Ignatian Meditation (Discursive Prayer)

· @Dr. Karen

Listening and Discerning with the Heart, Using Our Intellect

Lectio Divina means holy reading. This method of prayer goes back to the early monastic tradition. The monks gathered in chapel to hear a member of the community reading from the Scriptures. In this exercise they were taught and encouraged to listen: not just to hear with their ears, but to listen with their hearts. From their hearts they could experience deeply, reflect, and respond with an increased love for God.

This method of Lectio Divina is mental prayer—discursive. Read a passage three times. After each reading, ask a question, reflect, and respond. You may read the Scripture passage aloud to hear the words with your ears.

These four steps are prayed within each of the three readings, and each reading takes us to a deeper level.

1.     Reading: What Does the Text Say?

2.     Meditating: What Is God Saying to Me Through the Text?

3.     Prayer: What Do You Want to Say to God About the Text?

4.     Action: What Do You Want to Do Based on Your Prayer?

First Reading: The Literal Level

Read to understand.

The Head

•      Question: Ask yourself, what is happening in the passage? Who is there, what is being said, where is it taking place?

•      Notice a word, phrase, or image that has resonated within you.

•      Take a moment to savor the insight or a new understanding of the passage.

•      Take a mental note, or write down what comes up.

Second Reading: The Affective Level

Reflect to find a personal connection.

The Heart

•      Questions: What does this passage say to me, or how does it connect with my current situation? What are my thoughts and feelings upon reading it a second time?

•      Notice how the rereading has affected you.

•      Take a moment to savor the insight, feeling, or new understanding.

•      Note down a few words to describe how it has affected your thoughts or feelings.

Third Reading: The Spiritual Level

Read to be led.

The Soul

•      Questions: What is the message for me? What is God trying to say to me?

•      Reflective Listening: Sitting in silence, await the sense of the Holy Spirit. This allows you to experience a deeper awareness of God taking the initiative to speak with you. Let the Holy Spirit in. An answer, a prompting: it comes up into you… as a new thought, feeling, image, word, or phrase from Scripture, or through a poem or song.

•      Response: Share with God, following the prompting of your heart. It could be through words or just sitting with Him in gratitude and love.

End with a closing prayer: the Our Father or a simple prayer of the heart’s gratitude.

Meditation Review Questions

•      Reflect: What was God saying to me through the text?

•      Respond: What do I want to say to God about the text?

•      Result: What do I want to do based on this prayer time?

•      Request: What graces from God do I need to help me commit and follow through?

Write down a few words about the experience and describe how it has affected you.

Note: In praying with Scripture in these three readings, we move from the literal → to the affective → to the spiritual… from our head → to our heart → to our soul.

God speaks through our imaginations as well as through our understanding, memories, thoughts, intellect, desires, feelings, and emotions.Listening & Discerning To The Heart Using Our Intellect