Listening Well

Gate Pa – Lent 3 2014

Readings:

Hebrew Scripture:                          Exodus 17:1-7                   

Psalm:                                                  Psalm: 95                                                       

Epistle:                                 Rom 5:1-11                

Gospel:                                                John 4:5-42                 

What I want to say:

Explore story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman as an example of listening. Introduce the spiritual practice of sacred reading

What I want to happen:

People to learn to listen as did the Samaritan woman

The Sermon

     1.       Introduction:

lot wrong with gospel reading heard

                some ways makes story very improbable

                again – this is not history

                                -not biography

                gospels, like all books written like them

                                about divine truth revealed in and about Jesus

     2.       What is wrong?

those things that are wrong make this great story

what do you know about conservative middle eastern culture?

what is wrong?

·         Jesus and disciples move out Judea back Galilee – safer

                travel though Samaria – not in itself uncommon

                                find interesting that stop at Samaritan village

later stay in Samaritan town

·         Jesus talks to woman in public – not member of his family

·         status of woman – sinner or widow

o   story of Archbishop Roger Herft’s widow mother

§  serial relationships

§  widow/divorcee – scrambling to survive

·         fights drink at well of security

·         she leaves her implements with Jesus –

o   her means gaining access to water she needs to live

o   interesting display of trust and loyalty

§  really what belief is

·         she goes to public square

o   no woman can enter without male escort

o   no woman can speak

o   what she talks about is pretty dodgy as well

     3.       The woman

un-named woman is pretty amazing person

joins others, particularly other women

                who point to Jesus as One who truly is saviour of world

Nicodemus – insider

                sneaked to see Jesus at night

                got stuck on literal details

Woman – outsider

                brazenly talks in middle of day

                goes beyond literal details

                metaphorical

                recognises Jesus as the one

in her encounter with Jesus something happens

                she hears

                she is changed

                becomes a new person

She is first hear the great “I Am” statements that punctuate John’s gospel

all reasons for her exclusion – race, gender, status

è set aside

è joins in his mission – reaping

given glimpse of what worshipping in spirit and truth are all about

all included in worship of Living God

not just pious male Jews who could afford the cost.

     4.       Prayer

Last week talked about prayer

offered a whole lot of definitions

ultimately I would say that prayer is listening

                not using words intercede for others or ourselves

                it is listening

                listening for God

we are invited to listen as this Samaritan woman listened

and to be changed as she was

How do we listen?

number ways

                silence

                paying attention to God’s activity in our life – examen

                talking to others (spiritual direction)

                sacred reading – lectio divina

     5.       Benedict of Nursia

term Lectio Divina comes from Benedict of Nursia

father of western monasticism

lived 480-550

translate much learning from desert mothers and fathers   

        (Egypt and Middle East)

established basic rule community living

        not a lot time solitaries and hermits

revolved around prayer, work and lectio divina

     6.       Lectio Divina

what is sacred reading?

most of us read for two reasons

                entertainment

                information

that is how we approach the bible

                looking for information

                know more about

                looking for the meaning

sacred reading is not this kind of reading

                many people hard to get their heads around this point

to be clear, that kind of reading is needed when we are studying the bible

but this is not studying bible

another way of putting it is that we are praying the bible

sacred reading is slow repetitive reading

makes space for heart God

to speak to our heart

not exercise when learn more

understand more

often not think any new thoughts at all.

slow reading

sacred object

allowing living dynamic

revelation of God

     7.       How to do it:

as this is time prayer

everything said 2 last weeks about time, place, posture, silence apply here

need time day when most alert

                pay best attention

good books start with

                gospels

                psalms

good have bible

                easy read

                different version from normal one

                no notes

                no life applications

                plain text

Guiddo II writing in 1100’s offered four steps to this sacred reading

lectio – slow repetitive reading

meditatio – paying attention to our inner response

-          noticing what grabs our attention and staying with that

oratio or prayer

contemplatio – simply being in God

     8.       watch out young love

this kind of reading can be difficult

easy to be discouraged

easy to fall back into old ways studying

                looking for profound thoughts

                implications

                lessons

                meanings

                conclusions

                applications

Sacred reading is not interested in any of these.

Instead

wondering what Word of God is inviting me to this day

be content as small child is climbing into fathers lap and listening to the story.

this week invite you try sacred reading.