a typical approach to prayer where we begin by speaking to God and then conclude by saying ‘amen’. We never remain silent long enough to allow God to speak into our lives, let alone accord him the honour of speaking to us first.
The Process
The process of holy reading consists of a four-part movement, whereby we begin by reading the text and ultimately conclude with prayer. The four movements are:
1. Lectio: (reading/listening)
The practice of holy reading begins by developing the ability to listen and to hear what God is saying to us as we read the scriptures. In some respects we are like Elijah listening for the still small voice of God (I Kings 19:12).If we desire to hear the still small voice of God we must learn to be silent. If we are constantly speaking or if we are surrounded by noise and other distractions,we cannot hear the voice of God. The practice of holy reading therefore, requires that we become quiet in order to hear God’s speaking to us through scripture.
Once you are quiet and still, read a short passage of scripture, and as you are reading listen for a word, phrase or concept that captures your attention. This is quite different from the way most of us read a book or the newspaper; often we try to take in a significant amount of content. Holy reading requires reverential listening; slowing down the pace, and listening in silence and with awe, for we are seeking to hear a word from God that will speak to our life situation.
2. Meditatio: (meditation)
The second movement in holy reading is meditation. Having read the text and listening for a word or a phrase or a concept that speaks to us in a personal way; we meditate upon it. Meditation is more than simply thinking about an idea. A pastoral image of meditation is a picture of a cow lying in the field on a sunny day quietly chewing its cud, this is not far from what it is like to mull over the Word of God.
Jesus’ mother Mary gives us an example of meditation. After Jesus birth she and Joseph were met by the shepherds who told them what the angel of the Lord had declared to them: “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” (Luke.2:10-11). When the shepherds left we are told Mary “treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart”. (Luke 2:19). In other words she thought about what they said and considered the implications for her life, the life of her baby and ultimately the world at large. This illustration teaches us that meditation involves taking the Word of God and allowing it to interact with our thoughts, our hopes and our desires. It is through meditation we allow God’s Word to become his word for us, a word that speaks to us at our deepest levels.
3. Oratio (prayer)
The third movement in holy reading is prayer. God has spoken to us through his Word, we have meditated upon what he said, and now we speak back to God in prayer. This reinforces the concept that prayer is a dialogue. God speaks to us and then we speak to God. The prayer offered to God will be different for each individual. God will address various issues in each person’s life simply because we are at different places and in different seasons of life. Therefore you might thank God for some insight He has given to you, or you might ask God for guidance or to give you a new perspective, or you might seek God’s forgiveness, or you might enter into praise and adoration for who He is and what He has done. Through holy reading one discovers that God’s word speaks powerfully into many different situations, and out of that place we speak back to God in a personal way.
4. Contemplatio (contemplation)
In the final movement of holy reading we simply rest in the presence of God who has used his word as a means of inviting us to experience his embrace on our life. At this stage there is no agenda, you have come quietly into the presence of God, you have read his word, you have meditated upon it and as God has spoken to you, you speak back to him. Now you simply rest in his presence. You simply enjoy the experience of being in the presence of God. Many find this to be the most difficult stage or phase of holy reading. We are not used to being silent and simply resting in God. We are activists. In fact it is not surprising that in this stage many will find their mind begins to wonder. If this occurs simply re-read the passage or go back to the word, phrase or concept that God has spoken to you, continue to meditate upon it and then allow yourself to be in the presence of God.
The Practice of Holy Reading
Choose a text that you desire to meditate on. Some will be working through a book of the Bible; others might be working through passages based on a thematic approach.
Before you begin to read the text you need to take some time to become quiet. Make sure there are no distractions or interruptions for the next few minutes. Find a comfortable position and quiet yourself down. Begin with a short prayer inviting the Lord to speak into your life.
Take the text you have chosen for the day and read it slowly. It is helpful to read out loud as this not only slows down the reading process but it also helps you understand and appreciate the emotional tone of the text. As you read the text listen for a word, phrase or an idea that speaks to you. Then sit in silence for two or three minutes.
When a word or phrase comes to mind, slowly repeat it to yourself and allow it to interact with your own thoughts and ideas. Allow this meditation to lead you into a deeper dialogue with God.
In your dialogue with God speak to him even as he has spoken to you. In other words you give to him what you have discovered during your experience of meditation. This is the basis of your prayer. But allow your prayer to come from the depth of your heart and be careful not to intellectualize this experience.
Finally you rest in God. You enter into the presence of God and simply wait. This is a state of being not a state of doing, whereby we simply enjoy God.
Practical Suggestions
Ken Boa has offered some very helpful and practical suggestions to enable each participant in holy reading to move through the four stages with relative ease.(1)
Lectio:
• Choose a place that is inviting and where you will not be distracted.
• Be systematic in your reading. Some will work through an entire book, while others will use the lectionary as a guide.
• Avoid using a bible with study notes. These notes tend to be distracting.
• Do not read long passages of scripture. In your reading you want to read slowly and repeatedly as you allow the word of God to move into the depth of your being.
• Remember, in lectio you are seeking to be ‘shaped by the word of God’ rather than just ‘gaining information about the word of God’.
Medatio:
• Read the text slowly; remember you are not in a rush.
• Try to engage as much as possible your five senses as you meditate upon the text. Some passages in the Bible enable this process more readily than others. For example Psalm 1 speaks about one who mediates upon the word of God and compares the outcome to a tree planted by rivers of water. It is quite easy to see this picture.
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