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
̬ joins in his mission Рreaping
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.                






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