Sunday Reflection: How a water drum inspired me

Introduction: This is the first time I will post a Lectio Divina (Diving Reading) Reflection. As a Marist young Brother, I don’t give sermons. But like a teacher (or a future teacher), I can give my personal experiences. I’ll do it the WordPress way. Just pardon my English.

1. Reading: In Scripture Reading (Lectio Divina), we are invited to pick a word or a phrase to meditate/ponder/reflect upon. Today is the Feast of the Lateran Basilica. I chose the second reading from 1 Cor 3:17 b: “[F]or the temple of God, which you are, is holy.“
2. Reflection:
   1. I started walking to our parish church at 5:55 a.m. since I woke up late. I spent the night reading The Seven Storey Mountain by Thomas Merton and I can’t recall what time I slept. I was reading the part where the man was contemplating already to join the Trappists. When, I arrived at the church, the Mass was already in the Responsorial Psalm part. I haven’t got the time to choose a good seat so I ended up seating in a pew where the pillar was obstructing the view of the altar. When Second Reading comes, I opened my Bible Diary. The lector was reading in deep Filipino while I’m reading it in English. Then I was struck with the phrase: we are the temple of God. Then it’s the priest’s turn to give the homily. He discussed about reverence towards the church. I don’t know exactly what he talked about that prompted me to think like this. But I believe he was effective in leading me to pray. It struck me when I remembered one event in my childhood.
   2. One evening, I glanced at my own reflection while fetching water on a drum. Then I asked, “Who am I?” I was only 9 at that time. In a very young age, I already started my journey towards questioning everything in life to look for the Truth.
   3. I wandered away from the Church. But I believe God never abandoned me even if I have forsaken Him. Now I realized that I will be misguided if I wander away from God’s Revelation, His Son Jesus. In our Theology class, I learned that Revelation is present in the Scriptures, Apostolic Tradition, and in the Magisterium. I believe that we, the people of God, are also the Church. God dwells in us. Jesus said that whenever there are two or three persons gathered in his name, he dwells there. It is not because by our own merit; it is because of his saving grace, his Love for us.
3. Prayer:
   Father,
   Thank you for revealing your Word to me this day.
   You are the Shepherd that leads us towards the spring of life.
   Whenever we wander far away from You, gently search us and lead us home.
   We ask this through your Son,
   Jesus Christ, our Brother and Lord, together with the Holy Spirit;
   One God, forever and ever. Amen.