Couples "lost in translation" 3

between “Personal Lectio Divina” & “Common Lectio Divina”

(...continuation)

We had the practise of sharing the Gospel first, in the 60s and 70s, much before the renewal of Lectio Divina as a personal practise. Some priests promote a "church" or "community lectio divina" as the only form of lectio divina...!! Just to show the actual "confusion"...

Both exercises are important, but nobody will stop me from showing the "personal lectio divina". We always pray "in the church" even when we are alone. The Church starts in our heart, not outside of it. But nobody can deter us from listening to Christ. He comes in the Church, during the "Proclamation of the Word", and speaks to us, but in fact first of all, and fundamentally, He is speaking to each human being in his heart. The community doesn't have a heart, each member has a heart. The encounter of real hearts, alive, might create a "heart" for the community, but not the opposite. The walls of the Church are composed of bricks, and without the single bricks, there is no wall. The Person is the Corner stone of the Church... we are not Communists. Vatican the second explains that aspect, in Gaudium et Spes 16.

Notes on Couple lectio divina

The challenge is to ensure the supernatural mechanism of « Couple lectio divina ». Otherwise lectio divina done by the couple can become an intellectual, theological, exercise, nothing more, where often, one or each will exercise his « power » against the other (by pressurising him/her), thinking that in doing so, he/she is doing right.

The supernatural work of the Holy Spirit through a Word that God sends to the couple (as one) requires a common strong disposition, and a common just balance between the two members (this is a challenge), capacity to hear, listen to God that speaks through the partner. Lectio divina will be one of the best moments to open, in prayer and with a common prayer to the Holy Spirit, to listen to God that speaks sacramentally through the other.

This is a marvellous actuation of the Sacrament. Any sacrament has two dimension, two layers: a physical layer, and a deeper divine layer. This is why it is called “sacrament”. Like the stained-glass, one has the glass and the light that passes through. For the sacrament of Marriage, the man and his wife are sacraments of Jesus and the Church, as stated in the Holy Scriptures by saint Paul and by saint Peter. So we have here the two layers: the man, and the woman are the “material” layer. Jesus and the Church are the Divine Layer.

To “actuate the sacrament” is to make it work, to allow all the supernatural power enclosed in it to be activated, each day, the measure of each day, and not less. This comes by giving full attention, through the material aspect (the life and presence of the man and his wife) to the divine layer that is constantly there. The risk in each sacrament is to forget the deeper layer, therefore the sacrament remains inefficient. Any sacrament.

One of the most two important acts in order to enact the Sacrament is to see and to listen. These two spiritual senses are fundamental for us in order to receive the Grâce of God daily. To see through my husband or my wife, by the help of the Holy Spirit, as we see through the holy Scriptures, the living and powerful Words of Jesus. There shouldn't be any contradiction between the layers, but they are still two layers. Like the letter and the spirit in a text of the Scriptures, they are different layers, but not opposed, or in contradiction, or dislocated, without links (that would be to see things in a text that the text doesn't say or doesn't allude to, or contort the text in order to get a different subject or sense, or application).

Listening to Jesus is through my husband of wife, and “through” (the sacramental operation) is not an abstract seeing, or listening. There are criteria for discernment for this listening, as for the “spiritual senses of the Scriptures” in their relationship with the letter of the text.

By asking the help of the Holy Spirit, He comes and helps us see through, with respect and attention to God. By asking the help of the Holy Spirit, we can listen to what Jesus is telling us by our partner.

Couple Lectio divia, this common attention to the word of God from two wills, united in one prayer, is a great moment of Grace for them and for the Church and for the world. Because this is Peace on earth, this is real progress, when two on earth succeed in agreeing, in seeking the will of God and receiving it. It is so powerful that, like the payer of the Monks, it allows the earth to make its “revolutions”.

(to be continued...)

Couples “lost in translation” 2

between “Personal Lectio Divina” & “Common Lectio Divina”

(... continuation)

- Is there a “Common Lectio divina” for couples?

These previous indications on “Common Lectio divina” apply also for couples: it helps them live their life as a couple under the light of the Lord, supporting each other, understanding each other, growing and helping each other in that growth. They will then actuate the Sacrament of Marriage everyday by taking time to find a “common ground”: the Word of God, the received light, agreed, with free will by both together.

The Sacrament doesn't end on the day of Marriage. It is an open Spring, capable of nourishing each member of the couple, and nourishing them together, in their choices, and their dialogue.

God wanted the power of two, that are different, but gathered “under the Name of God” to be the fulcrum of a New Divine Life (the life of the Children, their spiritual life as well). The quality of that fulcrum depends on the quality of the dialogue and the communion between the two of them.

The challenge of their differences, and the Grace of belonging to the same Faith, the God, the Same Grace, are two elements that one has to put together.

I would like really to stress on the difference between doing a “personal lectio divina”, and a “couple lectio divina”. They are both important and fruitful. I would think that if the “personal LD” is to be done everyday, the “couple LD” doesn't have to be done everyday (mostly for the lack of time and the priority, in general, of “Personal LD”). I tend to think that a “common LD” requires another type of effort that can tire or, worse, take the place of the “personal” one. The “personal Lectio divina” is and should remain the centre of gravity of the couple, because the progress of the couple relies on the progress of each other. It is true as well that they are a community, and much more than a community, they are : one flesh, one soul and one spirit. What one feels (as says saint Paul about Jesus' body) the other feels as well. If one suffers the other suffer, if one is happy, the other is happy. But one helps the other, by prayer and not only by word and by example. If one grows, the other is happy, and is “dragged” to a higher realm.

Let us remember the mission of the Couple, their finality: they are here for a work of fecundity, they are supposed, together, to bare fruits. Children are fruits, but not the only ones. They take their share in the Mission of the Church in expanding the kingdom of God. Therefore, it is not a selfish finality, the one of “couple lectio divina”, it has in its centre not only the spiritual life of the two members of the couple (and later their children's one), but the life of their Community and the life of the Church. Their prayer, their communion, capacity to agree, to converge, to help each other, is a very powerful lever in the Church and for the World.

It is very important as well to understand that the “personal lectio divina” of each member of the couple is not something too distant from the couple or from the dynamics of the couple. The “couple”, the family, is born in the heart of each one of its members. The more they are in tune with God, and grow spiritually, the more the couple is better, stronger, and can bare more fruits.

But this “sharing” (Common LD) what each one hears from God, for the Couple, is a different activity: it is situated on the level of the couple (and not the individual's journey) and its common search for the will of God.

God wants us to help each other, sacramentally, seeing in the other the image of Christ, or His Church to love, inspired by His Word.

It is true as well that husband and wife are not anymore two persons united, but one. They are one body, but also, one soul, one spirit. The Soul is what works essentially during Lectio divina, therefore, if they are one, it is normal for them to unite their faculties (Mind, Will, Freedom) in order to grow as one. Not only it is good not to stop the couple from doing lectio divina, but we should encourage the Couples to do lectio divina together. (One has still to remember their intellectual, spiritual and marian level.)

It is fundamental for the couple to open themselves, in front of each other, as a couple would do with his bodies, totally naked in front of each other. Loving the Truth more than themselves, praying for that primacy, knowing that the Truth frees the Couple and brings it to newer heights, every day.

As they are invited daily to actuate the Sacrament of Marriage in their common heart, through the Prayer of the heart, they are invited to actuate it in their common mind and common will, in order to grow in the quality of their Union (with each other) through the “couple lectio divina”.

(The cement of their union is God himself, who knows each one of them, and who is their guide and Pastor. The more each one gets closer to the union with God, the more they are united between each other.)

The closer their mind and will (not plural minds and wills but singular, they are united)) are, the more they realise the Plan of God on them, uniting them, and making them capable of baring much greater fruits.

(to be continued...)

Couples “lost in translation” 1

Couples “lost in translation” between “Personal Lectio Divina” and “Common Lectio Divina” 1

Common Lectio Divina

In a community or in a group a question might be asked: “Is it possible to do a “lectio divina” all together (or to share on the Gospel)?”, because we know of Lectio divina (as a personal exercise).

Before answering this question I would like to categorise the two exercises by calling them “Personal Lectio Divna” and “Common Lectio Divina”. “Personal Lectio divina” is when we do it personally, without necessarily sharing what we received with others. On the other hand, the “Common Lectio Divina” is based on doing it together, and necessarily sharing what we receive.

To answer the question about the differences between these two exercises, let us understand their exact dynamics. Let us first remember the essence of lectio divina (the Personal one). Its goal is to listen to Jesus (who is our Master, Our Guide, Our Doctor) who is giving us a Word that is Spirit and Divine Life, directly, adapted to what He sees to be our personal need today and put it into practice. By receiving and putting today's word, we are healed in an area of our being (will and mind).

On the other hand, in order to know what is “Common lectio divina“ we need to know what is/are its goal/s. Various answers might be given:

1- to seek together the will of God for the community or the group

2- to encourage each other, in our journey

3- sharing our “listening to Jesus” helps each other, illuminates each other, strengthens the faith of each other

4- we can “push” each other in order to grow in our journey

5- allows us to put our relationships under the light of God

Other goals could be found, that will motivate us to do a “common lectio divina”. None of the above goals could be underestimated or dismissed by any christian.

In accordance to that, we can easily understand that “personal lectio divina” is not exactly the same thing as “common lectio divina”.

Relationship between the Person and the Community

The community (or group) is composed of persons, and only inside of the heart of each person can the community start. A person who lives a community life, but who, in his/her heart, doesn't receive, accept, love, and pray for his/her community, remains an isolated person.

The group is not an entity! When one dies, he cannot say to God: “my friends did this, and did that”. God will say: “and you, what did you do?” Therefore we cannot escape from the personal responsibility, and from the “corner stone” of each community: the single Person. It is true as well, on the other hand, that we help each other and that we are as well accountable for it. But without the “corner stone” of carrying our own responsibility for the personal growth there is no group.

Having sad all that, doing a “Common lectio divina” has its own importance and its own dynamics. “Personal lectio divina”, while being fundamental, doesn't necessarily replace the “Common lectio divina”. God taught us to seek together His will, and promised that when two or three are gathered in His Name, searching His will, He is present amongst them and therefore is acting in a more powerful way. God is communion, the Trinity is a communion between the Three Persons, and seeking, as a community, the word of God, creates something even more powerful. “They will know you from the love you have for each other” (John) and since love is constantly working on the truth (seeking the truth, trying to make the truth be the its reference), the truth not only in us, but the truth that inhabits our relationships, it is of absolute importance to allow the Light and Love of God to dwell amongst the members of the community, all of them, in order to grow in Holiness.

It is then by seeking together the truth in our relationships that we can as well grow. The personal act of seeking Truth for ourselves, directly, from God doesn't exempt us from seeking the Truth together.

Person and Community are not exclusive of each other, they don't oppose each other, on the contrary, they do complement each other, but they do so bearing in mind that the Person is the Corner Stone of the Community and that the Community does not give accounts to God, but the persons that compose it.

When God makes us grow, interiorly, personally it is never at the expense of others, but allowing others to be born in our heart, learning, exercising Divine Hospitality, where the Outpoured Love of God is enlarging our heart in order to receive everybody in it, without excluding anybody and any act made from anybody.

This is why opening ourselves to the others, generates always a new growth in us. “the one who loves me, puts into practice my commandments (my words) and (then, and because of it) the Father will (be moved “anew” to) love him and we will come and dwell in him” (John 15:23). This is why, as saint John of the Cross points out in his Spiritual Canticle, we can “provoke”, “generate” a greater love from God to us by putting in practice the heroic love saint Paul depicts us.

“God does not establish His grace and love in the soul but in proportion to the good will of that soul’s love. He, therefore, that truly loves God must strive that his love fail not; for so, if we may thus speak, will he move God to show him greater love, and to take greater delight in his soul. In order to attain to such a degree of love, he must practice those things of which the Apostle speaks, saying: “Charity is patient, is benign: charity envies not, deals not perversely; is not puffed up, is not ambitious, seeks not her own, is not provoked to anger, thinks not evil, rejoices not upon iniquity, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”” (1 Co 13:4-7)” (Saint John of the Cross, Spiritual Canticle A, stanza 12, paragraph 11 or CS B, 13,12)

(to be continued)