Lectio Divina

"Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ." - St. Jerome, A.D. 340-420

"To get the full flavor of an herb, it must be pressed between the fingers, so it is the same with the Scriptures; the more familiar they become, the more they reveal their hidden treasures and yield their indescribable riches."- St. John Chrysostom, A.D. 347-407

"The New Testament lies hidden in the Old and the Old Testament is unveiled in the New" - St. Augustine, A.D. 354-430

"All troubles of the Church, all the evils in the world, flow from this source: that men do not by clear and sound knowledge and serious consideration penetrate into the truths of Sacred Scripture." - attributed to St. Theresa of Avila, A.D. 1515-1582
How should we live this Word – “Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart and yield a harvest through perseverance.”

The root of Biblical faith lies in perseverance in listening and in vital activity, but it is also demanding. Listening implies allowing ourselves to be transformed little by little as the seed that falls on good ground. The Gospel helps us to delve deeper into this truth. In fact, love for God and love for neighbour have their source in LISTENING. The seed received in a pure heart is transformed and shown is gestures of tenderness, of service, of proclamation, of power to change both personal and social life. According to Jesus’ teaching, caring for God’s Word means preparing the ground, making it good. It means dedicating oneself to listening to the Word, learning to be silent, stopping the frenetic rush to do, entering into oneself by purifying the heart and mind of all egotistical desires. It means mediating and ruminating the tiny ‘pills’ of the Word each day so that it many become our blood and our breath. It is in this good earth that love of God and of our sisters and brothers can flourish.

As we pause for silent contemplation, let us invoke the ‘Spirit of love and of wisdom’ so that I will receive help to make my soil, good soil: Come Holy Spirit, drench my arid soil. Unearth the brambles that make my heart inhospitable. I desire and I want to listen to and live Jesus’ Word!

“Lectio Divina” (“divine, or sacred, reading”) is the name given to a spiritual tradition among Christians over the last two thousand years, in which they attentively and prayerfully read the word of God. Although there is an element of study in “Lectio Divina”, it is not the same as Bible Study, or exegesis, where one seeks to interpret the sacred text through analysis, and with the help of the work of scripture scholars. In Lectio Divina we seek not to master or grasp the sacred text, but rather through it, prayerfully and silently, to come into the presence of God. We seek to be humbly attentive to God’s Holy Word, to savour it, and to let it enter into our heart as much as our heads, so that it may transform us. One approach to Lectio Divina is simply to move systematically though a book of the Bible, but it never involves worrying about “covering” a certain quantity of text: what matters more is the quality of our humble attentiveness. We choose a small portion of the sacred text, and reflect prayerfully upon it.

Lectio Divina is not intended to increase our intellectual knowledge of the Bible [though it also has that effect]; instead, it is intended to draw us closer to God, and to transform our attitudes and behaviour.

Three concepts from the Tradition:
1. Memory: To Hear: We read the text aloud, or repeat it from memory (which was all that many could do in ancient times, with a lack of books – it still is a profound way of encountering the Word of God). We start with the sacred text itself. We need to be immersed in it. We read it, or repeat it form memory, aloud again and again. We go, not to commentaries, but to the Word itself.

2. Intellect To Know: We need to reflect on the sacred text, for it is Light for our path. This is why we need to see the context of the passage, and be aware of the background and purpose of the text. What was the original intent of the human author? We also use our imagination to enter into the text, and to see it from the perspective of those who are in it. We reflect on how it is connected to the whole of God’s plan, from Old to New Testament, and see the connections. We think about how it speaks to us today.

3. Will – To Love: In our loving attentiveness to the Word of God in Scripture, we open our hearts to the Word of God: Jesus our Lord. We spend time with the one we love, through our prayerful reading of Scripture, and we resolve to serve him faithfully. Lectio Divina always involves time in silent adoration of the Lord, and a resolution to let our lives be deeply transformed by God’s Word.

An Approach to Lectio Divina - There is no set method of engaging in Lectio Divina, but we benefit from a long tradition of reading the Bible in this way, and so can learn from those who have gone before us.
It is wise to set aside some time each day: perhaps 15 or 30 minutes, and, if possible, to find a place where we can pray undisturbed.
Read aloud, if possible.

For the text:
1) go slowly through a book of the Bible; or,
2) read one of the Mass readings of the day; or,
3) choose some passages that are united in theme; or,
4) choose the passage in some other way.

Rituals are helpful: perhaps sit in front of an icon or statue or crucifix.
It is good if a home can have a prayer corner. Some light a candle as a sign that they are beginning prayer. Posture: Sit, stand, or kneel – whatever you find most helpful. The best place to pray is before the Blessed Sacrament. Pray at the time of day that is best for you as an individual. For the text, use a Bible that has print that is easy to read.

One Approach in Practice:
1. I place myself in the presence of God, and spend some time in silent attentiveness. “Speak Lord, your servant is listening.
2. I read a passage slowly, aloud.
3. I spend some time in silent reflection upon it: “Speak Lord, your servant is listening.”
4. I think of
a) the context of the passage; b) the way it fits together; c) the people in it; d) what is God saying to my head: to know God? To my heart: to love God? To my hands: to serve God and my neighbour? e) I seek to understand any confusing elements.
5. I read the passage again.
6. I spend time in silent prayer: “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.” Perhaps I repeat again and again a word from the passage. Perhaps I simply seek to be silent and attentive in the presence of the Lord. Perhaps I sing.
7. I read the passage again.
8. What light does it give for my path today?
9. I thank God for coming to me through the Word.
10. I say a prayer – such as the Lord’s Prayer, and enter once more into my service of the Lord.

ANOTHER PROPOSITION/WAY TO READ AND PRAY SCRIPTURE
The following is a simple outline of the LectioDivina, an approach to praying with Scripture. This particular format is known as the scholastic method, and is a good way to learn to pray with the scriptures, and it is also a good way to pray in groups, as there is a subtle structure. This holy reading of the scriptures has a long history in the Church, coming down to us from the Patristic period and monastic spirituality. It is a simple method that, when practiced faithfully, allows the Word of God to have a deep and rich impact on our lives.

1. Lectio - Slowly read the scripture passage. Read it aloud if you find this helpful.

2. Meditatio - Think, meditate, reflect: what do I see here and how does it relate to me today?

3. Oratio - Read the passage again. Pray and respond in your heart (talk to God about what you think this passage is saying to you).

4. Contemplatio - Read the passage again. In silence, allow the Word to go deeper into your spirit as you savor the presence of God and receive the transforming love of the Holy Spirit within you.

Links on lectio divina:
Lectio Divina Brochure: http://www.contemplativeoutreach.org/64A59FD4-017C-4BA1-AD1E-ACD49729CAAF/FinalDownload/DownloadId-41A33C21C1972BA333694F22D8B92A89/64A59FD4-017C-4BA1-AD1E-ACD49729CAAF/site/DocServer/lectio_divina.pdf?docID=451
http://www.ocarm.org/en/content/lectio/what-lectio-divina
http://www.fisheaters.com/lectiodivina.html
http://www.lectio-divina.org/
http://www.contemplativeoutreach.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_practices_lectio

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