LECTIO

Lectio divina is an ancient form of contemplative prayer with the Sacred Scriptures which took root and flourished in monastic communities, finding a particular fullness of expression in the 12th century Cistercian Order, producing the “Last of the Fathers.” In the 21st century, lectio is experiencing a significant revival throughout the whole Church, and we Cistercians would like to contribute to the revival of this fundamental contemplative practice by reimagining it in the light of our patrimony. 

Chapter 48 of the Rule of Benedict is titled “Daily Manual Labor,” yet much of the chapter is about reading. He is concerned about defining “specified times for manual labor as well as for prayerful reading” – these last words translate lectione divina and thus offer us an English equivalent for the commonly used Latin lectio divina. Benedict will specify times for manual labor and for prayerful reading.

Benedict wants to specify time periods because “Otiositas inimica est animae” which is translated “Idleness is the enemy of the soul.” Unfortunately, otiositas does not mean only “idleness.” It can also be translated as “leisure.” Or maybe even “spare time.” Thus, it seems that Benedict may not be concerned so much about keeping lazy monks busy, but about organizing time so monks can carry out all that is most important. In  this chapter, he works out how to make sure monks have plenty of time to read.

Reading is important to St. Benedict. It is at least as important as manual labor. He wants us to have specified times for prayerful reading. Several times he writes that brothers are to devote themselves to reading, give their full attention, heart and soul, to reading.

In the novitiate we  have been talking about the practice of lectio divina, about what it means to read scripture prayerfully. Here are some points that have risen in our recent conversations:

• Lectio is not merely reading a text. Lectio is an encounter with a person through words. The person we encounter is Jesus. The words are words of scripture. We have been told that all of scripture reveals Jesus Christ from the Old Testament through the New Testament. St Jerome wrote this about the Isaiah: “It contains all the mysteries of the Lord. It prophesies that Emmanuel is to be born of a virgin and accomplish marvelous works and signs. It predicts his death, burial and resurrection from the dead as the Savior of all men.” When we give ourselves to lectio we give ourselves to this encounter with Jesus; we are open and willing to listen to him.

• This encounter with Jesus in lectio is not a momentary meeting. We do not just “bump into him” or share a few words in passing. We intend to engage with Jesus. We will give time to him. We ruminate on the words, like a cow chewing its cud. We bite words off. We chew, we taste the sweetness, the bitterness, the blandness. We swallow and are nourished by his love.

• His love may re-ignite our first encounter when we felt wonder, awe, admiration at his presence. In wonder of our encounter we are willing to sacrifice presumptions and preconceptions to surrender ourselves to the Word in the word.

• Our engagement may invite us to memorize words that spark. We may make associations to other experiences, other stories, other events.

• Our imagination can be active during our prayerful reading. We will form images of the scene; we will place ourselves in the scene, reaching out to touch the edge of his prayer shawl, sitting near him.

• We may be moved to speak with him, ask for his help, thank him for the graces received.

• Slowly over time we draw closer to him, he draws closer to us. He takes up residence in our hearts. He gives us rest, he restores us.

• These actions of prayerful reading are centered in our heart. We can think of our heart as an interior temple with its place of intimacy in the Holy of Holies. Thinking of our interior temple allows us to see that our engagement has brought us into that temple – our prayerful reading is in fact contemplation – being united to that place where God is present.

Benedict gave his monks specific times to devote to prayerful reading. We monks have an horarium with periods for reading. You, too, may also define specific periods for such reading.

No matter who we are, I encourage us to remember that prayerful reading is an active seeking to continue our relationship with Jesus. We want to engage with him in a personal encounter, giving him our attention, opening up the creativity of our imagination, allowing the Spirit to inspire us. 

We want to draw closer to Jesus in our prayerful reading.