Speaking Out Loud, the Lectio Divina and the Jesus Prayer
Contemplation
“The meditatio [the meditation part in Lectio Divina] is done not with one’s mind but with one’s mouth. When the psalmist tells us how he loves to meditate and finds it sweeter to his palate than honey from the honeycomb, is he talking about meditation merely as an intellectual exercise? I like to think he is also talking about the constant recitation of God’s law—so he meditates as much with his mouth as with his head.”—Anthony de Mello in Sadhana: A Way to God (Liguori, 1998).
Contemplation Jean Francois Portaels
De Mello also offers a unique way to practice the Benedictine Lectio divina. He suggests reading Scripture (lectio) until a word or phrase resonates with us, then stopping (meditatio) and repeatedly repeating the word with pauses. In this way, we pray not only with our minds but also with our bodies. When we feel saturated with the word, we stop and enter into prayer (oratio). He also suggests expanding the exercise to chanting, perhaps with others, and including long periods of silence.
De Mello adds an extra dimension to the Jesus Prayer by imagining Jesus with each word, saying his name with each breath, and ultimately hearing Jesus call us by name.
De Mello tells the story of a man’s deep guilt over barely missing his father’s death. My experience is that this often impels many people to seek spiritual direction. I am constantly amazed at how God works. God calls us back, even—and maybe especially—through those who have died. God calls us through the good and challenging times of our lives to connect with those who can guide us into spiritual practices that lead us back to God.
Contemplation Before Surgery Joe Wilder MD
De Mello calls us to live fully and intimately in the present moment, to become part of the grand mystery of God’s love for us and all creation. The present is where we meet God; it is also where spiritual practices such as Lectio divina and the Jesus prayer carry us.
Joanna. https://www.joannaseibert.com/