Lectio Divina - Broken Bay Institute

Lectio Divina Praying the Scriptures in Lent and Holy Week 2011 Year AOur long journey to the font culminates in the Easter Triduum. Thesethree days draw us into the mystery of our salvation. Whatever weare doing, these prayers and resources can help us be open to thegraces offered to us. Each morning, we can pause to acknowledgethe meaning of the day ahead. Each night, we can give thanks.Even if we can’t celebrate these days liturgically, we can refl ectupon the symbols and rituals, and let the prayers of the liturgiesdraw us in. All, that we might know the depth of the lovebeing offered us, and power of the gift of life won for us.We celebrate Easter each day this week. We keep celebrating so that we mightcontinue to enter into the meaning of the resurrection. In the early Church, thenewly baptised would be at each liturgy this week, wearing their white garments.We go through our everyday lives this week conscious of the “white garments”we all wear – the waters of our baptism certainly do not dry off! We are renewedas a priestly people, committed with Jesus to give our lives for others.The resurrection stories, which we read this week, come from communitiesthat are proclaiming the good news. The tomb is empty – Jesus’ tomband every tomb that tries to claim us in death. These are not believerswho, in their deep desire, just made up the resurrection. These arepeople who can hardly believe what they are seeing and experiencing.They, like us now, had trouble recognising his presence with them.We let the prayers of this Easter week draw us into the joy. Jesus is with us. Heis not dead, but alive. And, that makes all the difference in the world in howmuch hope and courage we have, before any struggle, any possible fear of death.Holy ThursdayExodus 12:1-8, 11-1412 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt: 2 This month shallmark for you the beginning of months; it shall be the fi rst month of the year foryou. 3 Tell the whole congregation of Israel that on the tenth of this month theyare to take a lamb for each family, a lamb for each household. 4 If a household istoo small for a whole lamb, it shall join its closest neighbor in obtaining one; thelamb shall be divided in proportion to the number of people who eat of it. 5 Yourlamb shall be without blemish, a year-old male; you may take it from the sheepor from the goats. 6 You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month; then54