Shared Lectio Divina: ‘Listen with the Ear of the Heart’

I was asked to write a little piece on shared ‘Lectio Divina’: the prayerful reading of Scripture in a group. Essentially, this is all about listening. Are you a good listener?

What does it mean to listen? Listening is more than passively hearing. It involves an active engagement with another’s efforts to communicate, and requires a risk: changing one’s way of thinking and acting, perhaps even a person’s whole direction of travel. Great Saints like Anthony and Francis heard the words of scripture as being addressed to them personally, and it changed their whole lives. Listening, however, may not always be such a direct and obvious experience. It may take patience, silence, and attention, like the experience of Samuel or Elijah. St Benedict instructed his monks to ‘listen with the ear of the heart’, equating listening with obedience. I have heard that a lifetime of scriptural listening acts slowly and imperceptibly in the shaping of an obedient and docile heart, like the slow dripping of water that erodes and smooths rocks over thousands of years.

Christianity is not a ‘religion of the book’ but rather a religion of the person. Jesus is God’s ultimate Word: the most intimate possible proof and communication of Divine love. In the beautiful phrase of the poet-priest Gerard Manly Hopkins ‘God’s infinity dwindled to infancy’. God becomes utterly vulnerable out of love, capable of experiencing all the ‘heartache and thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to’, as Shakespeare wrote.

This vulnerability extends to engaging with our verbal human language, which we use to signpost and express our thoughts. At a human level, words can expose us to misunderstanding and derision. Once spoken, they cannot be unsaid. Love takes this risk and, of its nature, desires expression and communication. It is in this sense that Faith encounters the Scriptures as a ‘love letter’ from God. Human authors, writing in a great variety of styles and contexts, were inspired through the subtle action of God as Holy Spirit.

When we come to the Scriptures with faith, we are like the bleeding woman who simply wanted to touch the hem of Jesus’ cloak in order to be healed. They demand a reverent, prayerful approach, asking for the inspiration of the same Holy Spirit that we believe inspired what we read. The words are not the Word, but they lead us to God through the close association that makes them Holy.

Lectio Divina, or the prayerful reading of Scripture, can be approached in many different ways, but all involve a slow, patient, and perseverant reading of Scripture. This has always been a valuable thread in the Catholic tradition, but it experienced a particular revival following the insights and impulses of the Second Vatican Council and the teachings of recent Popes.

Pope Benedict wrote: “I would like in particular to recall and recommend the ancient tradition of Lectio Divina: the diligent reading of Sacred Scripture accompanied by prayer brings about that intimate dialogue in which the person reading hears God who is speaking, and in praying, responds to him with trusting openness of heart [cf. Dei verbum, n. 25] If it is effectively promoted, this practice will bring to the Church – I am convinced of it – a new spiritual springtime" [Homily on the 40th anniversary of Dei verbum, September 16, 2005].

Likewise, Pope Francis taught: “The words of the Sacred Scripture were not written to remain imprisoned on papyrus, parchment or paper, but to be received by a person who prays, making them blossom in his or her heart.”

Traditionally, Lectio Divina can be approached in a couple of stages that I will briefly review:

Reading (Lectio): A small section of Scripture will be selected and read. This may be a reading from the mass of the day or perhaps a section of the Bible that is being read continuously. Preceding the reading with a prayer and period of silence can help approach the text with recollected reverence. The reading should not be rushed, and the text may be read aloud or reread multiple times to catch the literal meaning of what is written.

Reflection (Meditatio): Ruminating on the text. This may involve applying our imagination, examining associations the text triggers, or relating the text to our own experience and life. We may look at parallel references or pause with a particular line that captures our attention.

Prayerful response (Oratio): This involves directing our prayers to God as a response to the experience of our reading and reflection. It may potentially also translate into an attitude or choice we resolve to bring into our daily lives. It may be a prayer of thanksgiving for the words that have impacted us, or it may be a patient prayer for growth in understanding.

Contemplation (Contemplatio): Resting in the confidence of God’s love, we can carry the words we have read into the activities of the rest of the day, allowing further understanding and insights to develop.

Lectio is often done individually, perhaps also with a notebook to accompany the reading with writing; however, it can also be done in groups. Group Lectio gives an opportunity for people to share their insights and adds to the hearing of Scripture the ability to listen to others. Movements, such as the Neocatecumenal Way or Manquehue Apostolic Movement, describe the personal sharing of insights from lectio an ‘echo’.

It is a powerful and moving experience to listen to another person honestly and simply describe how they have heard the voice of God and share their particular observations and insights from the Gospel. An ‘echo’ is not the same as a detailed analysis and is not a homily aimed at the needs of particular listeners, but rather an unforced response. In groups, there should be no obligation to speak. I have often found that listening to others opens my eyes to a particular blindness I have and helps me to see the richness and variety of Scripture and of personal experience, particularly when I may be feeling dry or unresponsive.

Shared lectio in this form can have great potential in the cultivation of communities, the strengthening of faith, and the evangelisation of attendees. This is for three reasons:

1. It encourages deep relationships, putting God at the centre and helping superficialities to be quickly transcended.

2. When the texts being prayed with align with the liturgy, it can help deepen people’s appreciation of Mass and participation in the life of the wider church.

3. Lectio groups are simple and easy to run and very accessible to people exploring faith or from different traditions. They have considerable ecumenical potential.

How often do you read scripture? What role do listening, talking, and silence play in your prayer? Could you start a lectio group with friends?

The following website contains further information about shared lectio and opportunities for joining or starting lectio groups: https://www.weaveofmanquehue.org/