Doing Lectio in Community
Fr Michel suggested that eight to ten people would be the optimum number in any Lectio Community as this will foster an experience of welcome, participation, inclusion, encounter and togetherness.
‘Community’ rather than ‘group’ better captures the experience of doing lectio together.
This space is sacred because of the presence of God is there – in one another, in His Word, and in the growing communion members share.
The Father’s joy is in seeing his children fed, nourished, and empowered by his word. His joy increases when he sees his children feed one another in community.
Through our personal meditation we have come to experience the good news of Jesus alive and at work today albeit in a partial and limited way but nonetheless real.
The invitation in community is to offer to one another any real, down to earth, concrete, recognition of this passage or any section of the passage from life experience – be it in our own personal journey, in the life of someone close to us or in the public life. The word ‘offering’ instead of sharing is significant as it has strong biblical and liturgical connotations.
A few ground-rules that hopefully can help make this period as deep and as rich as possible.
- Important that we feel at home here, in God’s presence and free to be ourselves – in a safe, confidential and mutually supportive environment.
- Don’t feel under pressure to make an offering. Your presence here is a gift. There is as much greatness and probably more in listening than in speaking.
Not in competition with each other – We are blessed and enriched by each other’s presence and participation.
We are not a group but a community. - If we are to make an offering conscious that perhaps there are others keen to do the same too so we keep it relatively short and concise.
Not a time for offering exegesis or extracting a message but the offering of a life experience in which we have encountered this word made flesh today.
A good way to ensure this is by beginning our offering with “this passage or this section of the passage reminds me of..”
We make an offering with all the reverence and respect with which we would administer the real presence of Jesus in holy communion to one another. In offering the word made flesh today we are Ministers of the real presence. - And likewise we receive the offering of the other as we would the Eucharist – we don’t inspect it, analyse it, discuss it but graciously respond with “Amen”.
Ideally we will follow the offering with our individual prayers of thanksgiving, repentance and Petition. - And finally, that we allow a little silence after each meditation – a sacred silence filled with the presence of God – allowing the offering to find a home in us. Remembering the words of the Master, “make your home in me as I make mine in you.
We allow the experience of silence to grow and deepen as the presence of God becomes the dominant reality and we simply rest our hearts in his love and in His work – the Contemplative Moment.
Then we are invited to reflect together on what we have learned from the passage and to give expression and find consensus on any new insight(s) or understanding(s) that has been given to us.
We conclude with individual veneration of the word.