Lectio Divina for The Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time
Read the following Scripture two or three times:
Matthew 10:26-33
Jesus said to the Twelve: “Fear no one. Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that
will not be known. What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light; what you hear whispered,
proclaim on the housetops. And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul;
rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. Are not two sparrows sold
for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge. Even all the
hairs of your head are counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Everyone
who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies
me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father.”
Meditation
After the reading, take some time to reflect in silence on or more of the following questions:
– What word or words in this passage caught your attention?
– What in this passage comforted you?
– What in this passage challenged you?
Contemplation
Read the Scripture again, followed by this reflection:
What conversion of mind, heart, and life is the Lord asking of me?
Fear no one.
What do I fear?
How do my fears inhibit my following God’s will for me?
You are worth more than many sparrows.
How do I show that my life is a gift from God?
How do I demonstrate respect for my dignity and that of others?
Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father.
How have I given witness to ny faith in God? How does my way of living reflect what I believe?
After a period of silent reflection recite the Lord’s Prayer.
Living the Word This Week
How can I make my life a gift for others in charity?
Share your faith by taking some action that supports the dignity of all human beings: write to a
legislator, feed the homeless, support women in crisis pregnancies, etc.
