It really emphasizes how our life as Christians is rooted in relationship - in fact that's what it's all about. A life of love and devotion is to come out of our love for God, in response to being loved by God. Funny how this doesn't really fit with my mode of living, which is more by the acceptable rules that I've accumulated over the years about what's right and what's wrong. I really liked looking into Lectio, and hope that one day I enter into a relationship like the one it encourages.
In order to communicate the idea of relationship, I tried to write a vignette from the point of view of a Benedictine monk from the 6th Century. Hopefully it will give you a sense of Lectio:
The morning bells that called us from sleep and into this
day are already in my memory, as we sit here in the chapel, our robes
drawn close to keep the crisp morning air from chilling. I'm here with
19 brothers in the Lord. Our brother Paul will be reading from our new
book of Psalms. It is already a treasured copy that my brothers devoted
months to preparing. First there was the preparing of the parchment
and ink. Then the scribes, chosen from the few of us who can read and
write, copied the Psalms word for word from a neighbouring monastery's
borrowed copy. It's such a gift to have the words of God, our guide,
with us. It will be a treasured addition to our collection of 14 books.
St. Benedict has ensured that several hours a day are devoted to reading
(for those who can) or listening to books being read. When I first came
to the monastery the readings amazed me. I had never been taught to
read myself, and neither could my father or anyone in my family read
to me. As I listened in the presence of my brothers to the Word of God,
I knew that we were being spoken to. Together we sat in awe, together
with the Spirit of God. The text became mine, my dialogue with God.
St. Benedict calls our sacred reading Lectio Divina. Choosing a book
to read is done with solemnity, with consideration to what the community
needs to hear. Once its been selected, the book will be read through
from beginning to end in its entirety. Per ordinem ex integro, St. Benedict
says. For order and integrity. We will spend as much time as we need
to decide, but once we make a commitment, we stay with it.
Sometimes new brothers are in a hurry to finish Lectio and return to
their work. They want to rush through the passage, as if there were
somewhere to get to. Soon enough they will know there is no rush. Where
would we be when we got to where we thought we were going? Nowhere at
all, if not in communion with the Spirit.
St. Benedict longs for us read and understand the Scriptures in the
same spirit in which they were written. You will never understand David
until by experience you have made the very sentiments of the Psalms
your own, he says. He calls us to attentive study rather than mere reading.
It's the same difference as between friendship and acquaintance with
a passing guest, he says, between boon companionship and chance meeting.
St. Benedict says that reading is one of our sources of spiritual energy,
something that puts us in contact with grace. Brothers, he exhorts,
our practice of Lectio Divina makes possible an enhanced level of fervor
and unselfishness in daily living.
We're about to begin Lectio with the Psalms. Listen as St. Benedict
instructs us in the way of Lectio Divina. Listen, he says. Listen to
the Word proclaimed and heard. With awe, listen to the Word of our guide.
Listen to the personal message that God has for you today. Ruminate
over each word, every phrase. Let the words sink into your deep most
heart. Consign those words that shimmer in your soul to memory, repeating
them over and over. By this means, allow yourself to be nourished and
permeated by the Word of God. If your mind wanders, let it be. Gently
come back, again and again, to the words being read. A prayer may stir
in your heart; if so, pray. Embraced by the words in prayerful reflection,
may you then hear the Word beneath and beyond all the words: Love is
speaking and breathing. Now.