Benedictine Prayer

Like Benedictine life itself, our prayer has a  two-part focus: it is personal and social or communal.  Both are essential,  and each affects the other.

The personal prayer is typically and  traditionally based on Scripture and is known as "lectio divina",  sometimes translated as "holy reading".  Of course, it is to go  beyond the reading.  Ordinarily the beginner in the Benedictine way will pray almost exclusively in this manner in personal prayer.     Typically, one reads some verses from the Bible until a word or phrase touches  one at a deeper  level, then stops to reflect on or savor it.  One may  go on to a spoken prayer, but that is not necessary;  the important thing is the listening  and savoring.  Ideally, the savoring will implant it deeply in the heart so that it will have a significant impact on one's community prayer and  relationships. To find the Liturgy of the Hours online go to http://www.universalis.com/cgi-bin/display/-600/USA/today.htm or go to www.osb.org and find the link to Liturgy of the Hours.

As one grows in the Benedictine life and prayer,  one may find that one does not always need to have the Book at hand for prayer:   one may have absorbed so much from ealier "lectio divina" that  Scriptural verses come to mind rather readily once one has set aside time and space to pray.  This form of prayer  is a gift and is not something one works at.  It is a more contemplative  form of prayer, whereas the earlier form is more meditative.

The communal or social focus of Benedictine  prayer is the Liturgy:  within Community this includes the Divine Office as  well as the Eucharist and the other Sacraments.  Benedict calls the Divine  Office "the opus Dei" or the work of God and sees it as equally  formative of the Benedictine with "lectio divina" and equally essential to the Benedictine's life and spiritual  growth.  He, therefore, emphasizes the importance of not lightly absenting  oneself from the communal recitation of the Divine Office.

Ideally, the faithful practice of both "lectio  divina" and "opus Dei" enrich each other and the life of the  Benedictine.  That is,  as one pores thoughtfully over the Scriptures, preferably in a somewhat planned fashion, one's experience  of "opus dei" assumes a deeper significance in one's life.  And  likewise, as one faithfully prays the "opus dei" in and with one's  community, one's "lectio divina" is enriched.  Finally, it is to  be hoped, even expected, that with the faithful practice of both over the years, one will grow closer to God and to  others and one's life will reflect this conversion.