Lectio Divina Workshop Week 2: The Process Marc Cardaronella

Lectio DivinaLectio Divina Workshop Workshop

Week 2: The ProcessWeek 2: The Process

Marc CardaronellaMarc Cardaronella

www.holycrosschampaign.orgwww.holycrosschampaign.org

News announcement on News announcement on

the left column of the home pagethe left column of the home page

ReviewReview

The necessity of meditative prayer for The necessity of meditative prayer for growth in the spiritual lifegrowth in the spiritual life

Using Scripture is highly recommendedUsing Scripture is highly recommended This requires a certain kind of readingThis requires a certain kind of reading Lectio Divina Lectio Divina is a “Forbidding Discipline”is a “Forbidding Discipline” Read, Think, Pray, LiveRead, Think, Pray, Live

The ProcessThe Process

Lectio

Meditatio

Oratio

Contemplatio

Read

Think

Pray• Contemplation

Operatio Live

PreliminariesPreliminaries

Transition: Transition: I become aware of the love with which God looks I become aware of the love with which God looks

upon me as I begin this prayer.upon me as I begin this prayer.

Gratitude: Gratitude: I note the gifts that God’s love has given me this day, I note the gifts that God’s love has given me this day,

and I give thanks to God for them.and I give thanks to God for them.

Petition:Petition: I ask God for an insight and a strength that will make I ask God for an insight and a strength that will make

this prayer a work of grace, fruitful beyond my human this prayer a work of grace, fruitful beyond my human capacity alone. capacity alone.


Read:Read: Read the text slowly and reflectively, allowing Read the text slowly and reflectively, allowing

the words to penetrate your mind. the words to penetrate your mind.


Think:Think: Read the text again. Read the text again. This time, also read any notes accompanying This time, also read any notes accompanying

the verses on the bottom of the page. the verses on the bottom of the page. In this stage, you attempt to understand what In this stage, you attempt to understand what

is being said in a deeper way. is being said in a deeper way.


Think: Think: The literal and spiritual sensesThe literal and spiritual senses

• They’re not completely removed from each otherThey’re not completely removed from each other We aim to get at the meaning the Holy Spirit We aim to get at the meaning the Holy Spirit

intends, the spiritual sense for our lives todayintends, the spiritual sense for our lives today The spiritual flows from the literalThe spiritual flows from the literal We must understand the literal before we can We must understand the literal before we can

discern the spiritualdiscern the spiritual This is where study notes help This is where study notes help


Pray: Pray: Read the text again and now, armed with the Read the text again and now, armed with the

insight you've just gained from the last stage, insight you've just gained from the last stage, respond back to God in prayer. respond back to God in prayer.

Prayer is a conversation and God is your Prayer is a conversation and God is your conversational partner. He spoke to you conversational partner. He spoke to you through the insight and understanding you through the insight and understanding you just gained in the last phase. Now, it's your just gained in the last phase. Now, it's your turn to respond back to him with what is on turn to respond back to him with what is on your heart and mind. your heart and mind.

The ProcessThe Process ““Solo: An Uncommon Devotional" by Eugene Solo: An Uncommon Devotional" by Eugene

PetersonPeterson God yearns to converse with you. And, he wants far God yearns to converse with you. And, he wants far

more than just 'thanks for this, can I please have that' more than just 'thanks for this, can I please have that' prayer….Respond to him in dialogue. Open your ears prayer….Respond to him in dialogue. Open your ears and your heart to hear his voice. Maybe God has and your heart to hear his voice. Maybe God has challenged you. Tell him how you feel, but always challenged you. Tell him how you feel, but always remember that what he asks, he asks for your good. remember that what he asks, he asks for your good. He is loving and merciful, not manipulative and harsh. He is loving and merciful, not manipulative and harsh. If you come across something in your reading that If you come across something in your reading that you don't understand, tell him about it. Ask him about you don't understand, tell him about it. Ask him about it. Fill your prayers with Scripture. Using the words it. Fill your prayers with Scripture. Using the words you have read helps you ensure that your prayers line you have read helps you ensure that your prayers line up with God's Word and intention for your life.up with God's Word and intention for your life.


Pray:Pray: Journal your prayerJournal your prayer The review The review Technique: write the prayer like you would Technique: write the prayer like you would

respond to someone's emailrespond to someone's email Technique: what jumps out at youTechnique: what jumps out at you The cThe contemplatio ontemplatio or contemplationor contemplation

Goals of PrayerGoals of Prayer

Oriented toward union with God and loveOriented toward union with God and love This comes under two aspects:This comes under two aspects:

An interior experience of God’s loveAn interior experience of God’s love An “inside out” change of lifeAn “inside out” change of life

The first is a gift of God, no human The first is a gift of God, no human technique can produce ittechnique can produce it

The second is also a work of God but The second is also a work of God but requires our cooperationrequires our cooperation

Prayer methods are structurePrayer methods are structure


““Prayer Primer” Prayer Primer” Fr. Thomas DubayFr. Thomas Dubay ““Method in meditation Method in meditation

is like a scaffolding is like a scaffolding used to construct a used to construct a building. It is a means building. It is a means to an end, not the end to an end, not the end itself.” (p. 72)itself.” (p. 72)


““Prayer Primer” (p. 72)Prayer Primer” (p. 72) ““Just as in the case of scaffolding, prayer Just as in the case of scaffolding, prayer

methods are not meant to be permanent. methods are not meant to be permanent. When they have achieved their purpose, we When they have achieved their purpose, we leave them aside. Otherwise, they can impede leave them aside. Otherwise, they can impede more simple and better prayer.” more simple and better prayer.”

““When one finds oneself united to God in a When one finds oneself united to God in a simple loving attention or yearning, the simple loving attention or yearning, the methods should be left aside. One has what methods should be left aside. One has what they are meant to bring about.” they are meant to bring about.”


Live:Live: The last stage can be many different things. The last stage can be many different things.

• A simple resting in the insight and prayer you've received A simple resting in the insight and prayer you've received from God's Word. from God's Word.

• A concrete resolution for the day that comes out of your A concrete resolution for the day that comes out of your prayer. prayer.

• A further reflection on the passage you've just read, thought A further reflection on the passage you've just read, thought and prayed about. and prayed about.

• An encouragement that carries you through the rest of a An encouragement that carries you through the rest of a busy and trying day. busy and trying day.

It is a response of your life to what the Lord has It is a response of your life to what the Lord has spoken directly to your heart. spoken directly to your heart.


Live:Live: Lectio DivinaLectio Divina is meant to make you a is meant to make you a

"contemplative in the world." "contemplative in the world." • It makes you into an agent of God's illustrious plan It makes you into an agent of God's illustrious plan

for the universe. for the universe. • A contemplative in the world carries a biblical and A contemplative in the world carries a biblical and

theological worldview into the world around themtheological worldview into the world around them


Live:Live: We are meant to live the prayer of We are meant to live the prayer of lectio lectio in our in our

everyday lives and to allow the world of the everyday lives and to allow the world of the Bible into our every part of our worldBible into our every part of our world

This connection prepares us to let God work This connection prepares us to let God work in our lives and change us into who we are in our lives and change us into who we are truly meant to be…to fulfill the plan for our truly meant to be…to fulfill the plan for our lives that was laid out before the beginning of lives that was laid out before the beginning of time in the infinite mind of Godtime in the infinite mind of God


Live: Live: From the “Solo” introduction, "If you have taken God's From the “Solo” introduction, "If you have taken God's

Word to heart and truly made it part of you, it will by Word to heart and truly made it part of you, it will by its very nature change you. And when it does, you will its very nature change you. And when it does, you will find yourself called to act. There will come a time find yourself called to act. There will come a time when God takes you to the end of yourself then asks when God takes you to the end of yourself then asks you to go further. He wants you to put yourself at his you to go further. He wants you to put yourself at his disposal, to go and do what he asks, even the disposal, to go and do what he asks, even the impossible." impossible."

Lectio DivinaLectio Divina is a primary means of preparation for is a primary means of preparation for that time.that time.

ConclusionConclusion

Transition: Transition: Aware of God’s presence with me, I Aware of God’s presence with me, I

prayerfully conclude this prayerprayerfully conclude this prayer I use an “Our Father” prayed very slowly and I use an “Our Father” prayed very slowly and

meaningfullymeaningfully

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Lectio Divina Workshop Week 2: The Process Marc Cardaronella