Continuation of 152: Lectio Divina in daily life 5
2. Difficulties in lectio
In
the first book (Lectio Divina I, The Method) we already looked at
some difficulties that are encountered in lectio every day, precisely
the “Temptations to flight”. Here we are going to consider other
problems that we encounter in the daily practice of lectio. Is it
really possible to do it each day? Is it possible to be unsuccessful?
Don’t we succeed only progressively? Let us look at each one of
these problems or objections.
a) Is it really possible to do it everyday?
Those
who do not as yet practise lectio daily and who read the teaching on Lectio ask
this question: Is it really true that we can (or should) practise
lectio on a day-to-day basis? There are moments in life when we
cannot, and there are different reasons for this.
At
certain moments, we may be beset by heavy burdens which take up all
our time. If the situation does not last too long this is just one of
the phases of life. So, sometimes it is not possible to practise
lectio every day for reasons that are beyond our control.
But
this may also arise from a simple question of organisation: we do not
make an act of faith vis-à-vis the right that we have to receive a
daily Word from God as the “daily bread” we ask for when we pray
the “Our Father”; or, if we have not yet really given our life to
the Lord, we are not yet living a full relationship with Him. This
means that we still own our time and ourselves. We are not really
giving ourselves to the Lord. In that case, lectio would be just a
moment accorded to the Lord and not the commitment of one’s entire
life, of the entire day. This makes a huge difference.
Some
people may ask whether they should do lectio in the evening, or in
the afternoon, since they cannot do it in the morning. This is
obviously better than nothing, and it will also give results. But
lectio done in the morning is like a Light that illumines our whole
day. One objection might be: “But if one does it in the evening,
it will work like leaven throughout the night and, so, the next day
it will be as if we had done lectio in the morning”. But the next
morning are we really able to remember what was essential and to put
it into practice?
Let
us go back to the main point: an act of faith must be made. Each
person will experience it in his or her own way. For example, for a
married teacher, this act of faith may be to say to the Lord: “Lord,
you see that I want to put you first. But I honestly don’t have the
time. Help me to organise my time and to find a moment for lectio,
because I understand how important it is in my life.” In saying
this he has been honest, and has manifested his faith and hope in the
Lord as being righteous and “pure”. And he has the surprise, at
the beginning of the year, of not having to give the private tuitions
that a gifted teacher of good standing like himself usually does. He
recognises this as a clear sign from the Lord. This may not keep him
from “panicking” and saying: “If things continue like this I
will not be able to make ends meet, especially that my wife and I are
expecting a child”. But in the depth of his heart he knows that he
can organise his time, that the Lord has answered his honest prayer
and has shown him how to organise his days by starting from above.
b) Failures
Sometimes it happens that despite faithful practice of lectio, lectio simply does not “work”. And there may be different reasons for this that are not necessarily dependent on us and do not come from a lack of effort. But the percentage of these “failures” is very low; this may occur once a month. From time to time the Lord wants to mortify us. In fact, the consolation we receive at the beginning in and through lectio – this consolation which is inherent in the encounter with the Light – becomes a bait and so we look for it to please ourselves, and this keeps us from searching for the Lord and discovering his will. But at other times the true reason for this dysfunction eludes us. Lectio then becomes a simple meditation, a little reflection on the texts. We should simply accept these failures and not lament over them excessively. But it should be noted again that these failures are not frequent.
b) Failures
Sometimes it happens that despite faithful practice of lectio, lectio simply does not “work”. And there may be different reasons for this that are not necessarily dependent on us and do not come from a lack of effort. But the percentage of these “failures” is very low; this may occur once a month. From time to time the Lord wants to mortify us. In fact, the consolation we receive at the beginning in and through lectio – this consolation which is inherent in the encounter with the Light – becomes a bait and so we look for it to please ourselves, and this keeps us from searching for the Lord and discovering his will. But at other times the true reason for this dysfunction eludes us. Lectio then becomes a simple meditation, a little reflection on the texts. We should simply accept these failures and not lament over them excessively. But it should be noted again that these failures are not frequent.
c) Progressing in lectio or progressive lectio?
In this paragraph we would like to deal with another important point: Should one do lectio, right from the start, in the way indicated in the first book (The Method)? Or should things be done progressively?
One
may succeed in doing it as indicated from the very beginning if one
already has some knowledge of the Bible. And one may continue having
other ways of benefiting from the Bible while practicing lectio: for
example, through reading the whole Bible, the study of a particular
book, exegetical studies, etc. To repeat: the practice of lectio with
the two texts of the daily Mass is not at variance with other ways of
reading the Bible, whether this be simple reading, meditation,
listening to the Lord in a particular part of the Gospel, sharing
Scripture or more formal study. Lectio is a specific activity which
allows God to speak to us each day and to transform us in Him. This
is food we receive at Mass and used in a particular manner. In short,
lectio either happens or does not. There is no inner progression in
this practice. Either it functions, and we listen to the Spirit, or
it does not. But, in any case, before starting this exercise, we
could spend some time getting to know the Bible by reading at least
the most important books, with the introductions provided which
introduce us to a world quite different from our own. But this is not
what one might call “progressive lectio”. This is simply a way of
enabling us to read the Bible better, and to avoid misunderstanding
it. In this way the instrument becomes intelligible and transparent
(I would say: “sacramental”) for God who wants to speak to us.
There
is then a progressive access to lectio, but lectio in itself cannot
be a progressive – or half-done – practice.
d) Problems or objections
d) Problems or objections
One of the problems encountered is that of considering this way of listening to the Lord as efficient and irreplaceable. One may make the following reflection: I could just as well meditate one text. Why are two texts need to coincide to form a beam of single light, since God is not short of ways of speaking to us? And why should I do lectio with the texts of the liturgy of the day? These are questions that often arise along the way and in this faithfulness to God. Does this form of lectio, which uses the texts of the Mass, exclude all other forms of lectio? No it does not. Who could make such an assertion? On the contrary, as we have said above, other forms of lectio exist and are possible: for example, reading just one text, reading a particular book of the Bible, group lectio, sharing of the Gospel, readings in a retreat etc. But the realistic caracter and dense nature of this form of lectio leads us to insist on it. It is a grace given everyday. Certainly, our weakness causes us to not do it well at times, or not to be able to do it; there are several reasons for this: difficulties, laziness, and other legitimate reasons that may occur unexpectedly. This is also what large numbers of Christians throughout the centuries have experienced. But the Vatican II Council recently invited us to not let this grace slip by.
So
we should renew our courage each day and believe in the renewal of
our faith, through this grace which is offered to many people. Even
if consolation and savour come from meeting the Lord in his Word,
even if, at certain times or periods, this is easy – although it is
never totally without some difficulties –, quite often the Lord
wants to speak to me in a daily renewed faith, to tell me something
special, to give me a light, to share a part of himself with me,
through my conscious and attentive freedom. We are his
“collaborators”, as St. Paul put it, or his “friends”,
according to St. John, and he is expecting our intelligence and our
free will to respond to his light each day. Our salvation and the
salvation of others depend on us; we have an active part to play in
it. Of course, He gained everything for us on the Cross, but he is
awaiting our assent so that his grace may come to us and to our
brothers.
He
is not going to give us ready-made solutions, to be given as it were
to slaves; he calls for our intelligent and responsible activity; he
awakens our creativity through contact with his light. He often seems
to say to us: “This is how things are; here’s my light, now what
are you going to do with it?” He is also pleased when, having
received his light, we decide whole-heartedly and with joy to give,
to help, to collaborate in his work of Salvation.
Our responsibility in our relationship with God
Our responsibility in our relationship with God
Lectio actually has its place in the context of the relationship between man and God. If we do not grasp this context, the kind of relationship that should exist between God and man, we are really unprepared for lectio. At times we give God an important place in this relationship with man, to the point of turning man into a slave, a kind of good-for-nothing that just tags along. At other times, one attributes everything to man to the point that all is done in God’s name but without allowing Him to intervene in any way. And sometimes one conceives a kind of equality, but with a God who is no longer the Alpha and Omega. And even in the relationship with God, where He is the inspiring source and the goal of all our actions, the balance is not equal – without forgetting that man comes of age as an adult in his relationship with God or, as St. Theresa of Jesus put it: the Lord sometimes wants to let us take charge.
Let
us repeat once again that when we do lectio we have - unconsciously -
a vision of our relationship with God, which may impede or even
stifle the grace of lectio! We therefore need to consider this
delicate relationship more closely.
In
a certain sense, God cannot completely create man1.
In order for God to incarnate Himself in us and to develop Himself in
human life, He needs man. He creates him in His image, but man must
do his part to share His resemblance:
man, in turn, must become a creator. A creator cannot be ready-made;
he needs to become himself. In a certain way God minimised the
creation of man. This repeats what Hölderlin stated: “God created
man like the ocean created the continents: by
moving away from them!”
e) And those who cannot?
For
diverse reasons some people are not able to practise lectio. This is
an exercise that the elderly may have trouble with, either because of
reasons of ill-health, on account of poor vision, because they may
not have the necessary human and spiritual “culture”, or simply
because their age and failing physical strength no longer permit them
to do it. Illness (but nuances need to be made), illiteracy,
incapacity… these are all reasons which obviously keep certain
people from doing lectio. The Lord shows them other ways to listen
and to do his will. Let us not forget that the Lord is in our hearts,
and that He speaks to us there. We are too often outside of ourselves
and distant from Him. We are no longer able to listen to Him.
Sometimes simple people have their way of listening to the Lord, and
they are sometimes far ahead of those who are wise and erudite. But
the fundamental principle is the same: listening, seeking the Lord,
invoking His Holy Spirit to help us put into practice what He has
told us in the depths of our hearts. But someone who is capable of
practising lectio and does not do so tempts the Lord, i.e. he does
not take advantage of all the means that the Lord puts at his
disposition. This amounts to laziness and neglect.
1
These reflections are inspired by the article of Fr. Michel van
Aerde, o.p., “Le fil triple”.
Note 2: To know more about Lectio Divina see: A keynote on Lectio Divina
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