Area Three: Prayer or “Oratio”

Matthew 6:19-21

19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Part Three, Prayer

As with previous days, re-immerse in your experience from the past day’s meditation. Ordinarily this occurs in one sitting but go with it. After slowing down in silence or breath praying, review the reading from Matthew 6:19-21. Check in with your reflection word(s) and additional reflections from the meditation time yesterday. Again, if you are just starting this week, go back to Monday for this to make sense.

Section three of Lectio Divina is the latin word “oratio,” meaning prayer. In this section, a prayer is built from the phrase or word that has captured your attention; dialogue with God about it. You may begin with your personal hopes, desires, needs, pains. Then let the prayer expand to increasingly larger circles of people and life. You might consider sketching or painting as an outlet for these prayers as well – a nonverbal, creative response.

Journal Prompt:
My dialogue with God over personal hopes, desires, needs, pains (don’t forget sketching or painting, non-verbal responses):

Journal Prompt:
Other people/situations on my mind, heart, soul and this word:

Micro-Meditation

Psalm 32:3-4

When I kept silent, my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
For day and night your hand was heavy on me;
my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.

Teaching or Command of God:

Psalm 38:3b-4

There is no soundness in my bones because
of my sin. My guilt has overwhelmed me like
a burden too heavy to bear.

Proverbs 28:13

Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

Pondering Point

Have you learned that keeping sins secret heightens their power over you? Have you learned that confessing your sins – to God and fellow disciples – often breaks the stronghold of such sins plaguing your life?