Lectio and the word of God

The blog has been in hibernation over winter while Lizzie circulated her Advent and Christmas posts and we all had time to digest the vast mysteries of the Christmas season. The reformed calendar draws Christmas to a close with the Baptism of Jesus soon after Epiphany, but an older tradition stretches it out until the feast of the Presentation on 2 February where we sing with Simeon of Jesus, the 'light to enlighten the Gentiles'. The Crib and Christmas trees are still up in our house!

Sunday yesterday was the day which is now dedicated to the Word of God, a reminder of the importance that Scripture should have in our lives. As before Advent, this blog will be written over the next few months to help you with the process of doing lectio divina - the 'divine reading' of God's word. It is an essential part of our COLW formation as we walk ever more closely with God.

We will post three to four times a week on the gospel of the day, suggesting ways to think about the Scriptures which we hope you are all learning to read on a daily basis. You can use the Universalis app (available on Google Play) if you want to read the gospel of the day's Mass, or you can just make your way slowly through your favourite gospel. 

The key is not the quantity of Scripture that we read, but rather our willingness to read it 'at depth'. This means reading in a different way; reading slowly, reading meditatively, stopping and dwelling on certain phrases that strike us. It is not just about reading but about rumination.

St Paul writes of the Holy Spirit who prays in us with unutterable groanings. In lectio divina, we invite the Holy Spirit in union with His Spouse Mary, to read in us and with us. We ask Him, in other words, to share His Wisdom with us - His Wisdom which is also the Word of God, the Son.

 We can also ask our Guardian Angels for help. While they watch over us, our Guardian Angels also behold the vision of the Blessed Trinity. They stand, as it were, atop the hill we are trying to climb, but they are already at the summit and see the extraordinary beauty of God's face of which we catch a glimpse in Sacred Scripture. Let us ask their assistance as we ponder God's face in the gospels.

Lectio divina is also lectio beata - happy or blessed reading. O Mary help us to read deeply and happily the Word of God every morning of our lives!