In September 16, 2005, our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI while addressing over 400 experts who attended a congress in Rome on “Sacred Scripture in the Life of the Church” said that the recovery of the practice of “lectio divina” i.e. a prayerful meditation of Scripture, will bring a “new spiritual springtime” for the Church. “Assiduous reading of Sacred Scripture accompanied by prayer makes that intimate dialogue possible, in which, through reading, one hears God speaking, and through prayer, one responds with a confident opening of the heart,” the Holy Father said.
The words “lectio divina” which means in English “divine reading” or “sacred reading” is a traditional Catholic practice of scriptural reading, meditation, prayer and contemplation intended to promote and enhance communion with God and to increase the knowledge of God’s Word. It treats Scriptures not as texts to be studied but primarily as the Living Word.
The focal point of lectio divina is not a theological analysis of a biblical passages, but viewing them with Jesus as the key to their meaning. According to the Archbishop of Toronto, Thomas Cardinal Collins, “The fundamental reality of lectio divina is that it is an encounter with the Word of God. It is not studying the Scripture, it is not mastering the text. We can’t master the text of the Word of God. We are servants of the Word of God. Lectio divina is an encounter with the Word of God, and by the Word of God, it does not mean the text of the Scripture. By the Word of God, it means the Word of God. It is an encounter with Christ our Lord, who is the Word of God, and who comes to us through the words of the Sacred Scripture. For just as the Word became flesh and dwelt among us in Jesus Christ our Lord, so true, in somewhat different way, the Word becomes flesh and dwells among us in the Sacred Text of the Scripture. So, when we read the Bible, when we read the Word of God, we do not simply study it, master it, trying to understand it, we are encountering the Lord God. The reading of the Word of God should lead to an encounter with God. Lectio Divina enables us to enter into the spirit of the presence of God. It is encountering the Lord God through the means of the pathway of the Sacred Scripture.”
One of the earlier writers, Origen affirmed that to read the Bible profitably, it is necessary to do so with attention, constancy and prayer. He talked about the importance of making a pathway to our hearts so that the Lord God can come to us as we read the Sacred Scriptures. That’s lectio divina!
Now, how do we accomplish this? This can take four different forms:
- Lectio- Read: The first step is the reading of the Word of God (from the gospel reading of the coming Sunday. Read from the Missalette). One person from the group should read from the designated text (either the first reading/Psalm, or the second reading or the gospel of the coming Sunday). There should be 1-2 minutes of silence. Within this time, each person repeats the word or phrase that most touch him or her. Thereafter, everyone shares audibly the word or phrase or sentence that touched them most. Each person should take 1-2 minutes to do this. When something very personal and private is shared, this should not be discussed outside.
- Meditatio- Meditate/think: The chosen text is read again by the same or another person. After that, 2-3 minute silence is observed. During this silence, everyone should pay attention to the thoughts and feelings that the word or phrase evokes. Question like, “How does this passage connect to my life today?” may be asked. After that, everyone again shares briefly the thoughts or feelings that they have experienced.
- Oratio- Pray: The chosen text is read again for the third time. 1-2 minutes of silence should be observed for reflection. Reflection should be based on the question: “What is God calling me to do or become through this text?” Everyone should share what God is calling them to do or become and then concludes it with a prayer.
- Contemplatio- Contemplate: 2-3 or longer should be spent sitting silently and resting in the presence of God. Then we end with a vocal prayer.
Nota Bene (Note Well):
- Everyone involved in lectio divina should participate actively. Everyone should say something during sharing.
- Try not to say what has been said already.
- Lectio Divina is not a forum for criticism or condemnation or petty talk. It is a spiritual gathering.
- If something erroneous or heretic is said, only the priest in attendance can gently and fraternally make correction.
- We need a cross and two candle lights for each lectio divina session.
- Every silence is observed to listen to the Holy Spirit.
Fr. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara CSsR
Pastor
St. Gerard Majella Church
March 29, 2012
