Discover the power

New Year is almost here, and many of us are making resolutions. I would like to suggest a resolution most will probably not think of: make time for Lectio Divina.

Lectio Divina is a medieval monastic custom, a form of reading, particularly, reading scripture. Duncan Robertson explains that the reader "tastes" the words of Scripture on the "palate" of the heart, or indeed literally in the mouth as he or she pronounces them; one has then to "chew" the text thoroughly and "digest" it, that is to say, proceed toward interpretation and personal appropriation. This formulation takes into account the affective, even visceral, responses that precede understanding, and eventually accompany and follow it. The reader, according to Cassian, should feel the "power" of the words, before attempting to grasp their meaning; understanding would come later...as a gift of the Spirit at some unguarded moment....

Think of that word power. If your reading of scripture is to memorize, you have not felt the power of the Words. If you read scripture simply to educate yourself, you will not understand its mystery. Even if you read scripture prayerfully, you will still not experience the power of these words. To do so, you must take time to let the words rest on the "palate" of your heart, and then "chew" them by repeating them over and over again. Remember the words of Robertson--understanding comes later, as a gift of the Spirit at some unguarded moment, like driving in your car, or waiting at the checkout counter, or even eating dinner.

Lectio offers me an opening to understanding, because it asks me to hold on to the Word for a greater length of time. I need to stay with that Word, treasure it from every angle, and gaze on it without needing to interpret. I repeat it not in an intellectual way, but in a visceral way, waiting for it to reveal its own mysteries to me. I wait, not forcing my understanding, but willing to carry that word until the Spirit descend into my soul with new meaning and understanding.

This is how I discover the Power of the Word. This is the change that transforms me.  When I learn to sit and wait, when I give the Word a new respect by holding it sacred, I prepare myself for revelation. That revelation is not for others, but for me, for my life with the Divine, for my own nourishment.

Herein is the Power. Herein is the transformation.

The practice of desire

Anyone serious about living a deeper spiritual life must be familiar with the Cloud of Unknowing, a work on Christian mysticism written in the late 14th century. The following quote is just a sample of the writing:

The access to heaven is in desire. The one who longs to be there is already there in spirit. The path to heaven is measured by desire and not by miles...and the spirit abides where its love abides as surely as it abides in the body which it fills with life.


Desire. It has the power to propel, to drive, to fuel our journey. It does not come on its own; we must ignite that fire.

That is why meditation and Lectio Divina are so essential in the spiritual life. It allows me to take a simple text and make it my own. It is the medium by which my soul absorbs the context and imbibes the spirit. My desires will remain sterile and theoretical without these habits. And I will know things, but not really know them in my inmost being.

If I would desire more, if I want to desire better, if I need fuel for my spiritual life, I need to stay with the practice of meditation and Lectio. Only then can my spiritual life become an ever more flaming fire of desire. It will put heaven within my reach.

Make it Your Own

Who of us has not been touched by a beautiful thought, a wonderful book, or an inspiring story. The Gospels too offer rich insights. Paul Claudet writes The Gospels show us the Savior coming to the soul and imparting truth and virtue by the touch of a hand, the brushing of a garment, a bit of moistened earth applied to the locked eyelids. One look from him is enough to make an apostle out of that idler yawning under the fig tree…

What Claudet writes is poetic. Many times words or phrases from the gospel touch our hearts, and we feel inspired and lifted up. But such sentiments, wonderful as they are, often fail us when life tumbles and we are grasping for something solid. Just like the apostles of Jesus, being moved by the words of Jesus is not enough. When their lives tumbled, and suffering surrounded them and their Master, these same disciples deserted Jesus in the garden. They dropped everything they had and ran for their lives. Why? They had heard and were amazed at what Jesus said. But they had not imbibed those words at a deeper level. They had to realize that the beauty of Jesus words give life only when we make them our own.

There are times in our lives when the words that once sounded poetic and profound no longer inspire. That is a good time for us, a time laden with grace, because it brings us to a new awareness. It brings us to a point where we cannot continue as passive spectators. If we allow it, the very questioning we begin opens up the truths we believe in, allowing us to delve deeper. Only when we find better answers, ones brought out by our own ponderings and not some pious sentiment found in a book, will we find strength in Jesus words.

Reflecting on the Context of the Meaning

Reflecting on the context of the meaning. I read that line recently. The phrase caught my attention because it said to me, hey! you, stop and think.

Modern day communications don't give us much time to stop and think. We are bombarded with color, sound and sight, objects that flash, words that pack. The hoped-for effect is to excit. But that kind of excitement is short lived, and leaves much to be desired.

Reflecting on the context of our lives can seem difficult and challenging, but it offers rich rewards! Like true freedom and authentic relaxation. Think of how many sunsets we miss because we are buried in work or engrossed in our preparations for the next meeting, the next proposal, the next event. Think of the real cost we pay because we are unwillingness to reflect. Often that includes the loss of experiencing that which is awesome, mystical, and inspiring in life.

I learned to appreciate reflecting not in a monastery cloister walk, but on my early morning walks in the park. I started going to exercise, but ended up using the walk for reflection. That was because the time spent proved powerful. I went very early, before anyone else ventured out. At first I had to fight the temptation to  listen to my favorite podcast as I walked. I feared being "bored". But as time went on, I wasn't even tempted, because I experienced awesome moments of nature. As I walked in silence, taking in nature around me, thoughts would flood my mind, and I would reflect. There were wonderful sights and sounds I could never have imagined, such as the morning I saw deer feeding on a meadow dense with fog. The sight was worthy of a painting. But I saw it for real. Another morning I witnessed a fire that caught the clouds as the sun rose and spread it across the entire sky, filling it with every shade of red imaginable. Recently, I experienced a deeply mystical walk along the Delaware River. The fog hung heavy in the air, cloaking trees, grasses, river and the geese flying low over it. The scene took on eerie and mythical proportions. As I walked, the sights fed my soul, and I came away so enriched I am still on a high from it all.

Reflect on the context of the meaning. If we could but simplify our lives, we would see better, hear more, suffer less.

It's worth a try.

A different way to Read--Lectio Divina

There is in the monastic culture an age old practice called Lectio Divina. Though often considered particular to monastics, Lectio Divina or simply Lectio is beneficial to all who desire a deeper spiritual life. I would like to share a little about this monastic posture in the next few postings, to share with you how it is done, the fruits of a shared Lectio, and the benefits you will reap from practicing Lectio.

Lectio Divina translated literally from the Latin means simple divine reading. The name refers to the material normally used in this practice. From ancient times, the most preferred reading material was scripture. But the important part of Lectio is the way it is read, not simple as text, but as nourishment. You take a portion of scripture, you read through it thoughtfully, and then you stop and ponder. The important part is pondering, letting a verse or passage speak to your heart. And then discern what it means to you, at this time, in this place. In a way, Lectio is "chewing" on a passage, getting the most out of that line, staying with it until it speaks.

To reap benefit from this practice takes time. Most of us are familiar with scripture, perhaps even too much so. To delve into it with Lectio means to listen more with the heart than with the ear or mind. It means being in touch with the deeper message. It means in a way, getting to know your soul more deeply as it sits with and communicates with the very same spirit that wrote these verses. Such a practice ultimately deepens your spiritual life, planting your foot firmly in the spiritual world, giving you spiritual vision and insight.