The Spiritual Art of Lectio Divina

The Spiritual Art of Lectio Divina

Prayer is at the center of Benedictine life. Understood as “the work of God,” lectio divina and the liturgy of the hours are among the first concerns in the day of monk. As a shared calling, prayer brings the differences and various pursuits of a community together with a common role and identity as monks. Prayer is a comfort in times of distress, a resource when in need, a selfless sharing and outpouring in times of success and joy. Prayer is so fully a part of the “ins and outs” monastic life, that it establishes the pattern and rhythm of the day through the dynamic interchange of worship and work. We come together each day to pray the liturgy of the hours and celebrate the Eucharist, but lectio divina, though usually a private practice, is also fundamental to the Benedictine life of prayer, and is essential to living and growing in Benedictine identity and spirituality.

“Lectio divina” translates to “divine reading,” meaning a prayerful reading of Holy Scripture, and other spiritual texts. Though often referred to by its Latin title, striking some as distant or foreign, the practice is really very common. It may be that the practitioner does not realize they are praying in the lectio divina fashion. Active and fundamental to the whole of the 2,000 years of Christian Tradition, and inherited from the Jewish reverence of Scripture, lectio divina is an open, hopeful and faithful trust and listening to God revealed in the Old and New Testaments, as well as the Spirit-filled writings and instructions of the Church. In short, every time you take a moment from your day to read from these writings in faith, hope and love, you are practicing lectio divina.

Cultural2.jpgBeginning and returning again and again to Scripture in lectio divina is a trustworthy spiritual practice, even without extensive instruction. However, committing yourself to lectio divina can be challenging, and as a private spiritual practice, an exclusion of conversation and guidance within the Church community can lead to misunderstandings. As a 2,000 year-old form of Christian prayer, many words of advice and methods have been developed and inherited throughout the Church Tradition for the purpose of helping establish this practice as a perpetual and reliable part of Christian life and spirituality. 

An excellent introduction we favor and recommend is Accepting the Embrace of God:The Ancient Art of Lectio Divina by Fr. Luke Dysinger, O.S.B., from Saint Andrew's Abbey in Valyermo, California. 

Accepting the Embrace of God: The Ancient Art of Lectio Divina

 by Fr. Luke Dysinger, O.S.B.

1. THE PROCESS of LECTIO DIVINA

A VERY ANCIENT art, practiced at one time by all Christians, is the technique known as lectio divina - a slow, contemplative praying of the Scriptures which enables the Bible, the Word of God, to become a means of union with God. This ancient practice has been kept alive in the Christian monastic tradition, and is one of the precious treasures of Benedictine monastics and oblates. Together with the Liturgy and daily manual labor, time set aside in a special way for lectio divina enables us to discover in our daily life an underlying spiritual rhythm. Within this rhythm we discover an increasing ability to offer more of ourselves and our relationships to the Father, and to accept the embrace that God is continuously extending to us in the person of his Son Jesus Christ.

Lectio - reading/listening

THE ART of lectio divina begins with cultivating the ability to listen deeply, to hear “with the ear of our hearts” as St. Benedict encourages us in the Prologue to the Rule. When we read the Scriptures we should try to imitate the prophet Elijah. We should allow ourselves to become women and men who are able to listen for the still, small voice of God (I Kings 19:12); the “faint murmuring sound” which is God's word for us, God's voice touching our hearts. This gentle listening is an “atunement” to the presence of God in that special part of God's creation which is the Scriptures.

THE CRY of the prophets to ancient Israel was the joy-filled command to “Listen!” “Sh'ma Israel: Hear, O Israel!” In lectio divina we, too, heed that command and turn to the Scriptures, knowing that we must “hear” - listen - to the voice of God, which often speaks very softly. In order to hear someone speaking softly we must learn to be silent. We must learn to love silence. If we are constantly speaking or if we are surrounded with noise, we cannot hear gentle sounds. The practice of lectio divina, therefore, requires that we first quiet down in order to hear God's word to us. This is the first step of lectio divina, appropriately called lectio - reading.

THE READING or listening which is the first step in lectio divina is very different from the speed reading which modern Christians apply to newspapers, books and even to the Bible. Lectio is reverential listening; listening both in a spirit of silence and of awe. We are listening for the still, small voice of God that will speak to us personally - not loudly, but intimately. In lectio we read slowly, attentively, gently listening to hear a word or phrase that is God's word for us this day.

Meditatio - meditation

ONCE WE have found a word or a passage in the Scriptures that speaks to us in a personal way, we must take it in and “ruminate” on it. The image of the ruminant animal quietly chewing its cud was used in antiquity as a symbol of the Christian pondering the Word of God. Christians have always seen a scriptural invitation to lectio divina in the example of the Virgin Mary “pondering in her heart” what she saw and heard of Christ (Luke 2:19). For us today these images are a reminder that we must take in the word - that is, memorize it - and while gently repeating it to ourselves, allow it to interact with our thoughts, our hopes, our memories, our desires. This is the second step or stage in lectio divina - meditatio. Through meditatio we allow God's word to become His word for us, a word that touches us and affects us at our deepest levels.

Oratio - prayer

THE THIRD step in lectio divina is oratio - prayer: prayer understood both as dialogue with God, that is, as loving conversation with the One who has invited us into His embrace; and as consecration, prayer as the priestly offering to God of parts of ourselves that we have not previously believed God wants. In this consecration-prayer we allow the word that we have taken in and on which we are pondering to touch and change our deepest selves. Just as a priest consecrates the elements of bread and wine at the Eucharist, God invites us in lectio divina to hold up our most difficult and pain-filled experiences to Him, and to gently recite over them the healing word or phrase He has given us in our lectio and meditatio. In this oratio, this consecration-prayer, we allow our real selves to be touched and changed by the word of God.

Contemplatio - contemplation

FINALLY, WE simply rest in the presence of the One who has used His word as a means of inviting us to accept His transforming embrace. No one who has ever been in love needs to be reminded that there are moments in loving relationships when words are unnecessary. It is the same in our relationship with God. Wordless, quiet rest in the presence of the One Who loves us has a name in the Christian tradition - contemplatio, contemplation. Once again we practice silence, letting go of our own words; this time simply enjoying the experience of being in the presence of God.

2. THE UNDERLYING RHYTHM of LECTIO DIVINA

IF WE are to practice lectio divina effectively, we must travel back in time to an understanding that today is in danger of being almost completely lost. In the Christian past the words action (or practice, from the Greek praktikos) and contemplation did not describe different kinds of Christians engaging (or not engaging) in different forms of prayer and apostolates. Practice and contemplation were understood as the two poles of our underlying, ongoing spiritual rhythm: a gentle oscillation back and forth between spiritual “activity” with regard to God and “receptivity.”

PRACTICE - spiritual “activity” - referred in ancient times to our active cooperation with God's grace in rooting out vices and allowing the virtues to flourish. The direction of spiritual activity was not outward in the sense of an apostolate, but inward - down into the depths of the soul where the Spirit of God is constantly transforming us, refashioning us in God's image. The active life is thus coming to see who we truly are and allowing ourselves to be remade into what God intends us to become.

IN THE early monastic tradition contemplation was understood in two ways. First was theoria physike, the contemplation of God in creation - God in “the many.” Second was theologia, the contemplation of God in Himself without images or words - God as “The One.” From this perspective lectio divina serves as a training-ground for the contemplation of God in His creation.

IN CONTEMPLATION we cease from interior spiritual doing and learn simply to be, that is to rest in the presence of our loving Father. Just as we constantly move back and forth in our exterior lives between speaking and listening, between questioning and reflecting, so in our spiritual lives we must learn to enjoy the refreshment of simply being in God's presence, an experience that naturally alternates (if we let it!) with our spiritual practice.

IN ANCIENT times contemplation was not regarded as a goal to be achieved through some method of prayer, but was simply accepted with gratitude as God's recurring gift. At intervals the Lord invites us to cease from speaking so that we can simply rest in his embrace. This is the pole of our inner spiritual rhythm called contemplation.

HOW DIFFERENT this ancient understanding is from our modern approach! Instead of recognizing that we all gently oscillate back and forth between spiritual activity and receptivity, between practice and contemplation, we today tend to set contemplation before ourselves as a goal - something we imagine we can achieve through some spiritual technique. We must be willing to sacrifice our “goal-oriented” approach if we are to practice lectio divina, because lectio divina has no other goal than spending time with God through the medium of His word. The amount of time we spend in any aspect of lectio divina, whether it be rumination, consecration or contemplation depends on God's Spirit, not on us. Lectio divina teaches us to savor and delight in all the different flavors of God's presence, whether they be active or receptive modes of experiencing Him.

IN lectio divina we offer ourselves to God; and we are people in motion. In ancient times this inner spiritual motion was described as a helix - an ascending spiral. Viewed in only two dimensions it appears as a circular motion back and forth; seen with the added dimension of time it becomes a helix, an ascending spiral by means of which we are drawn ever closer to God. The whole of our spiritual lives were viewed in this way, as a gentle oscillation between spiritual activity and receptivity by means of which God unites us ever closer to Himself. In just the same way the steps or stages of lectio divina represent an oscillation back and forth between these spiritual poles. In lectio divina we recognize our underlying spiritual rhythm and discover many different ways of experiencing God's presence - many different ways of praying.

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DA PRECE DO SACERDOTE E DOS ANJOS PELOS QUE OUVEM A SANTA MISSA.

sábado, 24 de setembro de 2016

DA PRECE DO SACERDOTE E DOS ANJOS PELOS QUE OUVEM A SANTA MISSA.

O Divino Espírito Santo. www.obradoespiritosanto.com                   É uma queixa geral, entre as pessoas piedosas, de serem perseguidas pelas distrações durante a oração.          Para isso, não conhecemos remédio melhor que a freqüente assistência à santa Missa, onde nossa pobre oração se une à de Jesus e a de seu sacerdote. Do mesmo modo que uma moeda de cobre se torna bela e brilhante, quando imersa no ouro em fusão, nossa oração, fraca e distraída, torna-se, por esta maneira, atenta e fervorosa.                   Por isso disse o sábio e piedoso bispo Fornero: "A oração feita na Missa, em união com o Sacrifício, é mais eficaz do que todas as outras, embora cheias de fervor perfeito e longa duração".          Exporemos, neste capítulo, a razão de tão consoladora doutrina.                   O sacerdote que celebra deve orar não somente pelos fiéis em geral e oferecer o Sacrifício por sua salvação, mas é ainda obrigado a orar, particularmente, pelos assistentes e apresentar-lhes as súplicas ao Altíssimo. Assim a oração do começo, chamada "Coleta" e a "Secreta" que se segue ao Ofertório, a "Post-Comunhão", e, em geral, todas as orações em que o pedido é feito em nome de muitos, são ditas pelos assistentes, por ti, portanto, se és do número deles, e te são proveitosas como se estivesses só na igreja com o sacerdote.LER...

PADRE PÍO DE PIETRELCINA, VÍCTIMA POR LOS PECADORES Y LAS ALMAS DEL PURGATORIO

   El Padre Pío nació el 25 de Mayo de 1887, en una aldea llamada Pietrelcina, al sur de Italia, en la provincia de Benevento; sus padres, Horacio Forgione y Giuseppa de Nunzio unos humildes agricultores, encomendaron su protección al Seráfico San Francisco de Asís, por eso le bautizaron con su nombre. Con el pasar de los años, el Padre Pío se configuraría con aquél santo no sólo por pertenecer a su Orden, sino por llevar en su cuerpo los estigmas de la Pasión.    

   Desde muy niño fue profundamente sensible y espiritual; así a la corta edad de cinco años, se ofreció al Señor como víctima y comenzó a tener frecuentes visiones de su ángel custodio, de Nuestra Señora la Virgen y del mismo Jesucristo, visiones estas que le acompañarían el resto de su vida.

   Pero también el demonio se le representaría de distintas maneras; cuando esto ocurría, nunca le falló la ayuda su ángel de la guarda o incluso de Nuestro Señor, que ponían al diablo en fuga.

"Cada Misa escuchada con devoción, produce 

en nuestra alma efectos maravillosos, 

abundantes gracias materiales y espirituales

 que no alcanzamos a comprender. 

A tal fin, no malgastes tu dinero, sacrifícalo y ven a escuchar Misa. 

El mundo puede existir sin el sol, pero no puede existir sin la Misa."

(Padre Pío)

   Siendo apenas un adolescente, Francisco manifestó su deseo de ser franciscano capuchino. Ya que la familia era sumamente pobre, su padre se vio obligado a emigrar a Estados Unidos y Jamaica, en busca de medios económicos con los que sustentar la carrera eclesiástica de su hijo.

   La víspera de su entrada en el Noviciado Capuchino de Morcone, el futuro santo recibió la visita de Nuestro Señor, que le animó a seguirle; también la Virgen Santa le consoló y prometió ayuda en el camino que iba a comenzar. Al tomar el hábito, cambió el nombre de Francisco por el de Pío.

   Años más tarde, el 10 de Agosto de 1910, Fray Pío es ordenado sacerdote en la Catedral de Benevento; como recuerdo de aquél día, el ya Padre Pío escribió: “Oh Jesús, mi suspiro y mi vida, te pido que hagas de mí un sacerdote santo y una víctima perfecta”.

   Aquejado por su débil salud, pasó algún tiempo en su pueblo natal, donde vivía retirado en una pequeña choza; fue precisamente allí donde sufrió los síntomas de unos estigmas aún invisibles, pero que de cierto le hacían padecer como un auténtico crucificado. Aturdido, confundido por semejante gracia, rogó al Señor que nunca se hicieran visibles aquellas heridas que ya sufría.

   Continuaba su convalecencia en Pietrelcina, pero el demonio no dejaba de molestarle; se le manifestaba de diversas maneras, unas veces con forma de animales, otras de mujeres en actitudes lascivas… sin embargo, era después consolado por aquellas visiones celestiales que desde su infancia le acompañaban. Su Santo Ángel Custodio, San Francisco, la Purísima Virgen María, le sostenían y aumentaban el sentido del continuo sufrimiento que iba a padecer pronto, cuando se asemejase con Cristo en los sufrimientos de la Pasión.

"Durante el día, cuando no puedas hacer otra cosa,  

       llama a Jesús, en el medio de tus ocupaciones,

      con gemido resignado de tu alma, y El vendrá,

          quedará siempre unido al alma por medio 

   de Su gracia y Su santo amor.Vuela con tu espíritu 

       hacia el tabernáculo, cuando no puedas llegar

         con tu  cuerpo, y desahoga allí tus deseos...

  habla, reza, abraza al dilecto de las almas mejor aún

       que si lo pudieras recibir sacramentalmente."

(Padre Pío)

   El 12 de Agosto de 1912, sufrió -a semejanza de Santa Teresa de Jesús y de Santa Verónica Giulianni- lo que era tener herido el corazón por el Amor de Dios. Así mismo lo narró él en una carta a su director espiritual: “Estaba en la iglesia haciendo la acción de gracias tras la Misa, cuando de repente sentí mi corazón herido por un dardo de fuego, hirviendo en llamas, y yo pensé que iba a morir”.

   Tras un largo período en su Pietrelcina natal, el Padre Pío, casi recuperado de sus dolencias físicas y por orden de sus superiores, se dirige a Foggia el 17 de Febrero de 1916, para pocos meses después, entrar en el convento de San Giovanni Rotondo, donde probaría si salud mejoraba por el particular clima de la región. Los superiores del Padre Pío, al comprobar que era aquel el lugar donde más alivio encontraría para sus dolencias, se resolvieron a enviarle definitivamente allí. Desde que entró, el 4 de Septiembre de 1916 hasta su muerte, jamás volvió a salir de aquel convento.

   Durante la Primera Guerra Mundial, el Padre Pío sería llamado a filas hasta en tres ocasiones, pero siempre sería devuelto al convento por su pésima salud.

Cuando apenas había pasado un mes de la transverberación, una nueva gracia espiritual marcaría el resto de la vida del Padre Pío. De nuevo, tenemos conocimiento exacto de los hechos a través de una carta que él mismo escribió a su director espiritual:


      “Era la mañana del 20 de Septiembre de 1918. Yo estaba en el coro, haciendo la acción de gracias de la Misa y sentí que me elevaba poco a poco siempre a una oración más suave, de pronto una gran luz me deslumbró y se me apareció Cristo, que sangraba por todas partes. De su cuerpo llagado salían rayos de luz, que más bien parecían flechas que herían las manos, los pies y el costado.


       Cuando volví en mí, me encontré en el suelo y llagado. Las manos, los pies y el costado me sangraban hasta hacerme perder las fuerzas para levantarme. Me sentía morir, y hubiera muerto si el Señor no hubiera venido a sostenerme el corazón que sentía palpitar fuertemente en mi pecho. A gatas me arrastré hasta la celda. Me recosté y recé, miré otra vez mis llagas y lloré, elevando himnos de agradecimiento a Dios.”


   Pero a estas dolorosas experiencias, se le sumaría la de la incomprensión humana; el Padre Agustín Gemelli, franciscano, doctor en medicina, se acercó al convento de San Giovanni Rottondo para examinar los estigmas del Padre Pío, que se negó, ya que el P. Gemelli no traía consigo autorización alguna. Eso fue el detonante para que el médico franciscano publicase un artículo calificando al Padre Pío de neurótico y se ser él mismo el que se había autolesionado.


   Por tal motivo, la Santa Sede, confiando en el juicio del Padre Gemlli, tomó la decisión de “aislar” al Padre Pío durante casi diez años, entre 1923 y 1933, donde se le requisaba hasta la correspondencia epistolar. Durante todo ese período no dejó de sufrir la Pasión de Nuestro Señor.


   Al estar tan configurado con Nuestro Señor, el Padre Pío vivía la Santa Misa como en lo que en realidad es: un Sacrificio. Por eso, su Misa duraba unas dos horas, tiempo en el cual se sumergía en los dolores no sólo de Cristo, sino de la Virgen Santa. Conformo avanzaba la Santa Misa, era como si subiese al Monte Calvario. De hecho sufría la misma agonía que el Crucificado y sangraba abundantemente durante la Consagración. 


   El mismo Padre Pío explicaba así lo que es el Santo Sacrificio de la Misa: “la Misa es Cristo en la Cruz, con María y San Juan a los pies de la misma y los ángeles en adoración. Lloremos de amor y adoración en esta contemplación”.


   Una vez alguien le preguntó cómo es que podía pasar tanto tiempo de pie durante la Santa Misa, a lo que el Padre Pío contestó: “ Hija mía, no estoy de pie, estoy suspendido con Cristo en la Cruz”.

"En estos tiempos tristemente faltos de fe, 

de impiedad triunfante, donde todos los que nos rodean

 tienen siempre el odio en el corazón,y la blasfemia en los labios, 

el mejor medio de mantenerse libre del mal 

es fortificarse con el alimento eucarístico."

(Padre Pío)

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On the Memorial of Saint Pius of Pietrelcina, Msgr. Esseff discusses his interaction with St. Pio in relation to the Holy Angels

St. Padre Pio, The Seraphim, and the Holy Eucharist – The Holy Angels with Msgr John Esseff

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On the Memorial of Saint Pius of Pietrelcina, Msgr. Esseff discusses his interaction with St. Pio in relation to the Holy Angels. He then explains the role of Holy Angels at the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, and in particular, the presence and witness of the Seraphim.

Cardinal Giacomo Biffi: The Foundations of Existence

Chiesa e Post Concilio 

August 30, 2016

“We have no need of announcers of the word who want to change the Gospel with the excuse of adapting it to our times, but of announcers who endeavour each day, even with little results, to change themselves everyday ever more conformed to the Gospel which does not change”.

“In the plan predisposed by God for the salvation of men, there are three pillars which sustain the entire edifice of our existence. If they give way, the collapse of all values is inevitable. They are also the truths we are bound to accept if we want to call ourselves Christians.

"These truths are: God, our Father and Friend; Jesus Christ, the Envoy and Son of God: the Church, as a redeemed people and a community of those who are awaiting the Kingdom of God.  These three truths are so linked to each other that if one is lost, sooner or later the others will be lost too.  The history of the last few centuries has demonstrated this. 

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