Lectio Divina at Benet Hill
| Art of Practicing Lectio Divina |  |
||
| History | |||
| How to use Lectio Divina | |||
| Time | Place | Method | |
| Lectio Divina in your personal life | |||
Within this rhythm we discover an increasing ability to offer more of ourselves and our relationships to God and to accept the embrace that God is continuously extending to us in the person of God’s son Jesus Christ. This slow and thoughtful reading of Scripture enables us to listen for the still, small voice of God; the “faint murmuring sound” which is God’s word for us, God’s voice touching our hearts. In lectio divina we must “hear” – listen – to the voice of God, which often speaks very softly. In order to hear someone speaking softly we must learn silence. The practice of lectio divina, requires that we quiet down in order to hear God’s word to us. This is the first step of lectio divina. The progression from Bible reading/listening, to meditation, to prayer, to loving regard for God, are the four steps of this “ladder” of prayer first described by Guigo II, a Carthusian monk, who lived in the 12th century. We still use his Latin terms: lectio - reading/listening, meditatio - meditation ,oratio - prayer, comtemplatio – contemplation as the progression of this ongoing spiritual rhythm.
History of Lectio Divina
Lectio Divina is Latin for divine reading, spiritual reading, or "holy reading," and represents a traditional Catholic practice of prayer and scriptural reading intended to promote communion with God and to increase in the knowledge of God's Word. It is a way of praying with Scripture that calls one to study, ponder, listen and, finally, pray and even sing and rejoice from God's Word, within the soul.
According to Jean Leclercq, OSB, the founders of the medieval
tradition of Lectio Divina were Saint Benedict and Pope Gregory I. However, the methods that they employed had precedents in the biblical period both in Hebrew and Greek. A text that combines these traditions is Romans 10:8 where Apostle Paul refers to the presence of God's word in the believer's "mouth or heart". It was the recitation of the biblical text that provided the rationale for Lectio Divina.
Daily life in a Benedictine monastery consisted on three elements: liturgical prayer, manual labor and Lectio Divina, a quiet prayerful reading of the Bible.This slow and thoughtful reading of Scripture, and the ensuing pondering of its meaning, was their meditation. This spiritual practice is called "divine reading" or "sacred reading", or lectio divina.
Saint Benedict in his Rule (chapter #48) stipulated specific times and manners for Lectio Divina. The progression from Bible reading, to meditation, to prayer, to loving regard for God, was first formally described by Guigo II, a Carthusian monk and prior of Grande Chartreuse in the 12th century. Guigo named the four steps of this "ladder" of prayer with the Latin terms lectio, meditatio, oratio, and contemplatio. In Guigo's four stages one first reads, which leads to think about (i.e. meditate on) the significance of the text; that process in turn leads the person to respond in prayer as the third stage. The fourth stage is when the prayer, in turn, points to the gift of quiet stillness in the presence of God, called contemplation.
In September 2005, Pope Benedict XVI stated:
"I would like in particular to recall and recommend the ancient tradition of Lectio divina: the diligent reading of Sacred Scripture accompanied by prayer brings about that intimate dialogue in which the person reading hears God who is speaking, and in praying, responds to him with trusting openness of heart (cf. Dei Verbum, n. 25). If it is effectively promoted, this practice will bring to the Church - I am convinced of it - a new spiritual springtime."
How to use Lectio Divina
Lectio is typically practiced daily for one continuous hour. A selection from the Holy Scriptures is chosen ahead of time, often as a daily progression through a particular book of the Bible.
Time: Selecting a time for lectio divina is important. Typical methods are to pray for one hour in the morning, or to divide it into two half-hour periods, one in the morning and one in the evening. The key is to pre-select the time that will be devoted to the prayer and to keep it. Using the same time every day leads to a daily habit of prayer that becomes highly effective. Benedictines choose to pray Lectio with a group.
Place: The place for prayer is to be free from distractions. Familiarity with a location reduces the possibility of distraction away from the prayer. Or, one may wish to pray in an unaccustomed place, for the express purpose of finding a place that will be dedicated to prayer alone and not other daily activities.
Method: It is important to engage in a transitional activity that takes one from the normal state of mind to a more contemplative and prayerful state. A few moments of deep, regular breathing and a short prayer inviting the Holy Spirit to guide the prayer time helps to set the tone and improve the effectiveness of the lectio.
Once the stage is set it is time to begin the prayer. There are four phases of the prayer.
The first step consists in reading the scriptural passage slowly, attentively. Many write down words in the scripture that stick out to them or grasp their attention.
The second step is for the person praying to take the word or phrases that stuck out in the previous step and hold them in the mind, ruminating on the thought, while thinking on God's presence in the text. The person benefits from the silent internal work of the Holy Spirit illuminating sacred meaning and spiritual understanding. This is not a special revelation from God, but rather an inward working of the holy spirit to bring about deeper understanding within oneself.
The third step is prayer, which is to enter into conversation with God. In this consecration-prayer we allow the word that we have taken in and on which we are pondering to touch and change our deepest selves. ...God invites us in lectio divina to hold up our most difficult and pain-filled experiences to Him, and to gently recite over them the healing word or phrase He has given us in our lectio and meditatio. In this oratio, this consecration-prayer, we allow our real selves to be touched and changed by the word of God.
The fourth step is contemplation of God. A simple wordless contempletion, joyfully resting in God's presence.
Using Lectio in your personal life
Lectio Divina can be practiced alone or in groups of 2 or more people. A book is chosen for the focus of the reading, mdeitation, prayer and contemplation. The book can really be anything that invites spiritual thought. Many people use different books of the Bible such as the Book of Psalms or a particular gospel. Others use the writings of the mystics as their source for Lectio. There are many mystics from ancient and modern times whose writings have provided much inspiritation and deeper understanding for the seeker of faith.
Benet Hill is currently offering Lectio with the Mystics through our education programs. We also have many spiritually inspiring books from a wide variety of writers in our library and the Benet Gifts shop.
Lectio is a gentle method to take your spiritual experience into deeper understanding. Combined with Centering Prayer people often find themselves on a moving personal journey of understanding, spirituality and faith with God.
Benet Hill also offers a monthly prayer day and can provide resources for connecting with other Lectio and Centering Prayer groups. If you are interested in either of these practices please contact Sister Therese O'Grady, OSB