Lectio Divina: How to pray with Sacred Scripture

 

A young man once said to his ninth grade religious education teacher, “You say we need to go to church on Sunday, pray daily, and make time for silence in our lives. I do all those things, and I still don’t hear God.” Do you hear God speaking to you? How does one respond to such a bold testimonial? How is it that one hears God? How is it that one hears other human persons? When we hear each other speaking, we hear the words the other is using. So if you want to hear God speaking, it behooves you to be immersed in his sacred words. Fortunately for the young man mentioned above (and for you) his teacher was familiar with the method of praying with Sacred Scripture known as Lectio Divina.

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What is Lectio Divina? The words come from the Latin language and literally mean “divine reading/selection”. Lectio Divina is a simple method of praying with Sacred Scripture developed in monasteries and synthesized by Guigo II, a Carthusian monk who lived in the eleventh century. The practice of praying with the divinely inspired texts has been a practice since Moses received the law on Mt. Sinai. So what’s special about Lectio Divina? The special appeal of Lectio Divina is its simple format that facilitates an understanding of what God is saying to those who “listen to him”. It has four basic steps:

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Lectio (Reading): What does the Word of God say?

- Before beginning the time of prayer select a text. Whether it’s the Gospel reading from Sunday Mass, a favorite verse, or maybe a passage suggested by a priest/religious or some other mentor in the faith.

- Start the prayer by calling to mind God’s presence and considering Who you’re praying to. Think about who you are in relationship to this Person, and express the grace you would like to receive.

- Then prayerfully read the selection paying close attention to the word(s) or phrase(s) that strikes you in a particular way, positively or negatively.

Meditatio (Meditation): What does the Word of God say to me?

- Speak to God about why that particular word(s) or phrase(s) struck you. What do they mean to you? How do they apply to you?

- One could make several other considerations at this point:

1. What is God showing you about Himself? Reflect on your reaction to what you have received. What is he showing you about yourself in relation to Him?

2. Where is He inviting you to grow? What good is He affirming in you?

3. What do you sense He is saying to you? What truth is coming to you through the Word? How does that truth impact your life?

4. What thoughts, feelings, and desires are stirred up in relation to what you have received?

5. What questions arise in relation to what you have received?

Oratio (Prayer): What do I say in response to God’s Word?

- Respond sincerely in a conversation with God as with a friend. Talk about what is really on your heart. Bring your questions to Him with confidence that He is responding and that you will understand “in due season”.

- This is also a fitting time to make acts of praise, gratitude, trust, intercession, and to ask forgiveness of sins and petition for graces. Bring into these acts the contents of the previous steps.

Contemplatio (Conteplation): Where is the Word of God inviting me to rest?

- This part of the method is a passive step where one receives God’s action in the heart. Passive contemplation consists of a felt experience of God’s peace, presence, power, and/or love.

- It’s entirely beyond the soul to make this happen, but when the heart is engaged one should stop pursuing the method, be with the Word, and rest in God.

To conclude the prayer one should end with an act of gratitude for all the blessings the Lord poured out during the time of prayer. One should also consider if the Lord is leading them to make a resolution (a commitment to take a specific virtuous action outside of the time of prayer) based on the graces received.

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The four steps listed above may seem rather involved, especially for someone who is just starting to develop their prayer life. “Tollit et legit” (“Take and read” the words spoken to St. Augustine in the midst of his conversion) would be sufficient for one who is just starting out. Simply read the selected text, look for a word or phrase to stick out to you, and pray about what that means, the whole while being attentive to where your heart is engaged and looking for a place of rest in prayer.

 

Application:

So what’s the importance of praying in this way? It lies in the fact that the Word of God “accomplishes the end for which it is sent” (Is 55). When man speaks, his words designate; they point to or signify this or that person, place, idea, or action. When God speaks, however, his words achieve the end or terminus for which they are intended. That is, they accomplish God’s will which is the whole aim of the spiritual life: to come into ever greater conformity to God’s will. God’s words do not merely guide, direct, console, etc. They sanctify, determine, and are the means by which God calls the soul to Himself. In speaking on the importance of this way of praying, St. John Paul the Great wrote the following:

“It is in fact by the light and with the strength of the word of God that one’s own vocation can be discerned and understood, loved and followed, and one’s own mission carried out. So true is this that the person’s entire existence finds its unifying and radical meaning in being the terminus of God’s word which calls man and the beginning of man’s word which answers God. Familiarity with the word of God will make conversion easy, not only in the sense of detaching us from evil so as to adhere to the good, but also in the sense of nourishing our heart with the thoughts of God, so that the faith (as a response to the word) becomes our new basis for judging and evaluating person and things, events and problems.” (PDV #47a)

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What the Holy Father says is striking: “It is in fact by…the word of God that one’s own vocation can be discerned and understood, loved and followed…” It is true. If one is consistent in their practice of Lectio Divina, in a more profound way they become open to receive from the Best of Fathers His plan of loving providence for their lives. This way of praying opens up a new avenue for the Lord of life to speak to the soul. Whoever is serious about entering into and understanding their vocation should make a daily practice of approaching our Lord in this way with the desired grace of receiving conviction about their vocation.

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Of course, the discernment of one’s vocation is never a solo act. As one becomes immersed in God’s word, they should be looking to the Church for guidance. For there are graces given, especially to Her clergy and religious, for the sake of helping others discern. As the disciple of Christ strives to follow Him, it behooves them to follow the lights Christ has placed along the path elucidating the “unifying and radical meaning” of life. Our Lady of the Annunciation is a perfect example as “she believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” (Lk1:45) Even she sought clarity of God’s will through the aid one of one of his representatives, “How can this be..?” Nevertheless, even though receiving a mysterious answer to her prayer, she responded generously,“…let it be to me according to your word.” (Lk1:34-38) May she obtain for us the grace always to respond in a like manner.

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Lectio for Chapter the First

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Jesus and Peter - John 21:15-19

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” A second time he said to him, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you girded yourself and walked where you would; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish to go.” (This he said to show by what death he was to glorify God.) And after this he said to him, “Follow me.”