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In the company of others in the synagogue, he reads a portion of Scripture, then offers a brief reflection in response to the passage from Isaiah, asserting that he is to fulfill this Scripture.
Catholics for generations have followed Jesus’ example by gathering to read, reflect and respond to Scriptural passages through the practice of lectio divina. Along with these three movements in lectio divina, they would also rest in silence, consenting to God’s presence in their lives, allowing that time in prayer to shape how they lived their lives. I see the same four movements in our celebration of Eucharist. First we come together to listen to readings from Scripture, then we hear a reflection on those Scriptural passages. We respond by coming forward to receive and be named ‘the Body of Christ.’ Then we rest in silence before going out to live into what we have taken in, to manifest the identity we have been given, in our everyday lives.
Today’s Gospel offers us a description of listening to the word of God in order to become the word of God we are intended to be. To practice lectio divina is to listen for God in Scripture and in our lives - and to respond to what we hear, to the identity we are given, throughout life.