Lectio Divinia: Partake in the Blessings

Allow this passage from The Message to engage your whole self, so Scripture becomes an encounter rather than a concept. You’ll hear “This is my body” and “This is my blood” as a present-tense invitation to participate, remember, and partake. The practice moves from attentive listening to personal response, offering time for a simple conversation with Jesus.

For more on the theme Partake in the Blessings, see page 96 of With God in Every Breath by Whitney R. Simpson. 

Transcript

Lectio Focus: Mark 14

First Reading With The Senses

Hearing Jesus Speak To You

Pray And Respond In Silence

Meaning Of Body And Blood

Closing Prayer And Return

SPEAKER_00 0:02

Hi, I'm Whitney, and you're listening to Exploring Peace Meditations. I invite you to find a quiet place to settle in. Turn your phone on silence and breathe with me as we listen and pray. While you're getting settled, I'll remind you that you can find more meditations like these at exploringpeace.com. You can find my books and more at whitneyrsimpson.com. Today we will practice listening to scripture. As we listen, I'll invite you to notice, to use all of your senses, to notice what you see in your mind. What maybe comes to life as you smell in this passage, taste. What might it have been like to sit in this place? Use your whole self to enter into your listening today. Allow your breath to be full and deep. Here is Mark chapter 14, verses 22 through 25 in the message. This is my body. In the course of their meal, having taken and blessed the bread, Jesus broke it and gave it to the disciples. Then he said, Take, this is my body. Taking the chalice, he gave it to them, thanking God, and they all drank from it. He said, This is my blood, God's new covenant poured out for many people. I'll not be drinking wine again until the new day when I drink it in the kingdom of God. Use your senses to just notice. Simply notice. Now listen again. As if Jesus were speaking to you, as if you were sitting among the disciples. What do you hear? This is my body. In the course of their meal, having taken and blessed the bread, Jesus broke it and gave it to the disciples. Then he said, Take, this is my body. Taking the chalice, he gave it to them, thanking God, and they all drank from it. He said, This is my blood, God's new covenant poured out for many people. I'll not be drinking wine again until the new day when I drink it in the kingdom of God. Pause for a moment. What stands out to you? What does God want you to notice as you listen to this word today? Listen again. This time in the silence that follows, respond to Jesus. What might you say in response to this word today? This is my body. In the course of their meal, having taken and blessed the bread, Jesus broke it and gave it to the disciples. Then he said, Take, this is my body. Taking the chalice, he gave it to them, thanking God, and they all drank from it. He said, This is my blood, God's new covenant poured out for many people. I'll not be drinking wine again until the new day when I drink it in the kingdom of God. In the quiet, respond to God. What might you be curious about? Say to God, respond to Jesus today. It emphasizes the redemptive significance of his body and blood, inviting us to participate, to remember, to partake. In the next moment of silence, pause, rest in this passage, give thanks for the sacrifices that Christ has made for you, for me, for all humankind. Help us today to sense your presence around us, to remember your sacrifices, your promises, and to never miss your blessings. In your holy name we pray. Amen. Bring awareness back into your body with a full breath in and a long breath out. Allow yourself to return to the space you're in with a heart of gratitude and a new awareness, a new reminder that God is right here. Thank you for exploring the gift of God's peace with me. Until next time, may God's peace be with you. Find more at exploringpeace.com and Whitneyr.