Lectio in the pocket

As some of you may notice, our blog has recently been expanded to include posts and commentary on Centering Prayer. This morning we begin also to include observations and notes on Lectio Divina, another practice that many who pray the Daily Office find exceptionally helpful in the formation of their life in Christ.

For some time now I’ve been doing what I call “lectio in the pocket,” a simply way of extending lectio throughout the day. Usually I practice lectio with a cup of coffee almost immediately after waking up in the morning. On most mornings, after taking a “pre-viewing” look at one of the lectionary readings for the day, I settle on one and slowly begin to read. I don’t necessarily read it all the way through, but often just enough to note something that the Holy Spirit suggests as important, perhaps a word, a phrase, maybe a sentence, sometimes a verse or two. After a few minutes of quiet consideration, I then write out the word, phrase, or sentence onto a little piece of paper and stick it in my pocket so that I can carry it with me during the day. As a consequence, I find that I often am reminded of it throughout the day. When I reach in my pocket to get my car keys, there it is: ready for reflection again. When I look for some change to buy a newspaper, I find it again and then find myself reconsidering its importance. When I work around the house and put something else in my pocket—a pencil, a receipt, a grocery list—I find it again. And again I reflect on what the Holy Spirit is suggesting, recommending, asking me to pray over and act upon.

I've taken a photo of this morning's "lectio in the pocket"; tonight's third reading is from Luke 13, and it begins at verse 18. I read only verses 18-19. That was enough for the Holy Spirit to say, "Stop right there, Andy, and mull over what Jesus is saying here to you throughout the day. Write his words down and put them into your pocket. Mull over them today; see what Jesus is saying to you. Listen to Jesus' words to you today and put them into practice as best you can with the Spirit's guidance." At the end of today's lectio, I will scribble a few words or thoughts on the back of Jesus' words for me. Maybe tomorrow I'll share them with you.

My “lectio in the pocket” scribbling is often pretty bad, and sometimes I do a bit of doodling; but it’s good enough for me to decipher, and often I’m glad I took the moment or two to write out the day’s lectio and stick it into my pocket, usually my left-front pants pocket because I’m left-handed. You may want to give it a try, no matter how “handed” you are.