182- Lectio Divina, From Pharisee to Publican

One of the most difficult things in Spiritual Life is to explain what we are supposed to do in order to make Lectio Divina work.

In fact, often Lectio Divina doesn’t work, not because God or Jesus doesn’t want to speak to us, or the Holy Spirit doesn’t want to work in us! On the contrary, Jesus is dying to speak to us. But what we don’t know is: what exactly depends on us to make it happen, what we are supposed to do in order to make lectio work.

St. Teresa of Avila puts it in a nutshell: not knowing the difference in the way the Grace of God works between the general help and the particular help, makes our spiritual life lukewarm, makes lectio divina “abort” quite often. We are often lost between two extremes and can’t find the right measure in between. The extremes are: either to use great aggressiveness, overriding the grace of God and His freedom, acting in fact with an arrogant attitude. Or, to be too passive and fail to do what we are supposed to do! So, in the end, the Grace of God, or more precisely the personal and direct action of the Holy Spirit, doesn’t occur.

If we look at the drawing above, which shows our heart, immersed in the waters of our being, about to give itself to God, and also showing the surface of the water which is the limit between God’s being/freedom and ours, we will see illustrated three different ways to offer ourselves to God, three ways of interacting with God.

It is not uncommon for people to get the general light of God, which corresponds to the moment where the two or more texts are saying the same thing, although through different words, in different places in the texts. But the part of the journey that is paradoxically more difficult occurs, when crossing from this moment to the moment when a clear light causes us to really hear what Jesus wants from us. Why is this so?

One of the reasons is that the person, after having received the general light of the Word of God, switches to almost a more receptive mode, where most of the attention resembles a ruminating state, where the person is almost in a dreamlike state repeating the words that speak to him in each text while expecting the clear will of Jesus to pop up at a certain point, out of His pure grace.

The reality, by contrast, is that there is still an important part of the journey of the descent of the word of God in us that is as yet unfinished, that is, proceeding from (a) to (b)). 

How do we go from (a) to (b)? From the general supernatural light to the particular supernatural light? From understanding that the Lord is talking about Mercy, for instance, as a general reality of the Gospel, to understanding that He is asking me to reconcile with a specific person?

Should I just continue to re-read the parts of the texts that now talk to me and wait until Jesus clarifies His request? It is most probable that nothing will happen because if this is done (i.e. switching to a more receptive attitude) we stop our collaboration with the Lord, stop showing our will.

It is as if the Lord needed a bit of encouragement to dare enter deeper within our being and point out the area He wants to heal. Lectio Divina – like any serious prayer – is an interaction between two beings, God and us, who each has his free will and is supposed to use it. If one stops showing his will and desire, it blocks the process! It is as if two persons were supposed to shake hands and one extended his hand to the mid-distance between them and the other, after having started to extend his hand, withdrew it before reaching the mid-distance. The two hands won’t meet, and in our case they won’t continue to work together - it is as if one ceased to collaborate!

The Lord will not continue to enter within us, because we are not allowing Him to do so! We are receptive, but this receptivity is passive and seems to have abandoned the aim of manifesting his own will. It is as if somebody went to see the doctor saying that he is wounded and happened to stop in the middle of the process of taking off his clothes to show the wound! How would the doctor then see the wound and apply the appropriate medicine to it? Will the doctor apply force and he himself remove the patient’s clothes? Not really! He will respect the reluctance of the patient to go further! This is in fact what is really happening! We stop in the middle of the process, thinking that by becoming more “receptive” we are really doing the right thing!

On the contrary, the desire and the intensity of the begging should increase! Not grabbing the word of God (say: Mercy) and directing it in our own way, but by directing our humble requests, face to face with the Word of God, in the right direction, namely, towards our will which is sick – in the direction of incarnation of that will.

Digging Deeper

It is by digging deeper within ourselves that we can open the way in us for the Word of God to come down, to continue its journey until it reaches the junction between the mind and the will! The word of God is supposed to point out in a certain area in our will what needs to be healed, changed and transformed on a particular day.

The temptation, however, is to unconsciously take a more spiritually comfortable attitude that will jeopardise the continuation of the descent of the Word of God in us toward our will.

Jesus himself said to the Pharisees: “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick” (Luke 5:31, Matthew 9:12; Mark 2:17). He warned the Pharisees by saying: the persons who think they are doing well, don’t need Him. And here is the essential question that the practice of Lectio Divina reminds us of on a daily basis: are you spiritually healthy? Are you doing well? Are you ill? Are you blind? Often our attitude, or if you prefer the spirit in which we practise Lectio Divina, seems to say that yes, we are fine. This is the big risk we run when we practise Lectio Divina in a rather half-hearted way.

By faith, out of the mysterious and deep light of faith, we know that since God is God, pure, holy, immense, there must be in us (compared to Him) some dark area, some wounds that need healing, some things that need change. But we don’t see them yet! While we have this general light telling us that the will of God for us today for instance is “Mercy”, we don’t see how it applies in us! Jesus will not force himself on us, showing us what He wants to change! Faith tells us that some area in us needs healing and needs to learn mercy, needs to soften and be more forgiving, and welcoming, but we don’t know how and toward whom! Faith, true faith, tells us that we are blind; faith, true faith is pushing us in a renewed way today, out of our comfort zone, telling us that we are not fine, that we need Jesus!

We shift our attitude, from an attitude of sufficiency, to an attitude of need, dependency and indigence. We accept true vulnerability, the need for divine help and true change.

We can humble ourselves by switching our attitude from the Pharisee’s attitude (one who feels he is really fine and doesn’t really need anything in particular right now from God), to the attitude of the Publican, who has come face to face with his true self, devoid of lies, welcoming God’s light, as crude and harsh as it can be, because he knows that this is the source of possible healing. We can switch attitude, from the person who doesn’t need a doctor to the person who is in urgent and vital need of a doctor and for healing, from the self-satisfied Pharisee to the spiritually poor Publican who counts on God’s mercy.

Who begged for his life? The blind man in the Gospel. It was vital for him!

When I continue my Lectio Divina, what is my attitude? Am I focusing on my healer, Jesus, or I am just relaxing and spending some quality time with God? Am I dealing with the text, trying to figure out some message that is for me, or am I hardly able to bear my state and am asking for the mercy of God, for his healing and to show me my real illness!

Once the blind mean sees, he sees his own defect, his own lack, the space in him for Jesus.

Faith tells me that despite all the progress I might have made, I am still in need of starting today anew, and that I am a really blind person, a really ill person in need of Jesus!

This is the real question Lectio Divina pushes me to ask every day: am I in need of Jesus today or are we just nice buddies? Or a comfortable worshiper? Or just a scrupulous member of the faith who has to fulfil some sort of prayer routine just to feel that all is well?

The general help of the grace of God puts a switch into our hands every day, so we can move from the Pharisee attitude to the Publican attitude.

“To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 18:9-14)

Humbling oneself is really in the hands of each human being! It is the heart of the art of spiritual life. We all need to learn this art!

“many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first” (Mathew 19:30; 20:16)

Humble yourself before God and He will fill your heart. It is in your hands, within your capability, it is your decision! Gathering together your energy every day, pushing yourself out of your comfort zone, this is within your capability, within your means.

Lord Jesus, show us the way to truly humble ourselves. Our Lady, help us and show us how we should even beg more once we start to see the supernatural light of God; open the way in us for the Word of God, to beg our Doctor to show us our wound by opening all our being without any condition or restriction. Show us O Mary, the journey into ourselves, the journey of descent, humbling ourselves, creating a greater space within ourselves for Jesus’ vital healing! Show us Our Lady how to renew it every day.

Remember, there are many passages in the Scriptures which give us the indication of the necessity to humble ourselves in order to receive the Grace of God, i.e. the particular help of the Grace of God, which is the personal and direct intervention of the Holy Spirit in us: 

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.” (1 Peter 5:6)

“For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Matthew 23:12 and see Luke 14:11).

“He has brought down rulers from their thrones, but has exalted the humble.” (Luke 1:52)

“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.” (James 4:10)

“But He gives us more grace. This is why it says: "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble."” (James 4:6)

“This is what the Lord GOD says: 'Remove the turban, and take off the crown. Things will not remain as they are: Exalt the lowly and bring low the exalted.” (Ez 21:26)

“You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.” (Ps 51:16-17)

155: Lectio Divina in daily life 8: Lectio and daily difficulties

Continuation of 154: Lectio in a busy life.

We have already spoken about this question in the book "The Method". In daily life we are confronted with a variety of difficulties and problems of different kinds: these may be material, moral or family-related problems... When we begin lectio all our worries are present in us and often they weigh heavily. We experience our inability to leave them aside. Either they become the centre of our lectio or our effort to put them aside is so intense that we cannot do lectio at all. What should be done when this happens? Given that these are daily problems, how can we extricate ourselves from them and practise lectio? We may feel obliged to deviate lectio toward our preoccupations or we may begin to daydream about the monks who do not have all these problems. One might come to the point of losing all hope of remaining faithful to the Lord in the given situation. And then temptations begin to invade our thoughts: Has the Lord forgotten me? Does He care about my life at all? One no longer knows what to think.

The yoke

Let us take a closer look at one of the Lord’s words. In the Gospel according to Matthew he calls us to him with words of consolation, which contain the answer to our preoccupations: “Come to me, all you who are labouring and burdened, and I will give you rest; take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, because I am meek and humble in heart, and you shall find rest for your souls, for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Mt 11:28-30). By saying this, the Lord seems to propose an exchange to us. Give me your worries and I will give you my burden. You have a heavy burden; I do too. He does not in any way mention the Cross, but he talks about 'burdens', and he invites us to exchange burdens with Him. Nor does he ask us to abandon every possible burden - life on earth would lose its meaning without them because we are here to do something that will make us better. The exchange he is inviting us to is actually an exchange of perspectives, of goals and meaning. Our way of looking at life permeates what we do in lectio. And very often we are not really as detached from our lives as the Lord would like us to be. He wants us to be in the world but not of the world. The Lord asks us to live well and to be active in the world in a detached manner. St. Paul said this in his own words: “And this I say, brethren, the time henceforth is short - that both those having wives may be as not having them; and those weeping, as not weeping; and those rejoicing, as not rejoicing; and those buying, as not possessing; and those using this world, as not using it; for the way of this world is passing away. And I wish you to be without anxiety” (1 Col 7:29-32). The Lord does not ask us to leave the world; but here is what he asks of his Father in prayer: “I do not ask that you to take them out of the world, but to keep them from evil” (Jn 17:15). What is important to him is the absence of worry, because worry stifles the Word of God and makes it unfruitful in our lives. In his explanation of the parable of the Sower, the third kind of soil is the one covered with thorns and wity regard to the Word sown in our worrying hearts, the Lord says: “And that sown among the thorns, is the one who hears the word, but the anxiety of this age, and the deceitfulness of the riches, choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful” (Mt 13:22). This is why the Lord multiplies his recommendations for us to be without worry. He knows that there will always be difficulties and tribulations in life; but he wants us to avoid anxiety precisely because anxiety cannot change situations. “And who of you, being anxious, is able to add to his age one cubit?” (Mt 6:27); and in Luke: “Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.” (Lk 12:15). It is important to understand the difference between difficulties and anxiety or worry. There will indeed always be problems, no matter what our lifestyle may be. Those who think that a monk’s life is free of all worry only have a superficial knowledge of human nature. The world pursues the monk in his desert and into his cell. Let us repeat what we have already said: the Lord’s persistent desire is that we do not let ourselves be enslaved by anxiety. In fact, anxiety can absorb the energy of the human heart, as we have seen in the first book. Our heart is made exclusively for God, but it is inhabited by worries and all manner of created beings, which enslave us and hold us captive. The warfare therefore has to take place in our hearts. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart.” That is the challenge that the Gospel addresses to us. 'All' your heart… How can we keep inner peace in the midst of the waves that agitate this world? The Lord wants us in this world. So there must be an answer.

So how are we going to deal with this? He asks us to give him our worries. We need his help to be freed not from difficulties but from the worries they engender in our hearts. We need his Holy Spirit to help us confide our worries and our anxieties. We need the Lord to teach us how to work in peace in the midst of difficulties without being beset by them. Yes, the Lord does ask us to work since “if any one is not willing to work, he should not eat either” (2 Th 3:10); rather: “we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all work with quietness, that you may eat your own bread” (see 2 Th 3:12).

The Lord helps us through his Spirit of Love. David reminds us of this:

“When I said, My foot slips;

your mercy, o Lord, holds me up.

In the multitude of my worries within me

your comforts delight my soul.” (Ps 94:18-19).

We exchange burdens with him. We give up our burdens; we linger in petition and prayer. We entrust all our worries to Him and receive the comfort of the Holy Spirit, who calms our hearts and prepares us for lectio. We renew our faith in him. The Lord is our friend; He listens to us and consoles us. He also prepares us to listen.

And what is this burden of his that we should take up? We often think that it is the cross, but in fact the Lord shows us his burden, the particular worry that should be in our hearts. “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Mt 6:33). That is the worry and the burden we should carry each day. The Lord is right in saying that his burden is light. The burden is to remain firmly attached with him to the same yoke: the Holy Spirit, his Love. Knowing the Lord, that is the Kingdom. And that is also lectio. Because implicit in loving the Lord is doing his will. The one who loves me accomplishes my will and puts my Word into practice. “If any one loves me, he will keep my word” (Jn 14:23).

Note 1: This is an extract from the book: "Lectio divina in daily life" (please click here)

Note 2: To know more about Lectio Divina see: A keynote on Lectio Divina

Note 3: Remember to subscribe to this Blog so you can receive the posts directly to your email.

153: Lectio Divina in daily life 6: Difficulties in Lectio

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.

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

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

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 1: This is an extract from the book: "Lectio divina in daily life" (please click here)

Note 2: To know more about Lectio Divina see: A keynote on Lectio Divina

Note 3: Remember to subscribe to this Blog so you can receive the posts directly to your email.