God Delivers the Just from Wicked Schemers. If you are new to mental prayer, we invite you to visit our page on the ways of mental prayer, Don’t know how to Pray to God, to learn more.
We begin Day 26 of this Lenten prayer journey with this opening prayer :
Trust and Believe…
Lord,
I know you love me intimately. Please help me prepare my heart as I begin these 15 minutes of mental prayer with you. Lord, let me be present to you and aware of the movements of the Holy Spirit in my heart, receiving the grace you give with humility and contrition. Lord, help me visualize you in my presence right now as I strive to complete this Lenten reflection. Let me fully contemplate the readings as I ponder how God delivers the just from wicked schemers. I want to follow you all the way to Calvary, Jesus, and I want to do it with my whole heart.
AMEN.
Friday of the Fourth week of Lent (Liturgical Year I)
God Delivers the Just from Wicked Schemers
A Reflection for Prayerful Meditation
Let’s begin Day 26 of our Lenten journey as we continue traveling with Jesus in our hearts and minds toward Calvary by meditating on the daily Mass readings for today: the First Reading, the Psalms, and the Gospel Reading. As you make your self-reflection, feel free to journal your responses to the Lord. This meditation is suited for prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, but you can also pray this meditation while looking at a Crucifix or an image of Jesus that you have.
God Delivers the Just from Wicked Schemers
Prayer to the Holy Spirit
Start with Love…
Holy Spirit,
I believe you are truly here and present to me right now. I desire to be present to you. Guide my heart and mind and show me how I might pick up my cross and follow Jesus all the way to Calvary. Help me turn my heart more fully to God so that I might better understand God’s love for me.
Breathe on me as I spend these next 15 minutes fixated on today’s Mass readings. Holy Spirit, help me pray with humility, honesty, love and affection. I want to grow in virtue and holiness.
Thank you, Holy Spirit, for every consolation, desolation, time of silence, difficult trial, and temptation of the evil one. I understand that you love me and that everything in my life happens by God’s holy will, whether it be divine providence or God’s permissive will due to my sin and negligence.
Please humble me as I walk with Jesus toward Calvary.
AMEN.
Say Nothing Just Take Him In
Spend 1-3 minutes in silence gazing at Jesus with love and gratitude, in a prayer of silent contemplation.
Make a Movie in Your Mind…
Now we will contemplate the First Reading. We are heading to Alexandria, Egypt. It is the first century before Christ and a prophet is writing the sacred passage we are about to read.
Out his window you can see the city’s very large Jewish population traveling around this wealthy port city located on the Mediterranean coast. You see learned scholars of the law and the torah hurry past the Mouseion and off in the distance you can see Pharos Lighthouse. There are synagogues throughout the city and the Jewish people can be seen freely gathering there.
Our author is praying, and after he prays he grabs the papyrus and dips his reed pen into the ink to make a prophesy.
Slowly imagine this scene in your mind as you read. Who is the author describing to you?
God Delivers the Just from Wicked Schemers
Their Wickedness Blinded Them
Wisdom 2:1, 12-22
Reflection:
Let us take a moment to reflect on the message in the First Reading.
Did you envision Jesus as you read this prophecy? It was written before the birth of Christ. What passage touched you the most? How did the wicked schemers treat the just one? How does wickedness blind people?
Now let’s personalize this passage from our First Reading…
Be Completely Real…
You may want to dwell for a few moments on the last line, about the hidden counsels of God and the recompense of holiness. There is a reward for the innocent soul attacked by the wicked schemers. Ask the Lord to speak to your heart about the wisdom of this eternal truth.
Give the Holy Spirit time to respond.
Did the Lord remind you of someone or something from your past? Have you witnessed how God delivers the just who seek his counsel?
Are you in the middle of a situation where you are being attacked by wicked schemers? Are you praying about your situation? How does this passage speak to your heart? What do you want to say to the Lord about your situation?
In the next part we will read a passage from Psalms. Prayerfully read it with faith.
Let us continue our mental prayer with today’s Responsorial Psalm:
God Delivers the Just from Wicked Schemers
The Lord Hears the Cries of the Just
Psalms 34:17-21, 23
to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.
When the just cry out, the LORD hears them,
and from all their distress he rescues them.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;
and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.
Many are the troubles of the just man,
but out of them all the LORD delivers him.
He watches over all his bones;
not one of them shall be broken.
The LORD redeems the lives of his servants;
no one incurs guilt who takes refuge in him.
Visualize Christ…
Next, we are heading to Jerusalem. It is the end of the religious calendar year. And Jesus’ brothers have already left for the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles, also called the Sukkot. We are quietly heading with Jesus from Galilee to this seven-day pilgrimage festival. When we approach Jerusalem we see all the makeshift temporary shelters lining the city. It is crowded! There is festive music, lights glowing in the Temple, and water drawing ceremonies going on.
You see a few city dwellers gazing at Jesus and talking amongst themselves. You imagine they must have recognized him….
Now we are ready to take our image of Jesus and visualize today’s Gospel Reading. Put yourself in this scene much like you did in the First Reading. Read this passage. Then prayerfully speak to Jesus about what stirred your heart. What do you want to tell him?
God Delivers the Just from Wicked Schemers
They Were Trying to Kill Him
John 7:1-2,10, 25-30
Jesus moved about within Galilee; but he did not wish to travel in Judea, because the Jews were trying to kill him. But the Jewish feast of Tabernacles was near. But when his brothers had gone up to the feast, he himself also went up, not openly but (as it were) in secret.
So some of the inhabitants of Jerusalem said, “Is he not the one they are trying to kill? And look, he is speaking openly and they say nothing to him. Could the authorities have realized that he is the Messiah? But we know where he is from. When the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from.”
So Jesus cried out in the temple area as he was teaching and said, “You know me and also know where I am from. Yet I did not come on my own, but the one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true. I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.”
So they tried to arrest him, but no one laid a hand upon him, because his hour had not yet come.
Are You Listening?
As long as the world turns, there will be evil schemers. We see that in the book of Wisdom, in the Psalms, and through the life of Christ. Enter into a moment of quiet contemplation. Just look at an image of Jesus for a few minutes. You’ve shared your heart with him, and now let him share his heart with you.
What is the Lord saying to you about your fears and worries? What does he want you to understand about wicked schemers and the loving protection of God? We are not promised a life without suffering, but the Bible tells us that God delivers the just. Take a few moments to listen to the Lord’s response to your prayers. You may want to journal about it.
Pray the next Lenten Meditation
Day 27 Lenten Meditation
God Protects Me from the Malice of the Wicked
“God Protects Me from the Malice of the Wicked” – join us in our 27th Lenten reflection for Liturgical Year I