LECTIO DIVINA
Exercises of the spiritual life regularly practiced work to purify the heart and sustain
conversio mores.
One such practice is the regular
reception of the sacrament of confession. It has been likened
to a “second baptism.”
“The
Sacrament of Penance or Confession is, indeed, like a ‘second Baptism’, which
always refers to the first [Baptism] to consolidate or renew it. In this sense,
the day of our Baptism is the beginning of a path of conversion which lasts
throughout our lives, and which is continually supported by the Sacrament of
Penance”.
—“Pope
Francis: Confession Is Like a Second Baptism,” November 13, 2013, Independent Catholic News
Another
efficacious exercise is frequent Holy Communion. The person who
receives Holy Communion in the state of grace obtains the forgiveness of their venial sins.
“As
bodily nourishment restores lost strength, so the Eucharist strengthens our
charity, which tends to be weakened in daily life; and this living charity wipes away venial sins. [Cf. Council of
Trent (1551): DS 1638] By giving himself to us Christ revives our love and
enables us to break our disordered attachments to creatures and root ourselves
in him.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1394)
Regular
prayer based on the Word of God—lectio
divina—purifies our hearts, especially over the passage of long time, and promotes
conversio mores, which is a lifelong
undertaking.
The
reformatory power of lectio divina is
invoked in Jesus’ words: “You are clean already because of the word that I have
spoken to you.” (John 15:3)
begin
This
method of prayer [lectio divina] goes back to the early monastic tradition.
There were not [enough] bibles for everyone and not everyone knew how to read.
So the monks gathered in chapel to hear a member of the community reading from
the scripture. In this exercise they were taught and encouraged to listen with
their hearts because it was the Word of God that they were hearing.
…people
who regularly engage in this method of prayer choose the epistle or the Gospel [daily
readings] for the Mass of the day as suggested by the Catholic Church.
First
one goes to a quiet place and recalls that one is about to listen to the Word
of God. …When one finishes reading, pause and recall if some word or phrase
stood out or something touched one’s heart. If so, pause and savor the insight,
feeling, or understanding. Then go back and read the passage again because it
will have a fuller meaning. Pause again and note what happened. If one wants to
dialogue with God or Jesus in response to the [Word,] one should follow the
prompting of one’s heart. This kind of reflective listening allows the Holy
Spirit to deepen awareness of God’s taking the initiative to speak with us.
end
—Douglas
J. Leonhardt, S.J., “Praying with Scripture,” IgnatianSpirituality.com
While we recognize the value and importance of Confession and Holy Communion in conversio mores, we are possibly less aware of the salutary effects of lectio divina.
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Gonzalinho
A SIMPLIFIED METHOD OF MEDITATION
ReplyDelete…We have outlined five general steps in St. Teresa’s method of meditation:
1. PREPARATION: It is difficult to launch into prayer from the midst of a flurry of distracting occupations. Almost all of us are forced to pause momentarily and place ourselves before Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, or God as He resides in the soul. A good beginning is half the battle.
2. SELECTION OF THE MATERIAL: Having reminded oneself of Christ’s presence, one is next obliged to select a subject for the day’s conversation. This is ordinarily best done by reading from some book suited for meditation, preferably the Gospels. Or it may be accomplished by the study of a picture or statue of Our Lord.
3. THE CONSIDERATION: After Christ’s presence has been recalled and the proper material selected, the individual begins the examination of the day’s matter. In this study of the material, one asks himself the traditional questions: Who is here in this scene? What is He doing? Why is He doing it? What does it mean to me?
4. THE CONVERSATION: Now one is prepared to under-take the principal part of meditation, that for which all the preceding steps have been devised. The soul begins to talk slowly to Christ, telling Him of its love for Him, its desire to serve Him, its willingness to do anything for Him. He adores Christ in the scene of the day’s meditation; he expresses his love for Him; thanks Him for past gifts; petitions Him for new favors in the future. When the conversation begins to falter, it will be necessary to return briefly to the consideration to stimulate new thoughts for additional conversation with Christ.
5. THE CONCLUSION: This is an entirely optional step; but we feel it to be of great value in making progress in prayer. Near the close of the meditation period, it would be well for one to tie up the loose ends. Our Lord should be thanked for the graces received during the time of prayer now coming to a conclusion. Then, very briefly, one might examine his failings during the period, and promise to eradicate these in the future. This determination to hold better conversation with Christ in succeeding periods gives one a strong determination to make further strides along the road of prayer. And with this burst of enthusiasm and promise for the future, the day’s prayer is concluded.
This method is contractible; it can be used for a five-minute or an hour’s meditation. Of course, in the longer meditation, it will be necessary to repeat steps three and four a number of times during the period. But one of its major advantages is that it can be employed during a short visit to the Blessed Sacrament, or in a long, formal period of meditation. It is entirely pliable.
We cannot emphasize too strongly the necessity of following some such outline, especially as one first undertakes the practice of meditation. The modern, twenty-first-century man is completely unaccustomed to the rarefied air of the interior life, and will certainly wander and stumble if he does not possess an outline to follow. If one begins prayer with this methodical procedure, he can be sure to make progress. St. Teresa is insistent that we attack this problem with a grim determination. And of the best evidences of good faith in the matter is to proceed systematically to one’s conversation with Christ.
—The Layman Program et al., A Layman’s Guide to Mental Prayer: Including 300 Days of Meditation Material (Kindle Edition)
Personal thoughts on this subject to follow.
Gonzalinho
Personal thoughts on this subject:
Delete1. Preparation
The day’s Mass readings, possibly with a short reflection from a reputable source, e.g. The Word Among Us, helps one to gather themselves for prayer and reflection.
The Word Among Us often has moving stories of Christian witness and conversion. They bring Christian life to reality.
2. Selection of the Material
Personal concerns and occupations is a good start – a person who is accustomed to self-examination and introspection, or better still, who conducts themselves with a constant spirit of prayer throughout the day, will often be in touch with their interior self.
Another good start is daily Mass readings.
3. The Consideration
Not always necessary.
4. The Conversation
This is prayer proper. The conversation should engage the heart. The Orthodox tradition teaches that prayer must descend from the mind to the heart. True prayer engages the heart.
Distraction is normal. It’s only necessary to bring the attention of the heart back to God, as often as is necessary.
Eloquence is not only unnecessary but possibly even counterproductive. Heartfelt words are all that is necessary. Sometimes consolation arrives immediately. At other times the entire prayer is a desert.
When the well dries up, one option is to return to the material and then to “restart” the conversation.
The ultimate purpose of prayer is growth in love, which has many faces. If a person finds it difficult to say in prayer that they love God, they can ask God how they can better love him and ask for the grace to love him better.
5. The Conclusion
Thanksgiving for the graces received during prayer always seems appropriate.
Gonzalinho
THREE BIBLE VERSES ON LECTIO DIVINA
ReplyDelete“You are clean already because of the word that I have spoken to you.” (John 15:3)
Whoever keeps his word, the love of God is truly perfected in him. (1 John 2:5)
“Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.” (John 14:23)
Gonzalinho