This past Sunday, August 4, 2024, at the request of our Patriarch Sviatoslav, the 2024 UGCC Synodal Letter was read aloud to all parishioners. I believe that the letter is brilliant! I draw your attention to the following section:
We call on all the faithful of our Church to read God’s Word daily and meditate on it in parish bible apostolate communities. Let our families be the first place where the treasure of faith is passed on to new generations of Christians, where praying together and the reading of the Holy Scriptures are practiced, and where different generations strengthen one another through a witness of faith and through patient and faithful love. However, let us remember that God’s Word always leads to the partaking of the Holy Mysteries and is fulfilled in the Liturgy of Christ’s Church in the same way that the hearts of the disciples burned on the way to Emmaus, when Jesus spoke to them on the way, but they could only recognize Him in the breaking of bread—in partaking of His life and resurrection in the Mystery of the Eucharist (Lk 24:35).
In partial response to this letter, our parish will begin a weekly Parish Lectio Divina session in early September.
What is Lectio Divina? The term means “holy reading” and is a traditional monastic practice from Western Christianity which has become welcomed into the Eastern Churches. It is a practice of reading Holy Scripture, meditating on it and praying with it leading to a promotion of communion with the Lord. The Scriptures are not treated as a text to be studied; the Scriptural texts are not analysed theologically. Rather, the Scriptures are the Living Word of God; Lectio Divina is a relational experience.
What texts will we use? I have decided to follow a practice that I learned at Madonna House. We will read the Epistle and Gospel of the following Sunday. I would love to hear how each person responds and acts on the Word of God; and it will assist in writing my homily for that Sunday.
We will begin on Friday, September 6 at 6:30 pm in the church. All are welcome!
Fr. Michael