The Psalm 86:1-10, 16-17
The First Lesson Matthew 10:24-39
The Second Lesson Romans 6:1b-11
Meditation "Knock, Knock...Who's There?"
GUEST PREACHER, MARIAN BAUER, CCE
Worship Notes
Today during the Summer of the Spirit we integrate the practice of lectio divina into our worship. Lectio Divina is Latin for divine reading, spiritual reading, or "holy reading," and represents a traditional Christian practice of prayer and scriptural reading. It is a way of praying with Scripture that calls one to read (Lectio), study (Meditatio), pray (Oratio) and listen (Contemplatio) to a bible text. The systematization of spiritual reading into four steps dates back to the 12th century. Around 1150, Guigo II, a Carthusian monk, wrote a book titled "The Monk's Ladder" wherein he set out the theory of the four rungs: reading, meditation, prayer and contemplation.
The Spiritual Practice for today is called the Jesus Prayer. It is one of the oldest prayers which says, "Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner." We will sing the Kyrie which is a shorter version of the prayer. The solo, "Somebody's Knockin' At Your Door" based on an African-American spiritual, reminds us that Jesus is at our door wanting us to answer him. In the Epistle lesson, Paul writes that our whole life is changed by being 'in Christ.' It takes total commitment to follow Christ. The final hymn "Christians of Westminster" speaks to this commitment.
