Lectio Divina (Sunday class)

4/15/07:

Here is the agenda for groups to pray the Lectio Divina as we have been practicing. The Bible text we have been choosing was mainly taken from the Office of Readings or Mass Readings available through www.universalis.com.

Lectio – Listening to God - First Reading

(Precede with gathering song, e.g. “Nada Te Turbe”, Taize)
Read text 2 times
1st time one group member reads aloud
2nd time silent reading
After reading, 1-2 minutes silence, reciting/pondering your word or passage
At the end share your word. No elaboration.

Meditatio – “Ruminating” - Second Reading

Read text again aloud in group
Silence for 2-3 minutes: Focus on my verse in the context of my life. What am I doing today? How is the word trying to address me today?
At the end share briefly how His word is speaking to me: “I hear God talking to me about how I am doing …(fill the blank)… today/this week”

Oratio – “Answering” - Third Reading

Read text again aloud in group
In silence, 2-3 minutes, reflect on what God is inviting me to do today, this week
Sharing aloud the results of one’s reflection
After full sharing, pray for the person to your right
Note: Anyone may “pass” at any time (just close your silent prayer with "Amen")


Contemplatio – “Resting in God”

Simply rest in God's presence and enjoy His loving embrace
If time allows, finish group time with silence or meditative song, for example “O Lord, Hear My Prayer” (Taize)

Here is the text of the two Taize songs mentioned above:

Nada te turbe, nada te espante:
quien a Dios tiene nada le falta
Nada te turbe, nada te espante:
Solo Dios basta
(Santa Teresa da Jesus)

O Lord hear my prayer, O Lord, hear my prayer:
when I call, answer me
O Lord hear my prayer, O Lord, hear my prayer:
come and listen to me.


4/8/07:

Summary of the four steps of Lectio Divina:

For the purpose of our group prayer and your own prayer, the steps of Lection Divina can be summarized like this:

1. Lectio - "listening": we find a word or passage that speaks to us in a personal way
2. Meditatio - "ruminating": we take this word into our life context, know it "by heart"
3. Oratio - "answering": we accept this word as our call, we commit to put it to practice in faith
4. Contemplatio - "resting": we simply rest in God's presence and enjoy His loving embrace


3/25/07:

For an all-day long immersion in the presence of God try the "Prayer of the Heart", also known as the "Jesus Prayer" that has been a mainstay in the Orthodox church since at least the 6th century. A useful website - among a large variety - with an introduction into this prayer form can be found here: http://www.svots.edu/Faculty/Albert-Rossi/Articles/Saying-the-Jesus-Prayer.html. In the business of the day, especially if you are doing repetitive tasks, this can be a powerful tool to keep yourself as close to Jesus as you can manage.

As we discussed in class, just remember that there is nothing magic about using any of the prayer forms we are discussing. As little or as much as there is anything magic about organizing your day around a loved person here on earth and seeing how love starts to grow and real actions flow forth from there. Love is inventive. There are no sure-shot recipies. Be experimental, try other approaches if something doesn't work for you. But try something!


3/18/07 (and before)

5 min prayer: The bear-bones minimum, a commitment to God whom we love with all our hearts and mind and strength ...: We will spend at least five minutes in conversation with Him everyday. No exceptions. We will plan our day around these five minutes, not the other way around. One way to fill this short time is as followes: 1st minute say "I am sorry" because yes, I have not been living up to his expectations, 2nd minute say "I surrender" (not my will but your will be done"), 3rd-5th minute say "Hold me" and remain silent. Finish the time with the Lords prayer. (This suggestion is inspired by Father Larry Richards)

Google "Lectio Divina"! You will be amazed about the richness of resources at your fingertips if you are seriously seeking to get closer to God in prayer. I have been using Brother Luke Dysinger's introduction (http://www.valyermo.com/ld-art.html) for our Sunday class.

Text for daily Bible reading you can find www.universalis.com. This is the website I mentioned in class, it provides the "Office of Readings" of the Catholic Church and more. I particularly like this site to use with my colleagues at work. We meet for 20 minutes of prayer three times a week and read together the Psalm for the day followed by some silent and individual prayer time.