Lectio Divina A Way of Praying the Scriptures

Lectio Divina A Way of Praying the Scriptures © 2009 Contemplative Outreach, LTD

Conference I Lectio Divina Prayer as Relationship © 2009 Contemplative Outreach, LTD

In the beginning was the Word; the Word was in God’s presence, and the Word was God. ” John 1: 1 -2 © 2009 Contemplative Outreach, LTD

Lectio Divina What is it? • A relationship in which God takes the initiative… • We need to come defenseless to the relationship, ready to be influenced… • A way of praying that corresponds to a human relationship… © 2009 Contemplative Outreach, LTD

A RELATIONSHIP DEVELOPS BY A PROCESS OF GROWING INTIMACY With Another Person Acquaintance Informational Formal Friendliness Conversational With Christ (Through Scripture) Reading the Word of God in Scripture with increased attentiveness as an encounter with Christ Reflecting (Pondering) on the Word of God in Scripture as a basis for a conversation with Christ Informal Self-Disclosure Friendship Faithfulness Responding Spontaneous acts of love, adoration, petition, sorrow, thanks. . . Commitment Intimacy Shared Joy & Suffering Confidence & Gratitude Resting in God Openness to receive God’s presence and action in our prayer Self-Surrender Experience of Oneness © 2009 Contemplative Outreach, LTD

Two Forms of Lectio Divina • Scholastic Steps on a ladder • Monastic Moments along the circumference of a circle

The Four Senses of Scripture • Four levels of faith and Understanding of the Word of God • A deepening process that is reflected outwardly in our lives.

The Four Senses of Scripture • Literal: Lectio • Allegorical: Meditatio • Behavioral/Moral: Oratio • Unitive: Contemplatio

Lectio Divina as prayer… • Deepens our relationship with God in a natural, organic way. • Disposes, opens and informs us for the gift of union with God. • Challenges and changes us. © 2009 Contemplative Outreach, LTD

Blessings to Pray For As We Enter Lectio Divina Trust in God's Unconditional Love for Us and God's Desire for Intimacy with Us Listen with Reverence and Humility Openheartedness Faithfulness

Introduction to Lectio Divina Conference II • Lectio: The Literal Sense • Meditatio: The Allegorical Sense God comes in the whispering sound … 1 Kings 19: 12

Informational Reading Formational Reading Informational-Formational Interplay and Balance Seeks to cover as much as possible as quickly as possible to get data. Linear, trying to move quickly over the surface of the text. Concerned with quality of reading, not quantity. Reading in depth. Allow the passage to open to multiple layers of meaning. Allow the text to master you. Seek to grasp control, to master the text. Regard the text as an object we try to manipulate. The text becomes the subject of the reading relationship; we are the object that is shaped by the text. An analytical, critical, judgmental approach. Requires a humble, detached, receptive, loving approach. Bring a problem-solving mentality. Come open to the mystery of God. Mulholland, Jr. M. Robert, Shaped by the Word, Revised Edition, Nashville, TN: The Upper Room Books. 2000. © 2009 Contemplative Outreach, LTD

Lectio: Literal Sense Reading the Word of God We read … The Lord God has opened my ear and I was not disobedient nor did I turn back … Isaiah 50: 5 13

Preparing to Hear the Word • Begin with a prayer … • Quiet oneself … • Select a passage … Speak, O Lord, your servant is listening. You have the words of everlasting life. 1 Samuel 3: 9

Hearing the Word of God in Scripture • Being receptive to the One who speaks in us • Savor … be with the Word Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Psalm 25: 4

Reading Scripture … is like a grape that is put in the mouth filled with many senses to feed the soul. – Guigo the Carthusian

Meditatio: Allegorical Sense Reflecting on the Word of God under the Eye of God … … for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus 1 Thessalonians 5: 18

Move Towards a Deeper Commitment • Greater Vulnerability and Openness • Confront our Darker Side • True Self begins to motivate us Only in God may my soul be at rest … Psalm 62: 1

An Experience of Pondering • Let the words speak … • Interior Dialog may take place … • Needs of the False Self may surface … Mary pondered all these words in her heart … Luke 2: 19

A Deepening Relationship • Each relationship is unique … • What do I hear … • How can I receive the gift of prayer … Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also Matthew 6: 21

Lectio and Meditatio … a Holy Longing Letting our heart be touched in a personal and immediate way. My heart has been wounded. – Andre Louf 21

Introduction to Lectio Divina Conference III • Oratio: The Behavioral/Moral Sense • Contemplatio: The Unitive Sense 22

Oratio: Behavioral/Moral Sense Responding to the Word of God until our hearts are touched … As the hind longs for the running waters, So my soul longs for you, O God. Psalm 42: 2 23

New Realizations begin to emerge … • how we are to live • experience Christ’s energy In Him we live and move and have our being … Acts 17: 28 24

A Response • a movement of the heart • a desire to live the Word of God • the deepest longing within each of us is touched • we may … write a prayer … make a decision … … Your words were heard, and I come in response. Daniel 10: 12 25

Contemplatio: Unitive Sense Resting in the Word of God until our hearts leap into flame … Whenever you pray go to your room, close the door, And pray to your Father in private. Matthew 6: 6 26

A Resting in God Patient Receptivity … Entering the unknown … Be still and know that I am God! Psalm 46: 10 27

Contemplatio in Lectio Divina • We may be drawn back … • A four step dance … • We open ourselves to God’s presence … • We linger in the quiet … For God alone my soul waits in silence … Psalm 62: 1 28

An Experience of Presence • loving and peaceful attentiveness to God … • “unknowing” of intuitive love … You uphold me and set me in your presence forever. Psalm 41: 12 29

Distinction and Interplay between Lectio Divina and Centering Prayer Lectio Divina Participatory Active More Concentrative Word of Scripture has content. Use thoughts, images, and insights. Supports the motivation for the practice of Centering Prayer. Rest come and goes: is not permanent. Focuses on the terms of the relationship. Group or Private Centering Prayer Receptive Passive More Receptive Sacred Word has no conceptual content except intentionality. Let go of thought, images, insights. Supports the motivation for practice of Lectio Divina. Rest sustained by the use of the Sacred Word. Helps us overcome the obstacles to living the terms of the relationship. Group or Private © 2009 Contemplative Outreach, LTD

Centering Prayer and Lectio Divina • Gift of Centering Prayer to Lectio Divina • Gift of Lectio Divina to Centering Prayer © 2009 Contemplative Outreach, LTD

Introduction to Lectio Divina Conference IV Being a Word of God A process of taking in the Bread of Life I am the bread of life, whoever comes to me will never go hungry. John 6: 35 32

Shaped by the Word of God • Scripture can transform us if we are willing to be vulnerable. • When scripture becomes an encounter with the living, productive, penetrating Word of God … … the Word of God begins to shape the word which God spoke forth to be in the world. – M. Robert Mulholland, Jr. Shaped by the Word p. 44 33

Being a word of God • Sense of divine presence becomes a kind of second nature • What is important is the divine presence in us. I no longer live but Christ lives in me. Galatians 2: 20 34

Being a word of God • Our compassion, humility, charity, and purity of heart permeate all we say and do. • We are moved from silence to expression. Just as I have loved you, so you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples … John 13: 34 -35 35

Begin with a prayer to the Holy Spirit § The Spirit is the divine source of Lectio Divina. § Be open to the divine presence within self. § The Spirit is the guide to all truth. Be spontaneous and creative § § Start at any of four moments, wherever one feels called. Read Christ into the OT as the fathers/mothers did. Read the NT as if one is reading about one’s own experience of grace. Memorize and put on the Scriptures in mind and heart. Be open on all levels of one’s being § Listen as God speaks to the different levels of one’s being, i. e. , imagination, memory, will, reasoning, reflective and intuitive faculties. § Be faithful when the Spirit moves towards intuitive faculties and prayer becomes dry. § Trust that God is calling one to a deeper union, relationship and communion. © 2009 Contemplative Outreach, LTD

Read the gospel stories as parables of grace § Read your experience of grace into the gospels and see them as parables of grace. § Let the external word awaken the interior Word. Be aware of one’s limitations § Know that one’s interpretation of Scripture is limited. § Acknowledge that one’s interpretation is determined by where one is coming from. § Receive one’s insights as for today; receive others tomorrow. Move from more to less § § From reading a lot to reading less. From reflecting a lot to reflecting less. From praying a lot to praying less; from saying prayers to being in prayer. Resting a lot, even in the midst of activity. © 2009 Contemplative Outreach, LTD

Nothing is more beautiful than the uniqueness that God has created: … You don’t have to create the beauty – you’ve got the beauty … You don’t have to create the freedom – you’ve got it. … You don’t have to create the image of God in you – you have it. … You don’t have to win over God’s love – you have more than you know what to do with. – Father Thomas Keating, OCSO 38

An Invitation … I pray that … He may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through His Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3: 16 -19 39