Lectio Divina

(Sacred Reading)
February 2, 2024
For the Fifth Sunday
in Ordinary Time
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 Benedicite!
Let us remember that we are always
in the Most Holy Presence of God.

To those coming from other faith traditions

you may now make your sign of faith
as we make ours.

+In the Name of the Father, and of the Son,

and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
 Opening Prayer
Prayer of St. John Chrysostom
before Reading the Sacred Scriptures

O Lord Jesus Christ, open the eyes of my heart

that I may hear your Word, and understand and
do your will, for I am a pilgrim upon the Earth.
Hide not your commandments from me, but open
my eyes, that I may perceive the wonders of your
Law. Speak unto me the hidden and secret things
of your wisdom.
 Opening Prayer
Prayer of St. John Chrysostom
before Reading the Sacred Scriptures

On you do I set my hope, O my God, that you

shall enlighten my mind and understanding with
the light of your knowledge; not only to cherish
those things which are written, but to do them;
For you are the enlightenment of those who lie in
darkness, and from you comes every good deed
and every gift. Amen.
 Lectio
“Take a Bite”
of the Word
 Gospel: Mark 1:29-39
On leaving the synagogue
Jesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew with
James and John. Simon's mother-in-law lay sick with a
fever.
They immediately told him about her.
He approached, grasped her hand,
and helped her up.
Then the fever left her and she waited on them.
When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him
all who were ill or possessed by demons. The whole
town was gathered at the door.
 Gospel: Mark 1:29-39
He cured many who were sick with various diseases,
and he drove out many demons,
not permitting them to speak because they knew him.
Rising very early before dawn, he left
and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed.
Simon and those who were with him pursued him and
on finding him said, "Everyone is looking for you.“ He
told them, "Let us go on to the nearby villages that I
may preach there also.
For this purpose have I come.“ So he went into their
synagogues, preaching and driving out demons
throughout the whole of Galilee.
Meditatio
“Chew”
on the Word
Meditate on the following questions:
• What word or words in this passage
caught your attention?
• What in this passage
comforted you?
• What in this passage
challenged you?
Contemplatio
“Digest”
the Word
 Reflection:
“Sundowning”
by Fr. Arnel Aquino, SJ
 Reflection
Sundowning is typical of the elderly suffering
from dementia. At sunset, some patients show
increased confusion, anxiety and restlessness.
Many possible causes: they’re exhausted at day’s
end; they get confused when day-shift nurses
disappear and a different set of faces comes for
night-shift; their daytime medications wear off.
 Reflection
Sisters and brothers, picture today’s Gospel, for it’s
a very heartwarming scene: the ill and the
possessed, akay-akay by their loved ones, papunta
lahat kay Hesus…sa dapit-hapon. The desert was
cooler at sundown, that’s for sure; and their loved
ones were freer to assist them after a day’s work.
Best of all, no need to turn their faces away from
the glare, not so much of the sun, but the glare of
hierarchs who regarded them impure, immoral, and
God-cursed.
 Reflection
For a change, the darkening desert had promise:
someone who could finally soothe away their
illnesses and banish their demons. With desperate
hope, never again would they fear a sleepless
night. But even better: never again would their
loved ones dread coming home to them at every
sundown. There must’ve been many occasions like
that, when Jesus stayed up all night with all of
them, healing and comforting them, making
tomorrow a really new day.
 Reflection
Have you ever seen your aging parents sundown,
sisters and brothers? How about you, have you
ever sundowned? What were you yearning for, or
whom? What did you fear for your loved ones?
Was there ever a time when you dreaded coming
home at the end of the day because you couldn’t
bear seeing your family suffer, or because you
couldn’t bear seeing them see you suffer?
 Reflection
If only we were back in Nazareth. I’m sure we’d
be in that heartwarming procession of the ill, the
possessed, the world-weary, towards where Jesus
of Nazareth was, desperate for even just a sliver of
dawn. And our Lord would stay up all night if he
had to; he’d make sure we’d never dread going
home again when darkness set it. He’d make sure
we were no longer anxious and scared.
Oratio
“Savor”
the Word
 Closing Prayer
Lord, we thank you for the blessing of reading
your word together.
We ask that these words of life, truth and hope
would continue to impact us in the week
ahead.
May your love and grace follow each of us as
we return to our daily lives, refreshed and
blessed by you.
We recognize that your ways are not our ways,
your choices are not ours.
 Closing Prayer
Lord, I reach out to you for your strength and
the gift of perseverance when faced with
hardships and pain of my life. Lord calm my
anxious thoughts and speak to my mind.
Strengthen me when I falter, feel weary,
disappointed, and distressed. May I feel
strengthened to endure my own suffering and be
a help and encouragement to others. I ask this
through Christ my Lord. Amen.
St. Benedict and St. Scholastica
Pray for us.
 Mary with her loving son,
+Bless us each and everyone
That in all things
God may be
glorified!
 Lectio Divina
(Sacred Reading)
February 2, 2024
For the Fifth Sunday
in Ordinary Time