Near the end of the second part of Verbum Domini, "The Word of God in the Life of the Church", Pope Benedict spends time on the subject of lectio divina: "the prayerful reading of sacred Scripture".
What is lectio divina?
It is a practice dating to at least the third century which the Pontifical Biblical Commission described as "a reading, on an individual or communal level,
of a more or less lengthy passage of Scripture, received as the word of God and
leading, at the prompting of the Spirit, to meditation, prayer and
contemplation." The Synod acknowledges it as "a great patristic tradition" in which we not just read Sacred Scripture but dialogue with God about it. Of all the methods for approach Sacred Scripture, lectio divina is the one on which the Synod spent the most time.
It is made up of four stages: lectio, meditatio, oratio, and contemplatio; or, reading, meditation, prayer, and contemplation. Briefly, you begin by reading a short passage from Scripture - a line or so, then meditate on the meaning(s) of it. What is God telling you in those words of His? Next, you pray, speaking to God about what He is telling you. After speaking a little, of course, you should listen all the more; in the last step, you sit quietly in God's presence so He may respond. The Holy Father notes that these steps must ultimately lead to "actio": putting the Word of God into action in your life and living a Christian witness.
Note that this isn't intended to take the place of authentic interpretation from the Magisterium or public reading of the Word of God in the litury. Pope Benedict reiterates this reminder of the Synod, "that God’s word is given to us precisely to build
communion, to unite us in the Truth along our path to God.... Consequently, the sacred text must always be
approached in the communion of the Church."
In an address on Oct 28, 1996, Blessed John Paul II called it "the privileged occasion for meeting God while listening to His Word." This is not a subject that I can treat adequately in one article, nor am I an expert on "divine reading" by far. I've recommended some additional resources below, and I encourage you to read about the practice and give it a try.
Some resources, from brief to in-depth:
Lectio Divina in Our Catholic Life Today, Fr. Scott A. Hayes, S.J.C. (free article)
Meditation, from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, ¶2705-2708
Lectio Divina and the Practice of Teresian Prayer, Sam Anthony Morello, O.C.D. (booklet)
Praying Scripture for a Change: An Introduction to Lectio Divina, Dr. Tim Gray
Praying with Saint Paul: Daily Reflections on the Letters of the Apostle Paul, Fr. Peter John Cameron, O.P.
References
John Paul II. 1996. Renewed Catechesis Will Lead to a More Incisive Promotion of Vocations. Address at World Day of Prayer for Vocations. Available from http://www.ewtn.com/library/PAPALDOC/JP961028.htm.
Pontifical Biblical Commission. 1994. On the Interpretation of the Bible in the Church. Available from http://www.ewtn.com/library/CURIA/PBCINTER.htm.
It's been quite a while since I started this measured read-through of
Verbum Domini. In my next post we start the third and final section: Verbum Mundo.
January 24, 2012
December 30, 2011
The Word of God and Our Vocation
Continuing with the last section of part two of Verbum Domini, "The Word of God in the Life of the Church", the Holy Father next addresses vocations. The Word of God "calls each one of us personally, revealing that life itself is a vocation
from God," he reiterates from the Synod. "In other words, the more we grow in our personal relationship with the Lord Jesus, the more we realize that he is calling us to holiness in and through the definitive choices by which we respond to his love in our lives..."
At the end of each episode of Catholic Answers Live, host Patrick Coffin signs off with "Be a saint! What else is there?" That is exactly right - there is one "universal call" and it is not a new teaching from the Second Vatican Council. It appears in the Old Testament (Lev 11:44, 19:2, 20:7) and in the New (Eph 1:4, Rom 1:7). Saint Paul's opening in his letter to the Romans is quite like Patrick's sign-off (fortunately, Paul never trademarked it).
How do we answer this universal call to holiness? How do we become a saint? The Pope details the role of Scripture in that task for each state in life - ordained bishops, priests, and deacons; seminarians; consecrated religious; and single and married laypeople. Whatever our state in life, we have at least one section addressed to us that we should consider carefully.
For laypeople, the Holy Father cites Jesus speaking in St. Matthew's Gospel: "the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the Kingdom" (Mat 13:38). He applies this especially to laypeople, calling them to "live out their specific vocation to holiness by a life in the Spirit expressed 'in a particular way by their engagement in temporal matters and by their participation in earthly activities'." We are not meant to hide away from the world, to shun anything secular. We are sent into the world, to spread the Gospel and to witness to everyone how a Christian lives. Each person can do that in whatever state of life they have - in how they raise their children, how they date, how they work, how they spend their free time. We don't have to go looking for ways to live a Christian life, as they are right here around us. God has set up the good works for us to do (Eph 2:10); we need to do them.
Christian life, like a good relationship, is not all grand gestures; it is lived in the little things, day to day.
At the end of each episode of Catholic Answers Live, host Patrick Coffin signs off with "Be a saint! What else is there?" That is exactly right - there is one "universal call" and it is not a new teaching from the Second Vatican Council. It appears in the Old Testament (Lev 11:44, 19:2, 20:7) and in the New (Eph 1:4, Rom 1:7). Saint Paul's opening in his letter to the Romans is quite like Patrick's sign-off (fortunately, Paul never trademarked it).
How do we answer this universal call to holiness? How do we become a saint? The Pope details the role of Scripture in that task for each state in life - ordained bishops, priests, and deacons; seminarians; consecrated religious; and single and married laypeople. Whatever our state in life, we have at least one section addressed to us that we should consider carefully.
For laypeople, the Holy Father cites Jesus speaking in St. Matthew's Gospel: "the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the Kingdom" (Mat 13:38). He applies this especially to laypeople, calling them to "live out their specific vocation to holiness by a life in the Spirit expressed 'in a particular way by their engagement in temporal matters and by their participation in earthly activities'." We are not meant to hide away from the world, to shun anything secular. We are sent into the world, to spread the Gospel and to witness to everyone how a Christian lives. Each person can do that in whatever state of life they have - in how they raise their children, how they date, how they work, how they spend their free time. We don't have to go looking for ways to live a Christian life, as they are right here around us. God has set up the good works for us to do (Eph 2:10); we need to do them.
Christian life, like a good relationship, is not all grand gestures; it is lived in the little things, day to day.
December 25, 2011
Away from the manger...
At the National Catholic Register blog, Joseph Pronenchen wrote about "Christmas in Africa" as shown through a collection of creches. Among them, a Nigerian scene stands out because, as he writes, "it includes the entire village engaged in their everyday activities during the birth of the Savior.".
For me, at least, it is easy to look at an isolated nativity scene under the tree or on the mantle and forget that there was a world around it. The census was in full swing. Families were uniting, travelers coming and going, daily life being lived. Meals were cooked, arguments argued, money exchanged, trash swept, animals fed. Life happened all around that scene, and it's likely that few, if any, knew what was going on nearby.
Doesn't that happen today, as well? God comes into the world quietly. He waits for us as we go about our daily lives. While we're working, relaxing, eating, or sleeping, God is present on this earth in every tabernacle.
We are meant to live as Christians in the world, not live in the church all day, every day. We are sent (from which we get the word "Mass") into the world to bring Christ, to show and tell that He is alive, He is real, and He is here. And we are called back each week (or each day) to come before Him and worship.
The bustle of the world is not ungodly. We are meant to work, play, rest, and spend time with each other. We must make sure, though, that even if we're not physically there before Emmanuel - God with us - we do not forget that He has come.
For me, at least, it is easy to look at an isolated nativity scene under the tree or on the mantle and forget that there was a world around it. The census was in full swing. Families were uniting, travelers coming and going, daily life being lived. Meals were cooked, arguments argued, money exchanged, trash swept, animals fed. Life happened all around that scene, and it's likely that few, if any, knew what was going on nearby.Doesn't that happen today, as well? God comes into the world quietly. He waits for us as we go about our daily lives. While we're working, relaxing, eating, or sleeping, God is present on this earth in every tabernacle.
We are meant to live as Christians in the world, not live in the church all day, every day. We are sent (from which we get the word "Mass") into the world to bring Christ, to show and tell that He is alive, He is real, and He is here. And we are called back each week (or each day) to come before Him and worship.
The bustle of the world is not ungodly. We are meant to work, play, rest, and spend time with each other. We must make sure, though, that even if we're not physically there before Emmanuel - God with us - we do not forget that He has come.
December 24, 2011
Come Redeemer!
Msgr. Charles Pope blogged on his favorite Christmas hymn, Veni Redemptor Gentium, at the beginning of Advent. It is a right expression for tonight as well: Come Redeemer of the Nations!
What wonderful language St. Ambrose used in this hymn. He calls Christ "a giant in twofold substance one". What a glorious paradox is this giant tiny baby, this one that is two, this child of a virgin.
"The Holy Spirit, 'the Lord, the giver of Life', is sent to sanctify the womb of the Virgin Mary and divinely fecundate it, causing her to conceive the eternal Son of the Father in a humanity drawn from her own." (CCC ¶485) Her sanctified womb became the new temple, the new ark of the covenant that would carry the Word of God into the world. In this hymn, when we sing that "God in his temple dwells below", we sing of Mary's womb as His human tabernacle, temple, and ark. We sing, too, of Christ coming in the Eucharist to dwell in every tabernacle throughout the world. Truly, Jesus comes to us through Mary; without her 'yes', there would be no incarnation and, thus, no Eucharist.
When we receive Christ into our hands or onto our tongue at Mass, like Mary we are receiving our Lord in a vulnerable state. Each time, we must ask ourselves if we are properly disposed to be His dwelling place.
Tomorrow, we celebrate the birth of Christ "whose advent sets thy people free". May the beginning of this Christmas season bring you all freedom, blessing, and great joy.
What wonderful language St. Ambrose used in this hymn. He calls Christ "a giant in twofold substance one". What a glorious paradox is this giant tiny baby, this one that is two, this child of a virgin.
"The Holy Spirit, 'the Lord, the giver of Life', is sent to sanctify the womb of the Virgin Mary and divinely fecundate it, causing her to conceive the eternal Son of the Father in a humanity drawn from her own." (CCC ¶485) Her sanctified womb became the new temple, the new ark of the covenant that would carry the Word of God into the world. In this hymn, when we sing that "God in his temple dwells below", we sing of Mary's womb as His human tabernacle, temple, and ark. We sing, too, of Christ coming in the Eucharist to dwell in every tabernacle throughout the world. Truly, Jesus comes to us through Mary; without her 'yes', there would be no incarnation and, thus, no Eucharist.
When we receive Christ into our hands or onto our tongue at Mass, like Mary we are receiving our Lord in a vulnerable state. Each time, we must ask ourselves if we are properly disposed to be His dwelling place.
Tomorrow, we celebrate the birth of Christ "whose advent sets thy people free". May the beginning of this Christmas season bring you all freedom, blessing, and great joy.
Merry Christmas!
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