An Intro to Lectio Divina and considering Practicing what One Preaches

Entry of Christ into Jerusalem, Pietro Lorenzetti, Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi

Introduction

Today, I thought we could consider the early church practice of Lectio Divina, or "divine reading," which allows one to receive God's communication through scripture. One may say that if God does not seem to speak (typically considered in audible fashion), it is because He has already spoken or speaks in a way that one is not listening. Lectio Divina tunes one to both possibilities, by obtaining direct information concerning a Person who should be Our Everything straight from the subject Himself rather than taking someone else's interpretation and formulation of facts about Him, which often leads to inconsistencies if someone is not educated in saying things about Him and even then, we have to understand what they mean and they have to do it pretty well to compensate for all the potential problems. This is what makes going to the source itself in the Sacraments and Scriptures, still more the Gospel where Christ is quoted. Here is an example, but in order for this to be effective it (what I say sure, but all the more the Scripture) cannot be effectual if we do not endeavor to read this not as a blog post or another reading among many but an opportunity to enter into the reality of the passage itself. Thus, we begin an example of the process:

Opening Prayer

Word of God speak Your meaning to me via Your Holy Spirit, Who instructed the writers of Scripture manifesting Yourself to those who read. Let Your revelation be known to us who “knock” at this door “seeking” and “asking” for greater knowledge of You, Whom we love. Amen.

Luke 21:25-28, 34-36 

(3-C 1st Sunday of Advent)

“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” 

“Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day does not catch you unexpectedly, like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth.

Lectio

This passage emanates from a chapter on the implication of evils and the direction of that which confounds us. Much like what Jerimiah perceives in his persecutors, many have tried and will try to understand what is happening as natural evil manifests itself, in addition to sin’s multiplication (Jeremiah 20:10 NRSVCE). They will often do so with error. Those both of religious lives and those especially of secular ones shall be struck with terror as they realize their finitude and smallness in comparison to these forces. However, as He did at the beginning of the chapter, Christ brings his listeners to prioritize what truly matters and what significance these forces of nature have. Indeed, all they do is point to the Son, since at their height the Son of Man shall appear in the glory which was foretold and expected of the Messiah. The first passage of this reading ends by encouraging readiness to receive redemption. The second half of the reading begins where the latter ends, directing the listeners' minds to be ready for that day by loosing all earthly attachments the we “are not weighed down”. Jesus elaborates that no one will be exempted from this moment. In the verses that follow the passages, Jesus exhorts His listeners that they may have the strength to “escape” and be able to “stand before the Son of Man”. These images describe the nature of evil and of good. Evil prevents us from attaining our fulfillment i.e. what we were made for, a relationship with God in glory. Sin rather weighs us down when we otherwise would have been rising to receive what our dignity deserves. Sin thus is actually effectual in itself and is its own punishment, not so much one sent directly from God. Man, though, hardly stops misattributing these just and clear consequences of sin to God as though we expect Him to smite everyone that does evil except ourselves. 

Meditatio

It is time we stop imagining that sin is acceptable and the things our senses encounter take priority over the eternal decisions we presently make. We cannot let what is final slip our minds as though it is only a future problem. The Spanish word “sin” means “without” and this is hardly a coincidence with what we define as sin because it certainly means “without God”. Sin in our present culture is something so common it is more readily believed that religious people just want to force their vision of the world than that sin is truly evil. Sin is a choice of bringing hell upon oneself i.e. life without God. What then are we to expect for outcomes? If we lose sight to sin’s true nature and then blame God for what befalls us, then who is wrong? Truly, it is not God. The opposite dynamic is also important to consider. Life with God is always preferable, since all our virtuous actions precipitate good things and God provides for what else is left to chance. Sin, of course, has the benefit of momentary appeal and convenience, but are we willing to surrender our life for this false show, because we still do? Christ calls us out of the world to live with Him and it should not matter when He comes to exact justice because we should always be ready.

Oratio

O Lord help us to live vigilantly with eyes that see heaven and everything else as that which helps us on our way there. Let us not be distracted too heavily by the frustrations or inconveniences of the present, but live in light of the eternal. Let us not weigh ourselves down in sin but be made free from what keeps us from living only in light of You, Our Eternal Spouse.

Contemplatio

At the beginning of the passage, Christ mentions fear concerning what is happening in the world. However, countless times Christ (in the Gospels) and authors through Sacred Scripture urge us to not be afraid, to not waste our energy on that which may afflict the mind and body, but rather to be concerned only with the will of the Father, living in virtue, and seeking heaven. Whenever Christ speaks eschatologically, He urges us to be ready for judgment, such that if we live in the good (love, justice, fortitude, temperance, and prudence), we will receive what is great. When scripture mentions this vigilance, it often speaks of prayer, since it is only through God’s help that we can live in Him and truly “stand up and raise [our] heads”(cf. Ephesians 6:18).

Operatio

If we really believe what we say we do, then our lives should be entirely different from those who do not believe what we do. If Christ urges us to live differently then we must rely on Him to make it happen. Christ makes it abundantly clear throughout his Gospels that it is a true transformation of the self that following Christ should precipitate. Let us live what the Gospel preaches whether evaluating students, doing the dishes, etc. Let us follow Christ in all things, He shall help us, and we will become great saints.

Written by Carter Carruthers 

For further elucidation of Lectio Divina, click here.