In this issue of our fictional Vocation Letter Series, Sister Mary Rosaria reflects the centrality of the Word of God in her life as a Dominican nun, emphasizing monastic lectio divina. Read more Vocation Letters here.
Ave + Maria
Dear Mom,
Greetings in Jesus and Mary! I am so happy to hear about your women’s Bible Study, and how nourishing that is for you, with the community and especially with the Word of God.
I have been reflecting on that recently in regards to our life, since pondering the Word of God is so central to our vocation as Dominican nuns. While “the friars, sisters and laity of the Order are to preach the name of our Lord Jesus Christ throughout the world,” as our Constitutions state, the nuns are “to seek, ponder and call upon him in solitude so that the word proceeding from the mouth of God may not return to him empty, but may accomplish those things for which it was sent (cf. Is. 55:10).” Of course, we do this here in a special way through meditating through the Rosary on the mysteries of the Word Made Flesh, but we also sing, proclaim, and hear His Word in Scripture in the Liturgy, and savor it in our hearts in lectio divina.
The traditional four stages of monastic lectio divina (which just means “sacred reading”) are lectio, meditatio, oratio, and contemplatio: that is, reading, pondering, praying, and resting in God. (When I first learned these as a postulant, I thought they should add a fifth stage: dormitatio!) I don’t know if you use these terms, Mom, but I am sure you are familiar with those movements, which usually flow in and out of each other rather than following a strict sequence. I am enclosing our Lectio pamphlet if you are interested in reading more.
It’s so edifying to hear the Sisters sharing at recreation about “lights” they had at lectio, passages from the liturgy that stood out to them, or Rosary mysteries that came to life in a new way. Pondering the Word is fruitful in different ways at different times for different Sisters, but always fruitful for growing closer to God and for the salvation of souls.
I look forward to seeing you soon! Please give my love to everyone at home!
With love and prayers in Our Lady,
Sister Mary Rosaria, O.P.
P.S. I found this in my papers recently. I wrote it as a postulant just a month or so after entering the monastery; it is a beautiful example of a reflection on the Word of God.
A Postulant’s Lectio
Today at Terce we sang Psalm 118. It is a beautiful hymn of joy in God, and expresses perfectly many of the sentiments of my heart at finally being a member of the community here in the monastery. What could be more fitting than to give thanks to the Lord, Who has called me to be His bride for the sake of His forever-enduring love? Then I recalled with the Psalmist what He has done for me; how He came to help me when I was hard-pressed and falling, temped to doubt my vocation, how His triumphant right hand raised me. I am delighted at being a cause of shouts (or maybe just words!) of joy and victory here in the tents of the just. The psalm’s words were mine, as I trembled before entering, in sadness at leaving my family: “I was falling . . . I was punished, but not doomed to die. Open to me the gates of holiness.” I anticipated the joy of belonging to the Lord: “I will enter and give thanks. This is the Lord’s own gate.” Now I can cry out, pleading for and with the world: “We bless you from the house of the Lord, the Lord God is our light.” To have entered, to have dwelt in, the house of the Lord! I cry out in joy, but yet yearn for heaven: “Go forward in procession with branches, even to the altar. You are my God, I thank you. My God, I praise you. Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; for His love endures forever.” May His love endure forever in my heart, too.