) there truly are as many ways to creatively engage the biblical text through lectio divina as there are creative people who read the bible with not just their mind but their entire being.  

I'll guide you gently but I encourage you to surrender to God and listen to what you are "hearing with the ear of your heart."  You can create your own way ... as you read the text let the Spirit guide you! 

Last week we read Mary's side of the story culminating in the beautiful Magnificat and this week we read Joseph's side of the story.  While Gabriel the Angel visited Mary, God came to Joseph in the form of an Angel in a dream.  Mary said, "yes" last week and Joseph says, "yes" this week.  The rest, as they say, is history ... 

The Dream of St. Joseph/Image in Public Domain

Pray for Illumination:  God of the Future, as the Angels spoke to Mary and Joseph, speak to me now as I pray with your Scriptures.  May your voice reach my soul and fill my heart with your love.  Prepare me for your coming reign of peace and justice.  In the name of Emmanuel, God-With-Us.  Amen. 


Movement 1: READ Matthew 1:18-25 (from The Voice Bible) slowly and let the words fill your spirit ... listen for a word or a phrase that attracts your attention ... stop ... turn that word or phrase around and around, over and over in your mind.  Say your word or phrase aloud so you can "hear" it calling to you deep within. 

  
So here, finally, is the story of the birth of Jesus the Anointed:  Mary was engaged to marry Joseph, son of David. They hadn’t married. And yet, some time well before their wedding date, Mary learned that she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Joseph, because he was kind and upstanding and honorable, wanted to spare Mary shame. He did not wish to cause her more embarrassment than necessary.  Now when Joseph had decided to act on his instincts, a messenger of the Lord came to him in a dream.  Messenger of the Lord: Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to wed Mary and bring her into your home and family as your wife. She did not sneak off and sleep with someone else—rather, she conceived the baby she now carries through the miraculous wonderworking of the Holy Spirit. She will have a son, and you will name Him Jesus, which means “the Lord saves,” because this Jesus is the person who will save all of His people from sin.  Joseph woke up from his dream and did exactly what the messenger had told him to do: he married Mary and brought her into his home as his wife (though he did not consummate their marriage until after her son was born). And when the baby was born, Joseph named Him Jesus, Savior.  Years and years ago, Isaiah, a prophet of Israel, foretold the story of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus:  A virgin will conceive and bear a Son, and His name will be Immanuel (which is a Hebrew name that means “God with us”). 

Movement 2:  READ the text slowly again and let the words flow into your spirit ... Has a different word or phrase called to you?  That's ok!  REFLECT on your chosen word or phrase.  How does this passage illuminate your life?  What is God's invitation to you through the text? 

Take a deep breath and move on when you are ready ...

Movement 3:  READ the text slowly again and let the words sink deep into your soul ... RESPOND to God's invitation with prayers of praise, adoration, confession, gratitude, discernment, petition, intercession, and/or commitment ... whatever emerges from within you, express it in the form of a prayer.  This is a lovely place to write your thoughts in a journal.

Take a deep breath and move on when you are ready ...

Movement 4:  Remember that God is as close to you as your very own breath.  REST in the gentle silence of God's presence ... breath in the peace that emerges from God's promises in Jesus Christ ... as you move on, breath out the love of God upon the world

Breath Prayer of Rest:
Breathing in … Emmanuel, God-With-Us
Breathing out … Come O Come Live in Me

If music is a spiritual pathway for you, you may enjoy this simple offering of His Name is Called Emmanuel.   Enjoy!   

If art/praying with icons with a spiritual path for you, I sought images of Joseph in the public domain for this week but found a couple that I love that I couldn't use because of copyright or lack of copyright info.  Here is a link to a blog page with Joseph and the Christ Child (no artist info available) and here is a another link to a website of contemporary icons by iconographer Father William Hart McNichols  where you can see St Joseph and Jesus as well as many others.  You will have to browse the gallery to find it though.