In the practice of Lectio Divina, it is important to understand what it is in the context of the Contemplative tradition. Lectio Divina is a means by which we intentionally enter into deeper relationship with the Holy, with God. It has never been intended to replace the study of Scripture. Both prayer and study complement one another, to be sure. However, in Lectio Divina we are intentional in our moving beyond the mental egoic levels of discursive thought to particular actions which facilitate the intuitive level of contemplation.

Thomas Keating in the very outset of "Open Mind, Open Heart" articulates clearly what contemplation is not. Here are a few of these statements:

1) ".....contemplation is not a relaxation exercise. It may bring relaxation, but that is strictly a side effect."

2) "...contemplative prayer is not a charismatic gift. The charisms enumerated by Paul have been renewed in our time. These gifts are designed for the building up of the community. One may be a contemplative and a charismatic at the same time. And one may not be a contemplative and still have one or more of the charismatic gifts. In other words, there is not necessarily a connection between the two." 

3) "contemplative prayer is not a parapsychological phenomena such as precognition, knowledge of events at a distance, control over bodily processes such as heartbeat and breathing, out of body experiences." In other words, Keating is alerting us to the fact that Contemplative prayer is not related to para normal phenomena and the purpose of the practice certainly isn't to cultivate "special gifts".

4) "....contemplation is not a mystical phenomena..." Keating wants us to understand that it is Union with God and Union with God through pure faith only which brings us into deeper awareness of God's love. Any grandiose imagery ... grand ideas facilitated by one's own imagination can lead to distortion. He points out the St. John of the Cross, the well known medieval mystic discouraged his disciples from any attachment to any mytical revelation and that the intent of contemplative practice had to be completely grounded in pure faith.

Hence, Keating states, "What is the essence of contemplative prayer? The way of pure faith. Nothing else. You do not have to feel it, but you have to practice it."

Lectio Divina moves us into the arena of contemplation. The traditional movements are: 

1) Lectio: Reading or becoming acquainted with the Scripture for the first time 

2) Meditatio: Meditating briefly on the Scripture 

3) Oration: Our intuitive response to the Scripture 

 4) Contemplatio: Resting in God.

One can read the Bible, study it, attain some limited contextual understanding of it and yet, be completely estranged from the practice of faith. One can be engaged in Lectio Divina practice and be very unacquainted with the discursive and theological paradigms of Christian thought and history. The important dimension of Lectio is that the practice of it does not at all depend upon study but rather, faith and faith alone. Yet, the person who studies Scripture and who practices Lectio can experience and share broadened horizons of both knowledge and love with his or her specific gifts, talents wherever or whenever he or she serves God in life.

The practice of daily Lectio Divina challenges us to lay aside all of our dependencies, all of our desires, and all of our expectations and surrender for a certain assigned time and space to engage in the practice of faith. In this time, we give God consent to love us. In other words, we are on the receiving end completely. And therein lies a challenge for most of us who are givers and who desire to love. Without setting aside a time to receive love, to trust that we are loved, and to open ourselves to the deepest dimensions of God's love in our times of lonliness and pain, our motivations, our work in ministry and servanthood may be unduly cluttered with unconscious agendas and actions which hurt ourselves and hurt others. The openess to interior transformation provides an arena for us to move beyond the hurts and wounds of this life to a deeper and seasoned existence in God.

We cannot completely avoid this. But our intentional practice really does make a contribution to the healing of the earth and the healing of our interiority so that we may be agents of joy and service. Perhaps we will not be famous, rich or prestigious persons but the greatest treasure is that we become more deeply aware of a divine love so great that we do not need much more than just that.

With deep spiritual practice and over time....fruits may be born. For some, who practice Lectio Divina and daily resting in God through the contemplative prayer of silence.....there may be continual and abundant challenges in this life. The practice may not necessarily lead to physical comfort.

The thing that is important for us to remember is that God longs for us even more than we long for God. God truly wants to be very close and intimate with us humans in a very good and dignifying way. For many of us, there have been human encounters in this life, however which distort that reality and even our image of God....Many of us fight life time battles with lack of esteem, security or any control that we had as children.

In the practice of faith day in and day out through Lectio Divina, through Centering Prayer or the Prayer of the Heart, the echoes of the Jesus Prayer, the recitation of the Psalms, through learning to Rest in a power and love greater than our own we can become more and more aware of our grounding and source for all of living. Many lay people work long and hard hours in their days....and wonder how such practice is possible. Yet, in the world of contemplation anything is possible. Twenty minutes - thirty minutes is possible to give to one's Lover. That is possible if we allow it.

It is our choice to move even inch by inch towards the practice of faith....God waits for us and welcomes our choice to sit and rest in the Word and in the Presence made known to us through Christ's Eucharistic Bread and Wine.


Here are some resources:

"Sacred Reading" by Michael Casey
"Lectio Divina" by Basil Pennington
"Too Deep for Words" by Thelma Hall

 from Sharon Cooper