Hello,
And welcome.
My name is Nicho,
And this is part seven of a Lectio Divina journey through the Gospel of John.
Each track is a sacred space for listening,
Silence,
And stillness,
A rhythm of resting with the Word and letting the Word rest in you.
As we begin,
Settle into quiet.
Let your breath slow,
Let your body feel supported,
Let your heart become spacious,
And we will begin with a prayer.
Good Shepherd,
We are listening for your voice.
Speak through the words of your story.
Lead us into still waters and hidden places,
Where we can rest in your care.
Draw us close to the Father's heart.
Amen.
A reading from the Book of John,
Chapter 10,
Verse 22 to 43.
Two moons had passed since the festival of shelters,
And it was now time for the village to celebrate the feast of dedication in the village of Peace,
Jerusalem.
This festival was to remember the time when the Great Spirit's lodge was cleansed after it had been made ceremonially unclean by an evil ruler.
It was winter,
And Creator sets free,
Jesus,
Was walking near the sacred lodge under the entryway named after the great chief,
Stands in peace,
Solomon.
The tribal leaders came to him and said,
How long will you make us wait?
If you are the Chosen One,
Then tell us.
I already told you who I am,
He said to them,
But you did not believe me.
The things I do,
Representing my Father,
Speak the truth about me.
As I told you before,
You do not trust me because you are not my sheep.
I know who my sheep are,
For they know my voice and go where I lead them.
My gift to them is the life of the world to come,
Full of beauty and harmony,
And they will never fade away or come to a bad end.
My Father gave them to me,
And no one can take them from me,
Because no one is greater than my Father.
My sheep are safe in his hands,
For I and my Father are one.
The tribal leaders became furious and picked up stones to kill him.
Creator sets free,
Jesus,
Stood his ground and said to them,
I have done many good things representing my Father,
For which of these things do you mean to stone me?
They answered,
Not for any good thing you have done,
But for speaking lies against the Great Spirit.
How can you,
A weak human being,
Represent yourself as the Great Spirit?
Creator sets free,
Jesus,
Answered them,
In your tribal law it says,
You are powerful spiritual beings.
If Creator's word,
Which came to you,
Says you are powerful spiritual beings,
And the sacred teachings are clear and cannot be changed,
Then how can you say that the one the Father has set apart and sent into the world is speaking against the Great Spirit when he says,
I am the Son of the Great Spirit?
If I am not doing what my Father does,
Then do not believe me.
But even if you do not believe me,
Then at least believe in the powerful things I do.
Then you will see clearly that I am in the Father and he is in me.
The tribal leaders moved towards him to take him by force,
But he slipped through their hands and walked away.
Creator sets free,
Jesus,
Decided it was time to leave Village of Peace,
Jerusalem,
Again.
He went to the place on the east side of the river flowing down Jordan,
Where a gift of goodwill,
John,
First performed the purification ceremony.
He and his followers remained there for a time.
Many people from the area came to hear him,
And after seeing Creator sets free Jesus,
Tell his stories,
Heal the sick,
And force out evil spirits,
The people were saying,
Gift of goodwill,
John,
Never performed a miracle or did any powerful signs,
But what he told us about this man is true.
And so,
Many of the people there believed in him,
That he was the chosen one.
Take a moment to let these words wash over you.
Not thinking,
Not doing,
Just being with the story of Creator sets free.
And open your heart to hear these words in yet another way with our second reading.
During the festival of renewal,
Creator sets free Jesus,
Walked in the sacred lodge.
The leaders gathered and asked,
If you are the chosen one,
Tell us plainly.
He replied,
I have spoken and acted,
But you do not believe me.
My sheep know my voice,
I know them,
They walk with me,
And I give them life that never ends.
No one can steal them away from me.
My Father,
Who gave them to me,
Is greater than all.
No one can take them from the Father's hand.
The Father and I are one.
The leaders picked up stones,
But he said,
Why do you stone me for good works?
Your law calls you sacred,
Yet you condemn me for saying I am the son of the Great Spirit.
If you do not believe my words,
Believe what you see,
The work shown that my Father is in me,
And I am in the Father.
Still they would not listen,
So he walked away.
What does it mean to be known by the shepherd?
To walk in rhythm with his voice?
To rest in the safety of hands that cannot lose you?
Let these words settle deeply.
Let them speak to the part of you that longs to belong.
And take a moment to reflect on the words of Creator Setsfree.
Good Shepherd You call us by name and lead us in love.
Help us trust the stillness of your presence.
Help us know your voice.
And rest in the strong hands of the Father.
Amen.
Thank you for being here.
Whether or not you're following along,
This is part 7 of a 10-part journey of Lectio Divina through the Gospel of John using the First Nations version of the Bible.
Track 8 will invite us into deeper intimacy through another saying of Creator Setsfree.
Until then,
Walk gently in the Father's care.
Live like dust lit by fire.
Nietzsche
