Lectio Divina is the spiritual practice of inviting Christ to speak to us through the prayerful reading of His Word.

Following in the footsteps of ancient believers, we can navigate the beautiful complexities of the Bible with both courage and curiosity.

Before we move forward, take a few moments to prepare your heart, mind, and body for this sacred experience.

Breathing in deeply identify any thoughts or feelings that may hinder you from yielding to the Holy Spirit’s will.

Right now.

Breathing out, slowly release your burdens and anxieties to the Lord Jesus.

You are welcome in this place.

Speak to me.

Your servant is listening.

Today we will follow the four stages of Lectio Divina read, reflect, respond, and rest as we pray through a section of Saint Paul’s letter to the early Church in Rome.

Romans chapter eight, verses 31 through 39.

What shall we say about such wonderful things as these?

If God is for us, who can ever be against us, since he did not spare even his own son, but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else?

Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own?

No one for God Himself has given us right standing with himself.

Who then will condemn us?

No one for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us.

And he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.

Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love?

Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or a persecuted or hungry or destitute or in danger, or threatened with death?

As the scriptures say, for your sake, we are killed every day.

We are being slaughtered like sheep.

No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ who loved us.

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love.

Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow.

Not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.

No power in the sky above or in the earth below.

Indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Knowing firsthand what it was like to be accused and condemned for his belief, Saint Paul made no mistake.

God’s people were suffering in the heart of the city.

The pillars of the pantheon stood like sentinels, a constant reminder of Rome’s dominance and paganism.

New Christians quickly found themselves marginalized within this culture.

Some, including Saint Paul, found themselves in the holes of Mamertine prison, condemned for the treason of worshiping King Jesus.

This era of persecution continued after Paul’s martyrdom.

A century later, the dying cries of Christians would echo through the vaults and arches of the Colosseum.

As Emperor Nero publicly displayed his hatred for the faith.

Imagine being among those early believers and hearing Saint Paul’s question read aloud, does all this suffering mean God no longer loves us?

Bring that question to God now.

No. Despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ who loved us.

In the midst of tribulation, Saint Paul audaciously defies despair.

Although he was indicted by the powers of his day, Paul knew his true pardon had already been granted.

Jesus is coming to the world, and his victory on the cross made it clear God had not given up on his people, regardless of human reasoning.

Paul had a hope that outlasted hurt.

Paul had come to learn that his hope was not in this world, but in the one who overcame this world, even as it attempted to kill him.

Shifting your focus inward, what is holding your hope captive today?

How have struggles and disappointments stolen your joy?

Jesus, shine your light into the darkest recesses of my heart.

Reveal the areas of my life where I have given up hope.

As we revisit the passage.

Listen for a word or phrase that the Holy Spirit is highlighting for you today.

Romans chapter eight, verses 31 through 39.

What shall we say about such wonderful things as these?

If God is for us, who can ever be against us, since he did not spare even his own son, but gave him up for us all?

Won’t he also give us everything else?

Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own?

No one for God Himself has given us right standing with himself.

Who then will condemn us?

No one for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us.

And he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.

Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love?

Does it mean he no longer loves us?

If we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted or hungry or destitute or in danger, or threatened with death, as the scriptures say, for your sake, we are killed every day.

We are being slaughtered like sheep.

No. Despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ who loved us.

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love, neither death nor life.

Neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor worries about tomorrow.

Not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.

No power in the sky above or in the earth below.

Indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

What thought or image stood out to you as you listened to the passage?

Talk to God about it now.

For Paul, the power of this passage seems to come in verse 32, since he did not spare even his own son.

The father’s willingness to sacrifice his own son is the ultimate demonstration of God’s love for us.

The father’s willingness to sacrifice his own son is the ultimate demonstration of God’s love for us.

If God was willing to pay such a price to free you, then who are you to condemn yourself to a life of shame?

Why allow regrets to hold you back from receiving the mercy Christ has won for you?

God’s love was the source of Saint Paul’s audacity.

Because of it, he could view every trial he encountered, not as evidence of God’s absence, but as an invitation to deeper trust and an opportunity to glorify his Savior in this holy moment.

Begin to thank the Lord for the circumstances in your life that have caused you to depend more heavily on him.

Jesus.

Give me the boldness to see my suffering as you do.

I know your ways are better than mine.

Now, having read, reflected on and responded to the Scripture.

Take some time to simply rest in Jesus who is present through God’s living Word.

There is nothing you have to say or do.

Just enjoy sitting in the Lord’s loving gaze.

As this time of prayer comes to a close.

Take heart.

In this quote from Maximilian Kolbe, a priest who, even in the horrors of Auschwitz, trusted in God’s unfailing love.

If we only knew the precious treasure hidden in infirmities, we would receive them with the same joy with which we receive the greatest blessings and would bear them without complaint.

Thanking God continually for having sent them.

Glory be to the father, to the son, and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever.

Amen.