Lectio Divina: For the Nativity of John the Baptist

Please read slowly and reflectively.

Slowly count to five at the end of each line.

A READING FROM THE GOSPEL OF JESUS ACCORDING TO LUKE (FIRST READER ONLY)

When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child she gave birth to a son./

....They were going to call him Zachariah after his father/

But his mother said, "No, he will be called John"./

The relatives responded, "No one among your relatives has that name."/

They made signs asking his father what the boy should be called./

He asked for a tablet and wrote, "John is his name."/

They were all amazed./

Immediately his mouth was opened and he spoke blessing God./

They said, "What then shall this child be?"/

For surely the hand of the Lord was with him/.