Prayer, Attention, Relationship

  • “Exegesis is loving God enough to stop and listen carefully to what God says.” — Eugene Peterson, “Eat This Book”

Friday, July 4, 2025

Prayer of Sacred Reading, Listening and Seeing, Monday, July 7, 2025, 9:00am

  Zoom Meeting ID. 814 8663 8380


Call to Prayer


Leader    Let Us gather in the welcome of our Triune God, Creator, Christ, and Holy Spirit. 


Gathered:  Lord, it is good for us to be here. 


Lighting the Christ candle


Leader       Jesus Christ is the Light of the world.  

    

Gathered:   The Light no darkness can overcome 


Invitation Song to Lectio Divina, written and gifted by music minister John Penoyar of Hinesburg, Vermont


Were not our hearts burning as He spoke

Were not His words words we longed to hear

Were not our eyes opened in the breaking of the bread

Were not our hearts burn -ing as He spoke


Our God is here He walks among us

When two or three of us are gathered in his name

Our God is here and he surrounds us

And all creation sings the glory of his name


And we shall rise, as he is risen

And though he promised us we did not understand

Yes we shall rise as he is risen

And we will know him when he calls to us by name.



Lectio Divina Guidelines


Leader
- During the first reading, listen for the overall sense of the passage. Select  a word or phrase that captures your attention, as though the Holy Spirit were flashing a light from the text to your heart, asking you to notice it. Like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, allow your eyes to be opened and your heart to be warmed as God speaks to you. 

LeaderDuring the second reading let us listen for the feelings, sensations and connections that God's Word stirs in us. What message might God be speaking into your life now?.

Leader- During the final reading let us attend to our own hearts for a response to God’s love. What response will you carry forth from this encounter with the Living Word into the world? 

Leader Let us now rest in the silence and attend once more to the presence of Christ among us. We hold a quiet space to hear God speaking in our hearts





                            Wezelaar, Han, 1901-1984. "Good Samaritan"


Luke 10:25-37   The parable of the merciful Samaritan

An expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he said, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 26 He said to him, "What is written in the law? What do you read there?" 27 He answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind and your neighbor as yourself." 28 And he said to him, "You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live." 29 But wanting to vindicate himself, he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" 30 Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and took off, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan while traveling came upon him, and when he saw him he was moved with compassion. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, treating them with oil and wine. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, 'Take care of him, and when I come back I will repay you whatever more you spend.' 36 Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?" 37  He said, "The one who showed him mercy." Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."

Lord’s Prayer in Three Parts


Voice 1 Our Father who art in Heaven

Voice 2 Holy One beyond all names,  Eternal Wellspring

Voice 3 O Great Spirit, our Father from above,


Voice 1 Hallowed be thy name Thy kingdom come

Voice 2 May love rise again in us today 

Voice 3 we honor your name as sacred and holy.


Voice 1 thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven

Voice 2 with food for every table, shelter for every person,

Voice 3 Bring your good road to us, where the beauty of your

ways in the spirit-world above is reflected in the earth below.


Voice 1 Give us this day our daily bread

Voice 2 and reverence for every living being.

Voice 3 Provide for us day by day--the elk, the buffalo, and the                  salmon.  The corn, the squash, and the wild rice.

             All the things we need for each day.


Voice 1 Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us

Voice 2 Forgive us our failings in love,  and free us from all         

            falseness, 

Voice 3 Release us from the things we have done wrong, in the same             way we release others for the things done wrong to us.


Voice 1 and Lead us not into temptation,

Voice 2 that the light of our souls may shine 

Voice 3    Guide us away from the things that tempt us to stray from your good road


Voice 1     but deliver us from evil

Voice 2     and the strength of our spirits endure for earth and all its                 people

Voice 3 and set us free from the evil one and his worthless ways.


Voice 1 For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours forever

Voice 2 this day, tonight,  and forever.  


Voice 1         Amen!

Voice 2 Yes, I commit! 

Voice 3 Aho,! May it be so!

Martin Luther This is most certainly true!


Voice 1   Matthew 6: 9-13

Voice 2 (from "Celtic Benediction," by John Phillip Newell)

 Voice 3  First Nations Version: An Indigenous Translation of the New Testament.

Closing Prayer   

God of salvation, who sent your Son to seek out and save what is lost, visit your people and pour out your strength and courage upon us, that we may hurry to make you welcome not only in our concern for others, but by serving them generously and faithfully in your name. Amen

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