Episode 53 - Bonus - Lent 2017

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hey everybody we wanted to share a little bonus piece with you today as we are about to head into lent for this season of lent we've decided to produce a daily spiritual practice that we'd like to invite you into with us it's called lectio divina and science mike is going to tell you a little bit more about it here in a second and then lead us in one together this sort of meditation technique is an ancient and powerful one it's focused on the scriptures and we are making the whole series available all the days of lent um it's gonna be like 44 of them and it's going to be available to our patrons for free and so if you enjoy today's meditation and want to join the liturgists in this season of daily practice it's available for all the patrons who are at the five dollar a month or more level so i also want to just quickly let you know i've started a weekly meditation channel for the liturgists on patreon that is more focused on mysticism and oneness awareness as well as the other podcast that science mike and i do called the liturgist conversations that is raw unedited convo behind the scenes of everything that's going on at the liturgists so if you're interested in all of this you can become a liturgist with us just go to the liturgists.com and click donate and even if you're not able to do the 5 a month thing beyond this month we do hope you'll join us in this daily meditation journey through lent we expect it to be a profound and connecting experience for those of you in what is becoming this beautiful and burgeoning community so enjoy today's meditation and we'll talk to you next week the season of lent helps us prepare for easter popular notions of lent tend to involve mardi gras or giving up alcohol or red meat but the lenten season is deeper than that it's a time for solemn awareness of the work of jesus in his death burial and resurrection of course for the liturgists such a season is complex some of us are skeptics others liturgically or sacramentally minded and still others have a reformed protestant christian imagination i believe that lent can meet us all where we are that we can all follow christ into the wilderness for 40 days in search of our calling and our place with god whatever god means to you today throughout lent we're going to release a daily meditation we've chosen the lectio divinia or divine reading for this season and we've done so specifically because of the communal exploration of scripture that entails let's be honest many of us have a complicated even troubled relationship with scripture in the lexio the goal isn't a fact-finding or scholarly read of the text instead we use the text as a prayer to seek communion with god you may savor the scripture as ancient human literature a work of the divine or some mix of the two all that's required for the divine reading is a reception to what the text may have to teach you by following this reading on the suggested days you'll embark on a litten journey through scripture in community we encourage you to share something about your time of reflection in the comments below each meditation each day the divine reading has four movements we begin with lexio or read by slowly reading the text next comes meditatio or meditate by reflecting on what the text may have to say to us specifically then or ratio or pray in order to find how the text may call us to action finally completio or contemplate is a time of silent love and thankfulness toward god may your time spent in the linton journey lead you towards peace and love [Music] as we begin our lenten journey today prepare your mind for the divine reading eliminate distractions by finding a quiet still place set your phone to do not disturb take a few deep breaths imagine god looking on you with kindness as you prepare to encounter scripture listen as i read from psalm 51 verses 1-5 notice any words or phrases that catch your attention have mercy on me o god according to your steadfast love according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin for i know my transgressions and my sin is ever before me against you you alone have i sinned and done what is evil in your sight so that you are justified in your sentence and blameless when you pass judgment indeed i was born guilty a sinner when my mother conceived me take a few moments to reflect on those words what words or phrases caught your attention it's normal at so many different points in our life to feel like something is getting in the way of being present or happy something stopping us from achieving the goals that we have for ourselves or feeling connected to the people that we love better help will assess your needs and match you with your own licensed professional therapist to help you work on all those things you can connect with someone in a safe and private online environment for that reason it's so convenient you don't even have to leave the house and you can 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circumstances have mercy on me o god according to your steadfast love according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions wash me thoroughly for my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin for i know my transgressions and my sin is ever before me against you you alone have i sinned and done what is evil in your sight so that you are justified in your sentence and blameless when you pass judgment indeed i was born guilty a sinner when my mother conceived me what do you think it means for god to blot out your transgressions [Music] can you identify with the psalmist when he writes i was born guilty why or why not [Music] so what does this scripture passage say to you today how is your life different from the psalmist who lived thousands of years ago how might your life be similar [Music] [Music] as we read the scriptures a third time think about what action god may be inviting you toward have mercy on me o god according to your steadfast love according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin for i know my transgressions and my sin is ever before me against you you alone have i sinned and done what is evil in your sight so that you are justified in your sentence and blameless when you pass judgment indeed i was born guilty a sinner when my mother conceived me take some time to pray asking god to lead you using this passage of scripture so now sit in silence and express love toward god focus on your breath and if thoughts invade your mind greet them and then send them on their way as you return your attention to your breath so [Music] so [Music] [Music] may your time spent in this divine reading open your heart to the movement of god in your life on this ash wednesday and all throughout the linton season