Lectio divina is an ancient method of praying with sacred texts; usually the sacred text comes from the Scriptures, but other texts may be used as well. The basic idea is to spend time listening deeply and intently to what God might have to say to you through the text—almost as if the sacred text were a much-cherished love letter from God.
St. Benedict of Nursia (480–543) was the first to use the term lectio divina (“sacred reading”) when he included it in the rule of life for all of his monks. Other spiritual masters such as St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Guigo the Angelic, and St. John of the Cross continued to develop the practice over the centuries, until it reached the form most people know today. It was Guigo, a Carthusian monk, who first set out the four steps or movements of lectio divina. Here they are, with their Latin names in parenthesis:
Although Lectio Divina always begins with reading, and often progresses naturally through the next few steps, you might find yourself bouncing around a bit. For example, you might read the text and have an immediate reaction that you voice to God (the prayer step); then, you might pause and think about the words more (the meditation step); then, if you find your mind drifting, you might go back and re-read the text again. After a while, you might move into contemplation . . . or you might not, and that would be okay. Below are the Steps to Praying using Lectio Divina: 1. BEGIN with the Sign of the Cross and silence.In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit, you inspired the authors of Sacred Scripture to write what you wanted us to know for the sake of our salvation. Inspire us now to hear those words not only with our ears, but our hearts, so that we might know your saving Word for us today. Silence. 2. READ the sacred text several times. Introduce this step with these or similar words: Listen to this reading carefully, paying attention to what words, images, or ideas the Holy Spirit brings to your heart. Read the sacred text slowly, savoring the words and pausing briefly after significant phrases and sentences. Observe a brief silence after the first reading. Read the sacred text again (or ask someone else to do so), observing a brief silence afterward. If appropriate, pause to discuss the meaning of the text, using footnotes and commentaries as needed. Read the text a third time, and observe a brief silence. 3. MEDITATE. In the meditation step, ask questions such as: What words, images, or ideas did the Holy Spirit bring to your heart? What stood out for you in the reading? How do those words, images, or ideas relate to your life right now? What might God be saying to you (us) in this reading? What action might you (we) be called to take? How does God’s word make you feel? Excited, encouraged, comforted, loved? Or do you feel challenged, confused, or resistant? 4. PRAY. Respond to the reading by addressing God in prayer. Say: Let’s respond to God’s word for us in prayer. Exactly how you pray the reading will depend on what surfaced during the meditation step. Some possibilities: Offer thanksgiving to God for important insights that emerged from the text. If the text was difficult or confusing, ask God for guidance and clarity. If the text was challenging or caused anxiety, ask God for humility, strength, and the ability to trust in providence. 5. CONTEMPLATE* Let’s quiet our hearts for a few moments so we might hear God’s response to our prayer. Rest now in God’s presence. *Contemplation is a gift; it’s not something we can make happen, or achieve, although approaching lectio divina with an open heart and spending good time on the first three steps prepares the way for contemplative prayer. It’s also important to note that people have different experiences of contemplation. Prayer is a personal relationship, after all, and every relationship is unique. 6. CLOSE. After a period of silence, end with the Sign of the Cross: In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. I have included some Scripture texts to help you get started: Scripture texts for Lectio DivinaLuke 1:26-38 (The Annunciation): “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.” Luke 2:8-20 (The Annunciation to the shepherds): But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people. . . .” Luke 2:41-52 (The boy Jesus in the temple): When his parents saw him they were astonished. . . . Luke 4:1-13 (Jesus is tempted in the desert): Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness. . . . Mark 1:14-15 (The proclamation of the Kingdom): “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.” Luke 5:1-11 (Jesus calls the first disciples): When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” John 2:1-12 (The wedding at Cana): His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Luke 6:27-36 (Love of enemies): Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Luke 10:25-37 (Parable of the Good Samaritan): “Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” Matthew 14:14-21 (Jesus feeds five thousand): And all ate and were filled. . . . Luke 10:38-42 (Mary and Martha): “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself?” Matthew 14:22-33 (Jesus invites Peter to walk on water): Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” Mark 10:13-16 (Jesus blesses the children): “Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.” Mark 10:46-52 (The healing of Blind Bartimaeus): Then Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man said to him, “My teacher, let me see again.” Luke 8:22-25 (Jesus calms the stormy sea): A windstorm swept down on the lake, and the boat was filling with water, and they were in danger. Mark 15:21-39 (The Crucifixion): “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Matthew 6:25-39 (Do not worry): “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat [or drink], or about your body, what you will wear. . . .” Isaiah 43:2-7 (The Lord will save): . . . you are precious in my eyes / and honored, and I love you . . . Psalm 43:3-5 (Hope in the Lord): O send out your light and your truth / let them lead me . . . Philippians 1:6 (The work of the Holy Spirit): I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. Psalm 8 (Divine majesty and human dignity): . . . what are human beings that you are mindful of them, / mortals that you care for them? Psalm 130 (Waiting for divine rescue): Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord. The Divine Mercy Chaplet Novena is a 9 day prayer that asks Jesus to pour out His mercy on us and those of the whole world. Each day starts with a unique prayer, and finishes with the Divine Mercy Chaplet. If you need a guide on how to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet, visit the Divine Mercy Chaplet post.
Below are the prayers for each day of the Novena: Divine Mercy Novena Prayers Day 1: “Today bring to Me all mankind, especially all sinners, and immerse them in the ocean of My mercy. In this way you will console Me in the bitter grief into which the loss of souls plunges Me.” Most Merciful Jesus, whose very nature it is to have compassion on us and to forgive us, do not look upon our sins but upon our trust which we place in Your infinite goodness. Receive us all into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart, and never let us escape from It. We beg this of You by Your love which unites You to the Father and the Holy Spirit. Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon all mankind and especially upon poor sinners, all enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. For the sake of His sorrowful Passion show us Your mercy, that we may praise the omnipotence of Your mercy for ever and ever. Amen. Day 2: “Today bring to Me the Souls of Priests and Religious, and immerse them in My unfathomable mercy. It was they who gave me strength to endure My bitter Passion. Through them as through channels My mercy flows out upon mankind.” Most Merciful Jesus, from whom comes all that is good, increase Your grace in men and women consecrated to Your service,* that they may perform worthy works of mercy; and that all who see them may glorify the Father of Mercy who is in heaven. Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the company of chosen ones in Your vineyard — upon the souls of priests and religious; and endow them with the strength of Your blessing. For the love of the Heart of Your Son in which they are enfolded, impart to them Your power and light, that they may be able to guide others in the way of salvation and with one voice sing praise to Your boundless mercy for ages without end. Amen. Day 3: “Today bring to Me all Devout and Faithful Souls, and immerse them in the ocean of My mercy. These souls brought me consolation on the Way of the Cross. They were a drop of consolation in the midst of an ocean of bitterness.” Most Merciful Jesus, from the treasury of Your mercy, You impart Your graces in great abundance to each and all. Receive us into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart and never let us escape from It. We beg this grace of You by that most wondrous love for the heavenly Father with which Your Heart burns so fiercely. Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon faithful souls, as upon the inheritance of Your Son. For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, grant them Your blessing and surround them with Your constant protection. Thus may they never fail in love or lose the treasure of the holy faith, but rather, with all the hosts of Angels and Saints, may they glorify Your boundless mercy for endless ages. Amen. Day 4: “Today bring to Me those who do not believe in God and those who do not know Me, I was thinking also of them during My bitter Passion, and their future zeal comforted My Heart. Immerse them in the ocean of My mercy.” Most compassionate Jesus, You are the Light of the whole world. Receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls of those who do not believe in God and of those who as yet do not know You. Let the rays of Your grace enlighten them that they, too, together with us, may extol Your wonderful mercy; and do not let them escape from the abode which is Your Most Compassionate Heart. Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls of those who do not believe in You, and of those who as yet do not know You, but who are enclosed in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. Draw them to the light of the Gospel. These souls do not know what great happiness it is to love You. Grant that they, too, may extol the generosity of Your mercy for endless ages. Amen. Day 5: “Today bring to Me the Souls of those who have separated themselves from My Church, and immerse them in the ocean of My mercy. During My bitter Passion they tore at My Body and Heart, that is, My Church. As they return to unity with the Church My wounds heal and in this way they alleviate My Passion.” Most Merciful Jesus, Goodness Itself, You do not refuse light to those who seek it of You. Receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls of those who have separated themselves from Your Church. Draw them by Your light into the unity of the Church, and do not let them escape from the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart; but bring it about that they, too, come to glorify the generosity of Your mercy. Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls of those who have separated themselves from Your Son’s Church, who have squandered Your blessings and misused Your graces by obstinately persisting in their errors. Do not look upon their errors, but upon the love of Your own Son and upon His bitter Passion, which He underwent for their sake, since they, too, are enclosed in His Most Compassionate Heart. Bring it about that they also may glorify Your great mercy for endless ages. Amen. Day 6: “Today bring to Me the Meek and Humble Souls and the Souls of Little Children, and immerse them in My mercy. These souls most closely resemble My Heart. They strengthened Me during My bitter agony. I saw them as earthly Angels, who will keep vigil at My altars. I pour out upon them whole torrents of grace. I favor humble souls with My confidence.” Most Merciful Jesus, You yourself have said, “Learn from Me for I am meek and humble of heart.” Receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart all meek and humble souls and the souls of little children. These souls send all heaven into ecstasy and they are the heavenly Father’s favorites. They are a sweet-smelling bouquet before the throne of God; God Himself takes delight in their fragrance. These souls have a permanent abode in Your Most Compassionate Heart, O Jesus, and they unceasingly sing out a hymn of love and mercy. Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon meek souls, upon humble souls, and upon little children who are enfolded in the abode which is the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. These souls bear the closest resemblance to Your Son. Their fragrance rises from the earth and reaches Your very throne. Father of mercy and of all goodness, I beg You by the love You bear these souls and by the delight You take in them: Bless the whole world, that all souls together may sing out the praises of Your mercy for endless ages. Amen. Day 7: “Today bring to Me the Souls who especially venerate and glorify My Mercy, and immerse them in My mercy. These souls sorrowed most over my Passion and entered most deeply into My spirit. They are living images of My Compassionate Heart. These souls will shine with a special brightness in the next life. Not one of them will go into the fire of hell. I shall particularly defend each one of them at the hour of death.” Most Merciful Jesus, whose Heart is Love Itself, receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls of those who particularly extol and venerate the greatness of Your mercy. These souls are mighty with the very power of God Himself. In the midst of all afflictions and adversities they go forward, confident of Your mercy; and united to You, O Jesus, they carry all mankind on their shoulders. These souls will not be judged severely, but Your mercy will embrace them as they depart from this life. Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls who glorify and venerate Your greatest attribute, that of Your fathomless mercy, and who are enclosed in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. These souls are a living Gospel; their hands are full of deeds of mercy, and their hearts, overflowing with joy, sing a canticle of mercy to You, O Most High! I beg You O God: Show them Your mercy according to the hope and trust they have placed in You. Let there be accomplished in them the promise of Jesus, who said to them that during their life, but especially at the hour of death, the souls who will venerate this fathomless mercy of His, He, Himself, will defend as His glory. Amen. Day 8: “Today bring to Me the Souls who are in the prison of Purgatory, and immerse them in the abyss of My mercy. Let the torrents of My Blood cool down their scorching flames. All these souls are greatly loved by Me. They are making retribution to My justice. It is in your power to bring them relief. Draw all the indulgences from the treasury of My Church and offer them on their behalf. Oh, if you only knew the torments they suffer, you would continually offer for them the alms of the spirit and pay off their debt to My justice.” Most Merciful Jesus, You Yourself have said that You desire mercy; so I bring into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls in Purgatory, souls who are very dear to You, and yet, who must make retribution to Your justice. May the streams of Blood and Water which gushed forth from Your Heart put out the flames of Purgatory, that there, too, the power of Your mercy may be celebrated. Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls suffering in Purgatory, who are enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. I beg You, by the sorrowful Passion of Jesus Your Son, and by all the bitterness with which His most sacred Soul was flooded: Manifest Your mercy to the souls who are under Your just scrutiny. Look upon them in no other way but only through the Wounds of Jesus, Your dearly beloved Son; for we firmly believe that there is no limit to Your goodness and compassion. Amen. Day 9: “Today bring to Me the Souls who have become Lukewarm, and immerse them in the abyss of My mercy. These souls wound My Heart most painfully. My soul suffered the most dreadful loathing in the Garden of Olives because of lukewarm souls. They were the reason I cried out: ‘Father, take this cup away from Me, if it be Your will.’ For them, the last hope of salvation is to run to My mercy.” Most compassionate Jesus, You are Compassion Itself. I bring lukewarm souls into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart. In this fire of Your pure love, let these tepid souls who, like corpses, filled You with such deep loathing, be once again set aflame. O Most Compassionate Jesus, exercise the omnipotence of Your mercy and draw them into the very ardor of Your love, and bestow upon them the gift of holy love, for nothing is beyond Your power. Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon lukewarm souls who are nonetheless enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. Father of Mercy, I beg You by the bitter Passion of Your Son and by His three-hour agony on the Cross: Let them, too, glorify the abyss of Your mercy. Amen. The Divine Mercy Chaplet is a prayer given by Jesus to Saint Faustina to share with the whole world His message of Mercy. The most common practices around this chaplet are to say it at 3PM-- the time of Jesus's death-- and around the Easter Season, particularly on the second Sunday of Easter which is Divine Mercy Sunday. Below are the steps to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet: How to Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet You can use regular Rosary beads or your fingers for this prayer. Step 1: Intro Prayer Make the Sign of the Cross, then say the following prayer: “You expired, Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls, and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world. O Fount of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy, envelop the whole world and empty Yourself out upon us. (Repeat three times) O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of mercy for us, I trust in You!” Step 2: First Three Prayers On the first three beads above the crucifix pray, one Our Father, one Hail Mary and The Apostles Creed. Step 3: Eternal Father Prayer Then on the first Our Father Bead say the Eternal Father prayer: “Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Thy dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.” Step 4: Sorrowful Passion Prayer After each Eternal Father prayer, on the ten Hail Mary Beads say the following prayer: “For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.” (Repeat Steps 3 and 4 for all five decades). Step 5: Holy God Prayer Say the Holy God prayer, repeated three times: “Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.” Step 6: Concluding Prayer Conclude with the closing prayer: “Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion — inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself.” You can pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet at anytime, as a standalone prayer, or you can pray it for 9 days as part of the Divine Mercy Novena. Say the Novena prayer for the day and conclude with the Divine Mercy Chaplet. Below is also a musical version of the prayer: The Daily Examen, or Examination of the day and of conscience, is a tool developed by Saint Ignatius of Loyola. It is often conducted at the end of the day to help us reflect on the day and prepare for tomorrow to live out God's will. The rest of the text is from ignatianspirituality.com about the daily examen and how to pray it. I have included the links to the site if you wish to learn more about Saint Ignatius' Spiritual Exercises, or the Jesuit Order.
The Daily Examen The Daily Examen is a technique of prayerful reflection on the events of the day in order to detect God’s presence and discern his direction for us. The Examen is an ancient practice in the Church that can help us see God’s hand at work in our whole experience. The method presented here is adapted from a technique described by Ignatius Loyola in his Spiritual Exercises. St. Ignatius thought that the Examen was a gift that came directly from God, and that God wanted it to be shared as widely as possible. One of the few rules of prayer that Ignatius made for the Jesuit order was the requirement that Jesuits practice the Examen twice daily—at noon and at the end of the day. It’s a habit that Jesuits, and many other Christians, practice to this day. This is a version of the five-step Daily Examen that St. Ignatius practiced. 1. Become aware of God’s presence. Look back on the events of the day in the company of the Holy Spirit. The day may seem confusing to you—a blur, a jumble, a muddle. Ask God to bring clarity and understanding. 2. Review the day with gratitude. Gratitude is the foundation of our relationship with God. Walk through your day in the presence of God and note its joys and delights. Focus on the day’s gifts. Look at the work you did, the people you interacted with. What did you receive from these people? What did you give them? Pay attention to small things—the food you ate, the sights you saw, and other seemingly small pleasures. God is in the details. 3. Pay attention to your emotions. One of St. Ignatius’s great insights was that we detect the presence of the Spirit of God in the movements of our emotions. Reflect on the feelings you experienced during the day. Boredom? Elation? Resentment? Compassion? Anger? Confidence? What is God saying through these feelings? God will most likely show you some ways that you fell short. Make note of these sins and faults. But look deeply for other implications. Does a feeling of frustration perhaps mean that God wants you consider a new direction in some area of your work? Are you concerned about a friend? Perhaps you should reach out to her in some way. 4. Choose one feature of the day and pray from it. Ask the Holy Spirit to direct you to something during the day that God thinks is particularly important. It may involve a feeling—positive or negative. It may be a significant encounter with another person or a vivid moment of pleasure or peace. Or it may be something that seems rather insignificant. Look at it. Pray about it. Allow the prayer to arise spontaneously from your heart—whether intercession, praise, repentance, or gratitude. 5. Look toward tomorrow. Ask God to give you light for tomorrow’s challenges. Pay attention to the feelings that surface as you survey what’s coming up. Are you doubtful? Cheerful? Apprehensive? Full of delighted anticipation? Allow these feelings to turn into prayer. Seek God’s guidance. Ask him for help and understanding. Pray for hope. St. Ignatius encouraged people to talk to Jesus like a friend. End the Daily Examen with a conversation with Jesus. Ask forgiveness for your sins. Ask for his protection and help. Ask for his wisdom about the questions you have and the problems you face. Do all this in the spirit of gratitude. Your life is a gift, and it is adorned with gifts from God. End the Daily Examen with the Our Father. The sole purpose of prayer is to bring us closer to God. Sometimes we need others to help us in this endeavor. We can look to the Saints and their works as a model and guide on our spiritual journey. Therefore, we can bring spiritually uplifting texts and call upon the Saints when we enter into prayer.
Saints are people that we know are in heaven. Thus it is fitting to ask for their help when we find it difficult to serve God in our daily lives. They made it to heaven, they've gone through much of the same anxieties and fears we have. Pope Francis tells us that no Saint was born perfect. Each Saint had a conversion, a struggle, and a need for Jesus to redeem them and grant them salvation. If we do not need Jesus to save us, then there is no hope for us to be a saint. We can invite the Saints into our prayer by asking them to pray for us, or learn about them to help us grow closer to God. We can ask for a specific Saint's intercession. If there is a Saint that you feel especially close to, you can always call on them to help you in your spiritual journey. You can also ask specific Saints to help with particular things on your heart. Many people ask for Saint Anthony of Padua's intercession when they have lost something. Others ask Saint Christopher to protect them when they travel. There is a patron Saint for any circumstance that is weighing on your heart. We can also spend some time to read a work by or about a Saint. These works, while they are not sacred scripture can direct us to God's truth and how to live it out. We can also look to people on earth who serve as models or guides for following Christ, either in their written works, or arts, or communications. The most common of these works to bring to prayer is a spiritually uplifting text. We see this in daily devotionals, commentaries on sacred scripture, and even examinations of the lives of the Saints. All of these works show us how to understand God's word and how to live out His will. Taking some time to meditate on these works helps us grow closer to God by participating in the greater Body of Christ that we as Christians are all members of. Here are some sources to explore if you wish to learn about a Saint or start praying with text. https://www.catholic.org/saints/ The Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of Saint Therese of Lisieux Joan of Arc by Mark Twain The Song of Bernadette by Franz Werfel St. John Paul the Great: His Five Loves by Jason Evert Rediscover Jesus and Rediscover the Saints by Matthew Kelly It's not a huge stretch to include sacred music as a form of prayer. Saint Augustine says to sing is to pray twice. The book of Psalms is a book of songs to the Lord. We sing hymns at Mass and prayer services. Music is such an integral part of our lives, so why shouldn't we invite the Lord into that? If you are musically inclined, meaning drawn to music in any way, then this is a wonderful opportunity to strengthen your relationship with the Lord, for that is essentially what prayer is. You don't need to be a music minister to engage in this form of prayer, just an open heart and a source of music to guide your prayer. To engage in sacred music, like any prayer, you need to center yourself in God. Make a space by intentionally setting aside some time, dedicating a place, and selecting some music to listen to or sing to. Sometimes this last piece is already done for us by music ministers at Mass or a prayer service. Other times, we are left to choose the music from a playlist or book of hymns or another source. However the music is chosen, it is important that you use the music as an opportunity to communicate with God. You can do this by singing along or by reflecting on the lyrics or melody. Combining sacred music with another prayer option is always welcome. Make sure that the use of sacred music is not to fill the silence, but is an opportunity to help you or another person grow closer to God. Here are some things that participating in sacred music is and is not: Sacred Music IS:
Sacred Music is NOT:
Below I have attached some playlists to help you get started. Some I have made and are still being updated. WesternCatholic Healing Reflection Spirit and Song Plus Holy Week Quarantine Reflection Songs WesternCatholic Praise and Worship |
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