Book on Lectio Divina available in Hardcopy

Finally the full book (200 pages) on Lectio Divina is available on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk and the other Amazon websites, as a hardcopy. It contains the previous three books published as ebooks. It has five parts:

Part one is new: the Word became words.

Part two corresponds to the first book ("Lectio Divina I, The Method").

Part three and four correspond to the second book ("Lectio Divina II, Mary and the Spirit").

Part five, the much loved part five, corresponds to the third book ("Lectio Divina III, Lectio in daily life").

This is a very important book. The core of it is Part II because it explains the Method. It has the updated version of the steps of Lectio Divina, with the 15 steps explained.

Course: Practising Lectio Divina

Practising Lectio Divina
September - 2016

What content is covered?

This Three-day Course provides: 

1- How Lectio Divina works (theory).

2- A guided practice of it.

3- Workshop (difficulties and challenges).

4- Questions and answers.

Listening to the Word of God and putting it into practice is known as Lectio Divina. It provides by far the most powerful boost to our Spiritual Life. "If [Lectio Divina] is effectively promoted, this practice will bring to the Church - I am convinced of it - a new spiritual springtime." (Pope Benedict)

This course encourages us to draw closer to the Lord in a very real way through:

- practical advice on how to listen to Jesus with the support of graphic illustrations.

- guided and commented practice.

- learning to discern with greater certainty when it is Jesus who speaks and not us.

- understanding temptations to flee from the practice and learning to overcome them.

- workshops, questions and answers.

Despite considerable efforts to practise it, plus the variety of methods on offer, many faithful feel that they are unsuccessful in listening to the Lord, and are often unsure if it is He who has spoken. For Lectio Divina to succeed and be sustainable in the future, it has to be taught and the practicalities and difficulties dealt with through questions.

With the reform of the Lectionary by the Council of Vatican II, "easier access to the Scriptures" has been "provided to all the Christian faithful” (Dei Verbum, 22). Through Missals, Monthly Publications, Liturgical Calendars, Websites and Applications, access to daily readings of the Mass, to prayer and listening to the Lord has been facilitated – an important grace for our times.

Who might find the course useful? 

The course is for all of us who would like to deepen their practice of Lectio Divina, or just want to learn how to listen to the Lord.

As with all School of Mary courses, the Patroness of the Course is Our Lady, the Mother of Jesus. The content of the course has received the approval and blessing of H.E. Peter Smith, Archbishop of Southwark.

Dates and times of the Course are:

17th, 24th September and 1st October 2016, from 10 am to 4:30 pm.

Refreshments are provided. Please bring a packed lunch.

Where the course takes place?

The course will take place at St Mary of the Angels, Moorhouse Road, Bayswater, London, W2 5DJ. ('Notting Hill Gate' or 'Bayswater' Tube Stations and Buses 7, 23, 27, 28, 31, 70, 328)

Who will teach the course? 

The course will be taught by Jean Khoury, a full-time theologian who has studied and taught Spiritual Life in the Church for over twenty years. As well as lecturing world-wide on spiritual life and meditation, Jean is the author of several books, articles and studies on spiritual life and the founder of the School of Mary, a three-level formation in spiritual life (www.amorvincit.com). 

Jean obtained a degree in Philosophy from the Institut Catholique de Toulouse (France), a Licence in Theology from the Teresianum (Rome) and a Masters in Spiritual Theology from the Institute Catholique de Toulouse (France). He is currently completing his PhD in Spiritual Theology at the Angelicum (Rome) with Monsignor François-Marie Léthel. Courses at the School of Mary constitute his sole source of income.

How much will the course cost?

The cost for the course is £25 per day / £75 for the full course. As the venue has limited capacity and we expect demand to be very high, participants will need to register and pay a deposit of £25 in advance with any remaining balance to be paid on 17th September.

How do I sign up for the course?

Participants will need to register to attend the course and pay a £25 deposit. 

In order to register, please EITHER 

* Email schoolofmarylondon@gmail.com with your name and contact details and we will be in touch with details of how to pay the deposit by bank transfer OR 

* Complete the booking form overleaf and send it along with a cheque for £25 payable to Jean Khoury to:

School of Mary, 

Flat 6 Carlton Mansions,

14 Holland Park Gardens,

London W14 8DW

If you have any questions, please do phone Francesca at: 07527 907642

or write to schoolofmarylondon@gmail.com and we will be happy to respond.

150: A Keynote on Lectio Divina

1- What does 'LD” mean?
'Lectio' in Latin means: 'Reading'.
'Divina': means 'spiritual' or 'divine'.
Note 1: LD (Lectio Divina) is traditionally applied exclusively to the spiritual reading of the Scriptures.
Note 2: It is called 'divina' because without the direct, 'divine', intervention of the Holy Spirit, this cannot come about.

2- What is LD?

It is the time we dedicate to sitting down, listening to what Jesus wants to say to us, and putting it into practice.

Practising LD is meeting the Risen Lord who comes everyday to my room to speak to me personally and change me.

3- What is the basis of LD?:

LD is based on the “daily Bread” that the Lord gives us essentially during the first part of the Mass: the Liturgy of the Word of God.

Note: We have either two readings (week days), i.e. First Reading and Gospel, or three readings (Sunday, Solemnities) i.e. + one extra reading.

4- What is LD's place in our Spiritual Life?

LD is the most powerful boost to our Spiritual Life.

Well practised it ensures a steady growth.

Without it, our Spiritual Life is greatly undermined.

5- What is the goal of LD?

Its daily goal is to generate a real transformation in us.

It helps Jesus' words to become incarnate in us, so that Jesus grows in us.

We start to act with Him and through Him in new and previously unexperienced ways.

6- Is Jesus calling everybody to practise LD?

Yes. He emphasised, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ (Matthew 4:4).

Note 1: He said: "man", not, "some men".

Note 2: It is equally true that there is a moment in our lives where, by the grace of God, we become more aware of the vital importance of listening to Jesus' Word and putting it into practice.

7- When do we practice LD?

The best way is to do it is on a daily basis, preferably in the Morning. Jesus advises us to petition God to "Give us this day our Daily Bread".

Usually we start with as little as 10 minutes a day, and the practice grows to reach about an hour.

8- What are the stages of LD?

There are two stages in LD:

1- To listen to Jesus' Personal Word for us .

2- To put it into practice.

9- Which texts do we use?

The best method is to use the readings of the Mass of the day. They can be found online and in the following: a liturgical calendar, the Bible, the Missal, or a monthly magazine dedicated to the Mass eg Magnificat...

For a person who is not acquainted with the Scriptures, it is better to start by reading the main books of the New Testament, and some important texts from the Old Testament (Genesis, Exodus, Isaiah,...), and do the lectio on those texts, a paragraph or section per day.

10- What is the best way to start it?

1- to sit in a quiet place
2- to place myself in the presence of Christ and enter into my conscience so I can hear the voice of God
3- to consider Jesus' desire to speak to me
4- to repeat my choice of Him today as my First priority
5- to give myself to Him, unconditionally.
This stage should only take a few minutes.

11- What conditions does LD lay down?

The true desire to respond to Jesus' Call for me, and the willingness to change, to convert.

Jesus explained: "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."" (Luke 5:31-32)

12- Is it enough to read the texts once to allow Jesus to talk to us?

The first reading is necessary in order to understand the passage in general, or we could risk applying our own analysis of the text, which, in turn, will colour prayer itself. The text merely has to have a minimum of clarity for you, as with stained-glass, to allow Jesus' Light to come through.

13- How can we really listen to Jesus?

It is important while reading to ask for the Holy Spirit. Before this, we need to fully accept that on our part we need to do our utmost to listen to Jesus, as if it all depended on us through our reading, focusing, rereading, understanding the text, digging deep. Then immediately after, we need to allow the Holy Spirit to help us listen to Jesus with his unique direct intervention, as if all depended on Him.

14- How does the process of Listening unfolds?

When the supernatural Action of the Holy Spirit is initiated, we notice that it is as if Jesus is highlighting a part of each text, making it more alive, more meaningful to us that day, using these words to talk to us.

15- How can we be sure that it is Jesus who is talking to us, not ourselves?

When the highlighted parts of the two (or three) texts we are reading start to say one thing to us. This gives us 95% certainty that He is speaking not us. Jesus, using the two texts to talk us, invites us to change and do something we were not doing before.

16- What characterizes the supernatural Intervention of the Holy Spirit?

There is a difference between understanding the text with our mind and having a new understanding, alive, because of the intervention of the Holy Spirit who sheds a new light through what we are reading. Now the same word of the text starts to give out a divine sap, an inner light, a meaning that we were not seeing before, and this meaning touches our heart, our will, our life, some area of our being, asking it to change, offering its healing.

17- What are the criteria of discernment?

The main criterion to discern that it is the Holy Spirit who is acting is when we notice that miraculously the two texts are saying the same thing (often using different words).

This action of the Holy Spirit tastes new, coming from Above; it is practical, i.e. it touches some area in us; it is little, just that day's step to be done, just the change the Lord wants to make in us today; and which still often sounds impossible to implement without His help.

18- What can He ask us to do?

There is an infinity of things He can ask us to do. In fact He is our Healer. It is the Holy Spirit who builds us anew. He can ask us to forgive a specific person; He can ask us to entrust a burden to Him; He can show us his mercy...

19- Can the outcome be a general indication or does it have to be clear?

The initial meeting of the two texts in one meaning is but a general light: mercy, forgiveness, love, patience, attention,... But this general indication leaves us with no practical act to perform, and may lead to our thinking process taking over and dominating LD.

The fruit of LD is a specific daily act inspired by the Holy Spirit, an incarnation of a clear word in us. Jesus does not remain in the vague and the uncertain. He came to guide us, He is our true Shepherd. (for a more developed explanation see here)

20- How does the general indication become a clear one?

Jesus' Word can be compared to a ball of light and love, about to become incarnate in us. When we perceive the general light of the Holy Spirit, we must allow it to go, first, through the mind in different stages as we start to understand God’s will, (say ‘mercy’), then, through insistent begging, we see very clearly where it touches us in the will (‘forgive this particular person’), until finally we understand which act He wants us to perform. (for a more developed explanation see here)

21- How do we implement what He asks us?

Yet again the direct help of the Holy Spirit is vital in order to put into practice the Word received by Jesus on the specific day. When Our Lady asked the Angel how the Incarnation would come about, he replied: "the Holy Spirit will come upon you" (Luke 1:35). The Holy Spirit is the Master of the Incarnation of the Word in us. The case for LD, in a nutshell, is that it is a Word, a Light, an Indication, a Message, that we receive on a daily basis, so that Jesus the Word of God will grow in us.

22- What change occurs in us on a daily basis?

The Word of God feeds and transforms our Mind and our Will. Our Mind is enlightened by the Word of God, our Will is healed in one specific area.

23- What is the relationship between the Word of God and the Holy Spirit?

'The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God' (see Ephesians 6:17) How does this 'sword' work?

"For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12)

24- How does the Word of God allow the Holy Spirit to fertilise our mind?

It is in the Word of God passing through us that the Holy Spirit offers crucial attributes to the mind: "wisdom" to see things as God sees them; "understanding" of the Word of God, and its connection with previously received words; "knowledge" of what it means in my world on a practical level; "counsel" on how exactly to apply it that day.

25- How does the Word of God allow the Holy Spirit to fertilise our will?

The Holy Spirit also offers to the will: "piety", showing how today's act will be led most fervently by that new received word; "fortitude", drive and power to put it into practice; "delicate attention to God's will" ("filial fear of God") to be grounded in his Word and not to disregard it.

26- How does LD influence our day?

LD unifies our day under its supernatural light. We often notice that the whole day is like varying illustrations of the same light we had received in the morning. The Lords teaches us throughout the day how that same light fecundates different aspects of our daily life, reflections of it echoing throughout the day.

27- What are the steps of the first part of LD?

The listening process in LD can be summarised in the following 5 steps:

Active phase: seeking understanding

1- Read (1) in order to understand the text

Listening phase: asking for the help of the Holy Spirit

2- Read (2) in order to discover Christ’s will
3- Read (3) until I see only one light
4- Read (4) until the light becomes clear
5- Write down the words or sentences from the readings that touched me

28- What are the steps of the second part of LD?

The implementation process (putting into practice the word received) can be summarised in the following 5 steps:
1- Asking the Holy Spirit’s help in order to put into practice the Word
2- Giving thanks, being immersed in Him
3- Putting into practice the Word received
4- Echoes during the day
5- At the end of the day: giving thanks.

29- How can we summarise LD?

It is literally a real act of love and a way of discerning if we really love Jesus or not: "whoever loves me will keep my words" (John 14:23)

30- Read about LD: CTS book on LD, Jean Khoury (click here):

     Or in eBook form, please click here.

118: Lectio Divina, each word is a diamond

From a commentary on the Diatessaron by Saint Ephrem, deacon

(1, 18-19: SC 121, 52-53)

God’s word is an inexhaustible spring of life

Lord, who can comprehend even one of your words? We lose more of it than we grasp, like those who drink from a living spring. For God’s word offers different facets according to the capacity of the listener, and the Lord has portrayed his message in many colors, so that whoever gazes upon it can see in it what suits him. Within it he has buried manifold treasures, so that each of us might grow rich in seeking them out.

The word of God is a tree of life that offers us blessed fruit from each of its branches. It is like that rock which was struck open in the wilderness, from which all were offered spiritual drink. As the Apostle says: They ate spiritual food and they drank spiritual drink.

And so whenever anyone discovers some part of the treasure, he should not think that he has exhausted God’s word. Instead he should feel that this is all that he was able to find of the wealth contained in it. Nor should he say that the word is weak and sterile or look down on it simply because this portion was all that he happened to find. But precisely because he could not capture it all he should give thanks for its riches.

Be glad then that you are overwhelmed, and do not be saddened because he has overcome you. A thirsty man is happy when he is drinking, and he is not depressed because he cannot exhaust the spring. So let this spring quench your thirst, and not your thirst the spring. For if you can satisfy your thirst without exhausting the spring, then when you thirst again you can drink from it once more; but if when your thirst is sated the spring is also dried up, then your victory would turn to your own harm.

Be thankful then for what you have received, and do not be saddened at all that such an abundance still remains. What you have received and attained is your present share, while what is left will be your heritage. For what you could not take at one time because of your weakness, you will be able to grasp at another if you only persevere. So do not foolishly try to drain in one draught what cannot be consumed all at once, and do not cease out of faintheartedness from what you will be able to absorb as time goes on.

102: Lectio divina in daily life 3: The greatest love

(continuation of "Spirituality 94")

b) The greatest love

Our growing responsibility

The more we advance in lectio, the more we are transformed into God and the more we realize that lectio’s aim is not to tell us what to do nor to answer precise questions. In a certain way, it has the function of revealing divine love to us and telling us how much Jesus loves us and thirsts for us. The question then arises: What should we do? And the answer is simple: Offer ourselves to him each day, by doing what we do with love and in search of the absolute. The most important thing is to love Jesus.

We all go through the process of discerning God’s will and trying to understand what we are to make of our lives. But, once again, we do not do lectio in the same way as someone would consult an oracle to find hopeful indicators for the future. We need to understand that our heart has its home in heaven whilst we are still dealing with human instruments. And it is right for us to seek His will; he loves us for doing so. However, he wants us to act and to make decisions freely. The Almighty draws on all men to spread his love, but he leaves each person free to act according to his/her capacity and decisions. He is calling us to Glory! We are responsible for our actions. If we want to serve him, let us do so by taking stock of our capacities and using them wisely.

How much energy are we prepared to spend in fighting for what we want? Would we go to the ends of the earth to obtain it? Does the Lord not inspire us with thoughts, dreams and desires? And what do we do with them? We have been baptized in Him and this new life gives us the right to believe that our thoughts and desires are immersed in Him. We often blame ourselves for our desires. But the more we desire, the more we will receive¹.

Childhood is past. We must now act like adults, by doing what we can and by doing it well. This means having self-confidence, using our capacities and will, giving assent and love. May our “yes” be “yes” and our “no” truly “no”. God will not make our decisions for us!

Let us see how the saints lived this kind of relationship with God; they will help us to understand what we may henceforth expect from lectio.

In a well-known passage from the Way of Perfection St. Teresa of Jesus reveals a surprising aspect of God to us: “He begins to make such a friend of the soul that not only does He restore its will to it but He gives it His own also. For, now that He is making a friend of it, He is glad to allow it to rule with Him, as we say, turn and turn about. So He does what the soul asks of Him, just as the soul does what He commands” (The Way of Perfection 32, 12).

In the writings of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus we read these words: “‘whatsoever you shall ask of my Father in my name, he will give it to you!’ I am therefore certain that you will fulfil my desires, I am certain of this, O my God! The more you want to give, the more you stimulate desire” (Prayers 6:2). Elsewhere she says: “He has always given me what I have desired, or rather he made me desire what he wanted to give me” (Manuscript C 31^b). We find this same kind of dynamic in the writings of St. John of the Cross: “The more a soul hopes for, the more it obtains” (Ascent II 7:2) and “the more He wants to give, the more he makes us desire” (Letter 15, 8 July 1589).

We are justified in asking whether, having reached an advanced stage in communion with God, we might not well find ourselves in a blind alley. That is to say: at the beginning we have the impression that lectio will give us precise indications for our lives; yet, the more we advance, the more we come to realize that we are left with the responsibility of making our own choices! So we seem to be in the dark, or at least this is what we think. And our thinking is both right and wrong. Our sense of responsibility grows, as we have said, and our experience is that God has made us his friends. Now, He says everything to His friends, who are henceforth the extension of his Body on earth, and who, as such, must chose and make the necessary decisions. He is no longer next to them to tell them what to do; but he is living and working in them, in such an imperceptible way that leaves one with the impression of being abandoned without any outside help coming from the Word of God in the form of indications as to what should be done. The Lord’s friend knows this, and he or she must henceforth act in his own name without being afraid to do so. He knows his friend, he was formed in his school; now the disciple is like his Master, and it is time for him to set out and walk on the water.

What is lectio’s contribution at this stage? Above all, it reminds us that Salvation depends on us. The Salvation obtained and accomplished on the cross is waiting for our collaboration so that it may be transmitted to others. Lectio always shows the piercing manner in which we were saved by Jesus’ human will and that this was decisive: “You gave me a body, and I said: Here I am, Lord, I am coming to do your will”. In the same way the disciple who receives the Word each day perceives that he is integrated into Christ’s humanity and has the duty of continuing his action for Salvation. Then lectio, without being an oracle of what should be done, continues to instruct the disciple, to enlighten him, confirming him along the way and above all reveals what is essential: the flame of Love and the Gift of self. Lectio is not a barrier that keeps the disciple from making mistakes, but it encourages him to make an offering of his life and to live in humility. The Gift of self and total offering: this is the fundamental aim. Lectio calls us to do this each and every day. It does not however promise infallibility; it always leads us back to humility and the recognition of the relativity of the human condition. It constantly refers to trust and abandonment. Total love then integrates itself in this flow of trust and abandonment, which permit the disciple to continually advance by way of new beginnings.

“No greater Love”

Love unequivocally leads the disciple to the summit of sharing in the Passion. The Word awakens him every morning, just as it does all the saints, serving to remind him of the heights of charity.

Toward the end of her life, St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus said that the Lord had revealed to her a totally new way of living in charity. Does this mean that she never practised it? No, of course not; but there are degrees and she tells us about her personal experience while always putting it in the light of the Word of God.

The science of charity, or of mankind’s salvation, is of a profound order into which the disciple is introduced. Since from this point on, he is oriented by Christ’s humanity, he is called to do what Christ did. Of, course, he remains a creature, and still differs greatly from the incarnate Word, however there is nevertheless a mystery into which the disciple is introduced. In the footsteps of his Master, and like him, and like St. Paul, he apportions the things lacking in the Passion of Christ in his flesh.

Lectio opens up new and unexpected depths in the Word of God. Let us take an example from the Gospel of John. This gospel draws us into a much deeper reading, in that of the first person, the Son of Man. Now, the reader, instead of meditating on the signs accomplished by Jesus to manifest his divinity, enters into the role of one to whom the mission is entrusted and who is called to follow his example. The depth is extraordinary, as is the responsibility in the face of the salvation of others.

Lectio, like the Holy Spirit, sends the one who listens to others, just as Jesus was sent for their salvation. “No man has greater love than this, to lay down his soul for those he loves²” (Jn 15:13).

(To be continued...)

________________

1 This is an idea dear to St. John of the Cross and St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus; we will develop this further later on.

2 Here “lay down” implies total gift, a mysterious receptiveness of the soul under the influence of the Holy Spirit in view of a saving action. There is another very similar expression: “to be given over into the hands of sinners” (Mk 14:41). One may gloss: “into the hands of sin”, since it is “his soul” that is being layed down and because sin primarily affects the soul! Likewise, the Spirit gives the Apostle to others like bread: “someone else will gird you, and take you where you do not want to go” (Jn 21:18).

Lectio Divina #2 Lectio divina and Liturgy of Hours

What place should prayer as in the Liturgy of Hours (limited because of work) have in relation to Lectio Divina?

On the one hand, for me (but not for many other authors/theologians) Lectio Divina is part of the Mass, or better said: it proceeds from it. In fact, Lectio divina is about taking time in order to receive/digest the Table of the Word of God of today's Mass. So, for me, your question is similar to this one: "What place should prayer, as in the Liturgy of Hours, have in relation to the Mass?"

On the other hand, the Liturgy of the Hours is normally composed of texts taken from Scripture: Psalms, a short reading in all the offices except the "Office of Reading", which consists of a much longer reading. Certainly, in addition to the first "use" of the Divine Office (see below), while we pray the Liturgy of the Hours, Jesus feeds us, and often uses a word or a verse to speak to us. This is really beautiful. Obviously, we are invited to put into practice what He gives us at that moment. So it looks like a short (like an arrow) lectio divina. As you see, reading/praying the Psalms is also a time when God speaks to us. We use His Words to speak to Him (the Psalms) and He uses His Words to speak to us.

The spiritual Power and the ease God puts into speaking to us while we are praying is very interesting, lectio divina wise (PS Please see John of the Cross, "Ascent of Mount Carmel", book II, chapter 26 where John of the Cross explains the power of such words that God give us from time to time.). This is why, while praying the Psalms, it is important to have an "abandoned" attitude (entrusting, surrendering, passive listening) while praying, and not forcing, or paying such excessive attention to the singing (some communities do sing the Psalms, as is normal) to the point of losing the right inner attitude. So, during the Divine Office, we should adopt the same attitude we have while doing the Lectio divina - which is an attitude we have to learn, foster and allow to grow in quality in us. It is important to avoid the attitude of "possessing" the Sacred Text or our prayer (God is the one who prays in us). Praying requires a lot of humility, and praying always starts from God, comes in us, and through us and with us and goes back to God. All this is done by the Holy Spirit.

As you see there is a huge similarity between this aspect of the Divine Office and the lectio, but still, these are two totally different exercises or types of prayer. The Divine office is absolutely important in order to carry our Priestly duty (the priesthood of the faithful), carrying our day, ourselves, all the persons we met, carrying them and entrusting them to the Hands of God. The Divine Office is the Prayer of the Church that intercedes for the World and our participation in it increases the power of transformation God puts in the world. The Divine Office is the Prayer of Jesus who intercedes for us, it is our way to say to God: "all what I do during this day means nothing if your Hand is not in it".

I see here another question: Will what we receive in the Divine Office be different from the light of the day received in the Lectio divina? Remember, my perception of how we spend the day after having done the Lectio divina: we spend it under the one Light received in the morning in the Lectio divina. Do you remember as well how I explained that the food of the day is quite unified, since it is about us (and our need) and Jesus (one line (light) can be drawn between two points (Jesus-Me)). I would tend to believe that the lights we could receive during the Divine Office are of the same kind of light, fostering, echoing the light received in the Lectio Divina. Remember, as I said in my presentation of the lectio divina, there are echoes during the day, echoes of the Light received in the Lectio. So, you may see it in this (unified) way.

PS But the lights we receive during the Divine Office can be more immediately related to our need now and then, in order for us to be freed from the dust that accumulates during work, and be lighter in order to be elevated by God in Prayer, Worship and Praise.

There are various schools of thought in understanding as to how our attitude should be during the Liturgy of the Hours. The span is wide, from one extreme to the other: from the ones who say that we have to be very focused, concentrated, and understand what we read/say/pray/sing, to the ones who push toward a more contemplative attitude (some say: well, having it in latin - as they use to have before - allows us to pray better since we don't understand (funny, but not a stupid statement)), closer to the "Prayer of the heart attitude".

PS Learning the Prayer of the heart helps a lot to have the contemplative way of praying the Divine Office.

Let us not forget as well the importance of a theological education, according to the biblical theology and spirituality of the fathers of the Church on how to understand the Psalms spiritually. Saint Augustine here, in his commentary on the Psalms is a real master. (There is a beautiful booklet in French that will help us discover Saint Augustine with the Psalms: St Augustin "Prier Dieu avec les Psaumes", old book, but has been re-published.)

Now, one last point you mentioned: the limited time to fit in everything.

We only have 24 hours, and, as lay people, we have little time to pray or at least we think so. Trust me, priests (and monks/religious, you'd be amazed) as well would say the same, because everybody has to work and everybody has to manage his time: work vs. prayer. This is why I invited you to do this prayer fervently and with deep conviction: "God, I know how Lectio divina is important, so please, organise my life in a way so that I can put You first ". And then wait and see what He does. A very efficient prayer!

Now, even though, we wouldn't have time to do everything. Discernment is absolutely necessary. Mass is obviously the highest point in our day, if we can attend it. But, it is as important to digest the substantial food we receive in the Mass. And in order to do so, we need to have the two extensions of the two tables of the Mass: Lectio divina (extension of the word of God) and Prayer of the heart (extension of the Communion). Sometimes, it hurts to think that routine can get into the Mass. Lectio divina is about Conversion, changing, improving. I would prefer sometimes to think of that seriously, otherwise, if you not take care of digestion/assimilation, we might end up by relying on our faithfulness to attend Mass, and forget our faithfulness to the Holy Spirit and Jesus. It is good to do both. Let us remember Jesus' words: true worship is to be done in "Spirit and in Truth".

Discernment pushes us to analyse the strength, the quality of certain types of prayer and to prefer them, or give them the priority.

I wouldn't easily dismiss lectio divina, and Council Vatican II did place a great emphasis on not forgetting the Word of God in our prayer life.

Lectio Divina #1 Definition, Steps

Last Saturday, in the London Course 2013, we just addressed "Lectio Divina" and its practise.

What is Lectio divina?

Lectio Divina is: With the help of the Holy Spirit, to listen to the daily Word Jesus wants to give me and to put it into practise.

"the daily Word": is an allusion to the fact that in the Mass Jesus comes to speak to us personally, through the daily readings (please find them here, under "readings")

So it is all about:

1- listening to the Word that Jesus wants to give us,

and

2- putting it into practise.

You'll certainly notice that practising Lectio divina is one of the best ways to love God:

- "If you love me, you will keep my commandments." (John 14:15)

- "He who has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me" (John 14:21)

- "If a man loves me, he will keep my word" (John 14:23)

- "If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love" (John 15:10)

To love Jesus-God is the First Commandment: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment." (Mt 22:37-38). We just saw that "to love" means to put into practise the word. This then means that if the first commandment is to love God-Jesus "with all our heart, all our soul and all our mind", this means that we should seek to listen to Jesus' Word and put it into practise "with all our heart, all our soul and all our mind".

This gives us an idea of the type of commitment (and a priority) we need to have for Lectio Divina.

Let us see now the Lectio divina steps in greater detail.

lectio divina steps

I- PREPARING 

1- Sit in a quiet place

2- In the presence of Christ, entering in my conscience

3- Consider His desire to speak to me

4- I choose Him again as my First priority

5- I give myself to Him, unconditionally

II- Listening

Active phase: seeking understanding 

6- Read (1) in order to understand the text

Listening phase: asking for the help of the Holy Spirit

7- Read (2) in order to discover Christ’s will

8- Read (3) until I see only one light

9- Read (4) until the light becomes clear

10- Write down the words from the readings that touched me

III- REalisation

11- Asking the Holy Spirit’s help in order to put into practice the Word

12- Giving thanks, being immersed in Him

13- Putting into practice the Word I received

14- Echos during the day

15- In the end of the day: giving thanks

Suggested reading list for Lectio divina:

- Daily reading of the Bible (please click here and on the page click "Readings" to find them).

- The Gospel. Luke 24. Isaiah 53.

- Catechism of the Catholic Church. nn° 50-141.

- "Dei Verbum", Council Vatican II

- "Scripture in the tradition", Henri de Lubac

- "History and the Spirit", Henri de Lubac

- "The Lord's Sermon on the Mount", Saint Augustine.

- "Saint Augustine’s Homilies on the First letter of John"

- "Lectio Divina", Jean Khoury CTS London (on Kindle as well)

- "Lectio Divina, Mary and the Spirit", Jean Khoury (on Kindle)

- "Lectio Divina and daily life", Jean Khoury (published soon)
- A short video presentation on Lectio Divina

- A short video explanation
- Join me on Lectio Twitter: @LectioDivinaUk