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Lectio Divina the Sacred Art - 5 “GIVE ME A WORD”
Lectio Divina the Sacred Art - 5 “GIVE ME A WORD”
by Christine Valters Painter
“GIVE ME A WORD” What is a sacred text? Traditionally it comes from a collection of authorized religious writings, such as the Hebrew and Christian scriptures. The desert mothers and fathers believed that God spoke to them directly and intimately through the words of the Bible, w…
Lectio Divina the Sacred Art - 2 Beginning Our Exploration of Lectio Divina
Lectio Divina the Sacred Art - 2 Beginning Our Exploration of Lectio Divina
by Christine Valters Painter
Beginning Our Exploration of Lectio Divina SACRED READING Listening for a Sacred Word Give me a small line of verse from time to time, oh God, and if I cannot write it down for lack of paper or light, then let me address it softly in the evening to your Great Heaven… Taken from L…
Lectio Divina the Sacred Art - 7 SAVOURING SACRED TEXT
Lectio Divina the Sacred Art - 7 SAVOURING SACRED TEXT
by Christine Valters Painter
SAVOURING SACRED TEXT In the previous chapter I focused on lectio, the first movement of lectio divina, which includes the dynamics of settling and shimmering— preparing yourself to enter the deep silence of the heart and then listen for the word or phrase from the sacred text th…
Lectio Divina the Sacred Art - 9 THE GIFT OF BEING
Lectio Divina the Sacred Art - 9 THE GIFT OF BEING
by Christine Valters Painter
THE GIFT OF BEING The fourth movement of lectio is called contemplatio, which is Latin for “contemplation.” While the whole process of lectio divina is considered contemplative prayer, contemplatio is the culmination of the previous three movements and the time when we enter more…
Lectio Divina the Sacred Art - 8 SUMMONING YOUR TRUE SELF
Lectio Divina the Sacred Art - 8 SUMMONING YOUR TRUE SELF
by Christine Valters Painter
SUMMONING YOUR TRUE SELF In the previous chapter I focused on meditatio, the second movement of lectio divina, which immerses us in an experience of savouring the sacred words, listening for what they stir within us, and then making room to welcome in our feelings. In this chapte…
The Monastery Of The Heart - 18 A Listening Heart
The Monastery Of The Heart - 18 A Listening Heart
by SPCK - Joan Chittister
A Listening Heart “Listen carefully to my instructions… and attend to them with the ear of your heart.” There is a magnet in a seeker’s heart whose true north is God. It bends toward the Voice of God with the ear of the heart and, like sunflowers in the sun, turns all of life tow…
Lectio Divina the Sacred Art - 10 VISIO DIVINA
Lectio Divina the Sacred Art - 10 VISIO DIVINA
by Christine Valters Painter
VISIO DIVINA The four movements of lectio create a sacred rhythm that nurtures our ability to experience God’s presence in the world around us. As we grow in our ability to become present to God in our prayer, this awareness begins to spill over into our daily lives. We may disco…
The Monastery Of The Heart - 11 Sufficiency and Sharing
The Monastery Of The Heart - 11 Sufficiency and Sharing
by SPCK - Joan Chittister
Sufficiency and Sharing “Do everything with moderation.” The purpose of the monastic life is never to amass wealth for the sake of the self. Instead, Benedict’s definition of the relationship between persons and things is sufficiency, not frugality… Taken from The Monastery Of Th…
Lectio Divina the Sacred Art - 12 NATURE AS SACRED TEXT
Lectio Divina the Sacred Art - 12 NATURE AS SACRED TEXT
by Christine Valters Painter
NATURE AS SACRED TEXT Every being is praising God The fire has its flame and praises God. The wind blows the flame and praises God. In the voice we hear the word which praises God. And the word, when heard, praises God. So all of creation is a song of praise to God… Taken from Le…
The Monastery Of The Heart - 15 Loving Care
The Monastery Of The Heart - 15 Loving Care
by SPCK - Joan Chittister
Loving Care “Let those who are not strong have help….” Patience and care are two pillars of Benedictine community. They hold up before our eyes, in blinding light, in immovable form, what is to be the nature of our presence in the world… Taken from The Monastery Of The Heart by J…
The Living God - God as a person: four insights
The Living God - God as a person: four insights
by SPCK - Alister McGrath
A personal God: love and faithfulness 2 God as a person: four insights Appreciating that God is personal is central to a right understanding of the creeds. Let’s look at four insights that will help us grasp this more fully. First, in speaking of God as a person we’re making it c…
The Monastery Of The Heart - 17 Hospitality
The Monastery Of The Heart - 17 Hospitality
by SPCK - Joan Chittister
Hospitality “Once guests have been announced, meet them with all the courtesy of love.” It is possible, of course, to make community out of “our kind of people,” out of people who look like us and think like us and have the same backgrounds we do… Taken from The Monastery Of The …
The Monastery Of The Heart - 19 Conversion of Heart
The Monastery Of The Heart - 19 Conversion of Heart
by SPCK - Joan Chittister
Conversion of Heart “It is high time for us to arise from sleep.” Every life is one long list of defining moments: At one moment, we discover that what we have done with our lives to this point is not really what we are meant to do… Taken from The Monastery Of The Heart by Joan C…
Great Christian Thinkers - 37 St. Boniface, Apostle of The Germans
Great Christian Thinkers - 37 St. Boniface, Apostle of The Germans
by SPCK - Pope Benedict XVI
St. Boniface, Apostle of The Germans We reflect here on a great eighth-century missionary who spread Christianity in central Europe—indeed, also in my own country: St. Boniface, who has gone down in history as “the Apostle of the Germans.”… Taken from Great Christian Thinkers by …
The Monastery Of The Heart - 22 Spiritual Tools
The Monastery Of The Heart - 22 Spiritual Tools
by SPCK - Joan Chittister
Spiritual Tools “These are the tools of the spiritual craft.” Benedictine spirituality is clear: Beware the spirituality, the Rule implies, that lacks balance, that lacks the fullness of the spiritual life, that revolves around mystique and mystery, around esoteric ritual or secr…
The Monastery Of The Heart - 25 Peace
The Monastery Of The Heart - 25 Peace
by SPCK - Joan Chittister
Peace Turn away from evil and do good; let peace be your quest and aim.” Over the archway of medieval monasteries were commonly carved the words Pax Intrantibus, “Peace to those who enter here.” Taken from The Monastery Of The Heart by Joan Chittister
The Monastery Of The Heart - 13 Good Work
The Monastery Of The Heart - 13 Good Work
by SPCK - Joan Chittister
Good Work “When they live by the labour of their hands, then they are really monastics.” Prayer and contemplation, Benedict is clear, are no substitute for work. Nor are they an excuse to detach ourselves from the holy act of human responsibility for making the world go round… Ta…
The Monastery Of The Heart - 14 Co-Creation