REFLECTIONS ON LECTIO DIVINA  (part 2)

by Nancy Moran

In the first 3 sessions of the Contemplative Outreach online e-course “Lectio Divina: Heart to Heart – Listening and Living with God”  we learned that the ancient prayer practice of Lectio Divina is a fluid 4 step dance with the Lord:  to read, to reflect, to respond and to rest.  This way of praying corresponds to a human relationship, relating with God in a natural, organic way and opening us to ever deeper levels of communication that ultimately disposes us to the gift of union.

In the next 3 sessions we learn about the “4 Senses of Scripture,” a term coined by the monks of the middle ages.  The 4 Senses of Scripture are literal, allegorical, behavioral/moral and unitive and they are reflected in the different moments of Lectio Divina:

The literal sense is Lectio

…I take the Word.

The allegorical sense is Meditatio

…I chew the Word.

The behavioral/moral sense is Oratio

…I digest the Word.

The unitive sense is Contemplatio

…I become the Word.

SESSION 4

The focus of session 4 is the Literal Sense – Lectio – Reading the Word of God.  This sense corresponds to the level of acquaintanceship in a relationship.

A text that we choose to read for Lectio Divina may have more than one literal sense, since literal understanding is affected by the literary conventions and the historical context of the time.  Authors may refer to more than one level of reality as poetry and parables so often do.

When reading a text we should not be concerned with how much we are reading but rather with the quality of the reading.  By reading deeply we allow the passage to open up to the levels of meaning.  We should not be concerned with mastering the text but with allowing the text to master us, and by putting aside critiques, analyses and problem solving thinking.  Instead, we read the Scripture with an attitude of humility, detachment and receptivity.  We read slowly, not rushing into reflective thoughts, but just sitting with the reading, letting it go to a deeper level within us.

SESSIONS 5 and 6

The focus of sessions 5 and 6 is the second sense of Lectio Divina – The Allegorical Sense – Meditatio –  Reflecting/Pondering the Word of God.  As we reflect on the text we become open to God guiding us.  Hidden meanings begin to emerge from the text and the symbols, metaphors, images and stories speak to us about our own life journey.

The Allegorical Sense of Scripture corresponds to the level of friendship in a relationship.  As our level of identification with Scripture deepens we are able to grow in trust and honesty in our relationship with God.  As we are confronted with our own attachments we can allow God’s necessary purification and healing process to occur.

Sister Maria Tasto, an author and retreat leader on the practice of Lectio Divina says in her book,  The Transforming Power of Lectio Divina,

“Listening to the Word of God challenges us to stoop down lower than we have ever stooped before.  In other words, we need to step out of our world and into the world of Jesus.  We need to come defenseless, ready to be influenced…vulnerable, open to learn, to change, and to be transformed.  This may entail a level of listening that we have never engaged in before. This is true receptivity to the Word – to take it in and let it speak to us.  This is the challenge of Lectio Divina.  It is about entering into relationship with the Word.”

REFLECTIONS ON LECTIO DIVINA

By Nancy Moran

During the month of June  I took a 12 week E-Course offered by Contemplative Outreach and Spirituality and Practice titled:

“Lectio Divina:  Heart to Heart – Listening and Living with God.”   I found this E-Course to be quite helpful in understanding this great treasure from the Christian tradition.  I would like to review some of the material from the E-Course that stood out for me.

SESSION 1

Lectio Divina (Divine Reading)  flows out of an ancient Hebrew method of studying scripture called Haggadah.  Haggadah was part of the devotional practice of the Jews in Jesus time.  Lectio Divina was also practiced by the mothers and fathers of the desert in the 4th century and later in monasteries in the east and in the west.  Unlike scripture study, Lectio Divina is a prayer tradition and a contemplative practice.  In scripture study we explore the stories and teachings of a religious tradition through the analyses of its sacred texts.  In Lectio Divina we listen to God through a particular text of scripture.

There are 4 moments in Lectio Divina:  Reading, Reflecting, Responding and Resting.  Each of these 4 moments are interrelated with each other and to the center which is the Spirit of God speaking to our hearts through the text.  This receptive disposition enables the Spirit to expand our capacity to listen, and as we listen we allow ourselves to perceive a new depth of meaning to the text.  The monks listened not to analyze the text, but just to hear it without preconceived ideas.  This is a deep form of receptivity.  The fluid interaction between the 4 moments of Lectio Divina – reading, reflecting/pondering, responding from the depths of our heart and resting in God – puts us more and more at the disposal of the Spirit.

SESSION 2

Session 2 provides explanation and practice exercises for the first 2 of the 4 moments of Lectio Divina:  Reading and Reflecting or Lectio and Meditatio.

Reading – Lectio

A good time to pray in the manner of Lectio Divina is after spending time in Centering Prayer or another silent prayer practice.  After selecting a passage we read it out loud to ourselves letting the Spirit choose the amount of reading we do.  When we read out loud we are engaging more of our senses to help the text penetrate our consciousness.  We listen deeply and gently with the ear of our heart.  We let the text speak to us without expectations and resisting the urge to conceptualize and analyze.  In this way we allow the text to penetrate our being.

Reflecting – Meditatio

To enter the moment of Meditatio we let the text speak to us – slowly allowing ourselves to be drawn into one verse or one word.  We repeat the word or phrase several times so that it penetrates our being more deeply.  We don’t think about the word or phrase we simply sit with it and listen.  As our listening capacity expands we are opened to the deeper meaning of the text.

SESSION 3

Session 3 provides explanation and practice exercises for the 3 and 4th moments of Lectio Divina:  Responding and Resting or Oratio and Contemplatio.

Responding – Oratio

The moment of Oratio begins when we feel a response arising within us from the word or phrase we read, repeated and pondered.  We allow ourselves to move into conversation with God and a deeper relationship – letting God become the center of who we are.  It is a shift in being that inspires a desire to share the love we have received.  It is not uncommon to experience profound gratitude.

Resting – Contemplatio

This conversation with God moves to communion with God in interior quiet and peace.  In the silent awareness of God we consent to falling into God’s  arms and resting in God’s embrace.  This is Contemplatio. Our consent allows God to heal our wounds and heal the depths of our being.  We are transformed and refashioned into God’s image and likeness.

This period of rest comes and goes.  We may be drawn to reflecting on our word or phrase more deeply or moved to conversation (Oratio) or reading again (Lectio).  The movement from one moment to another is free flowing.  It helps to think of Lectio Divina as a 4 step dance with God.