Prayer in Augustinian Spirituality

Augustinian Prayer - the Prayer Method of St.
Augustine

Introduction

St. Augustine's spiritual tradition places importance in prayer and quiet meditation. Prolonged periods of prayer is necessary for a better relationship with God and progress in one's spiritual and personal development.


The prayer method of St. Augustine uses one's feeling and intuitive faculties. As an example, given a bible passage or an excerpt from a spiritual reading, the direction for quiet meditation in the method of St. Augustine is: "What do these words of Scripture (or spiritual reading) mean to me in my present situation in life or vocation?", or, "What message is the Lord saying to me through these words of the Bible?" This method of prayer and quiet meditation makes the bible or spiritual reading relevant to any one's personal, family, or community life. As one discovers the meaning from the prayer method, that spiritual intuition personalizes and integrates the prayer experience to his life.

Practicing Augustinian prayer

To practice this method of prayer, one must open his creative imagination. It is the feeling and intuitive faculty helps our creative imagination understand how to apply the prayer experience to our life and work. What is important in the prayer method is to be open to the grace of the Holy Spirit and His inspirations; to practice sound personal discernment; and to seek the counsel of more mature and experienced spiritual.

Keeping a spiritual journal

One very good help for this method of prayer is to maintain a spiritual journal. This journal can assist well in seeing one's spiritual progress over a period of time. The journal can be a source of spiritual joy if one emphasizes more the experience of God's love and His mercy. Those who use this method of prayer will surely agree with what Cardinal Newman also said: "he could pray best at the point of a pen".

Integrating lectio divina with the Augustinian prayer method


To be fully effective one can also integrate lectio divina in the method. This will help us "dialogue in prayer" with God. First, we listen to what God is saying to us in the passage of Scripture. To read between the lines to discern what God is saying is lectio - first step of lectio divina. Then to meditate upon the meaning we gathered from the Scripture reading and see how it can be applied to our life is meditatio - second step of lectio divina. After meditatio is oratio - third step of lectio divina. In this step we respond to what we have meditated with appropriate feelings and begin to dialogue with God in prayer. Finally, the fourth step, contemplatio, we learn to keep still and listen more to God. This stage is often accompanied with inner silence and an unswerving focus on God and His love. The Augustinian prayer method will place more prolonged periods of prayer in the oratio and the contemplatio steps of lectio divina, since the prayer method uses much of the person's intuitive and feeling faculties.

A direction in Augustinian prayer

The lives of the Saints can help to serve as role models and examples of holy people who have fostered good and loving relationships with God through this Augustinian prayer method. It is to be noted that many books on spirituality attest to the truth that most of the Saints who have been canonized in the Church are Augustinian in their spiritual temperament and use their intuitive and feeling faculties in their prayer life.

Prayer suggestion using the Augustinian method

Read Isaiah 43:1-5. Change the words, "Jacob" and "Israel" to your own first name. Try to imagine the Lord speaking these words directly to your soul. What meaning would they have for you in your present situation? Try to transpose the message from God to yourself today. What is the Lord talking about when He tells you, "Fear not". Imagine in your mind Jesus saying, "You are precious in my eyes". "Fear not, I am with you". How do you see this to be true to your own situation today?

Related resources:

• Dictionary of Saints, by John J. Delaney


• "A Year with the Saints" by Don Bosco Press, Inc.


• "Doctors of the Church" by Fink


• "Saints for Our Time" by Ransom


• Four Kinds of Temperaments in Prayer

18th Sunday of the Year (C)

Sunday Reflections for Liturgical Years 2011 (A), 2012 (B), and 2013 (C)

18th Sunday of the Year (C), August 5, 2013

Liturgical readings
Ecclesiastes 1:2, 2:21-23
Psalm 90
Colossians 3:1-5, 9-11
Luke 12:13-21

"Jesus told them a parable."



Someone in the crowd
said to Jesus,


"Teacher,
tell my brother to give me
my share of our inheritance."


He replied,


"Friend,
who has set me up
as your judge or arbiter?"


Then he said to the crowd,


"Avoid greed in all its forms.
A man may be wealthy,
but his possessions
do not guarantee him life."


He told them a parable
in these words:


"There was a rich man
who had a good harvest.


'What shall I do?'
he asked himself,



'I have no place
to store my harvest.


I know!'
he said.


'I will pull down my grain bins
and build larger ones.
All my grain and my goods
will go there.



Then I will say to myself:
You have blessings in reserve
for years to come.


Relax!
Eat heartily,
drink well.
Enjoy yourself.'


But God said to him,


'You fool!
This very night
your life shall be required of you.


To whom
will all this piled-up wealth
of yours go?'


That is the way it works
with the man who grows rich for himself
instead of growing rich
in the sight of God."

17th Sunday of the Year (C)

Sunday Reflections for Liturgical Years 2011 (A), 2012 (B), and 2013 (C)

17th Sunday of the Year (C), July 28, 2013

Liturgical readings
Genesis 18:20-32
Psalm 138
Colossians 2:12-14
Luke 11:1-13


"Lord, teach us to pray."

One day
Jesus was praying
in a certain place.


When he had finished,
one of his disciples asked him,


"Lord,
teach us to pray
as John taught his disciples."


He said to them,


"When you pray, say:


'Father,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come.
Give us each day
our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
for we too forgive all
who do us wrong;
and subject us not to the trial.'"


Jesus said to them:


"If one of you knows
someone who comes to him
in the middle of the night
and says to him,


'Friend,
lend me three loaves,
for a friend of mine has come in
from a journey
and I have nothing to offer him';


and he from inside
should reply,


'Leave me alone.
The door is shut now
and my children
and I are in bed.


I can't get up
to look after your needs.'"


- I tell you,
even though he does not get up
and take care of the man because of friendship,
he will find himself doing so because of his persistence
and give him as much as he needs.'"


"So I say to you,


'Ask
and you shall receive;


seek
and you shall find;


knock
and it shall be opened to you.'"



"For whoever asks,
receives;


whoever seeks,
finds;


whoever knocks,
is admitted.


What father among you
will give his son a snake if he asks for a fish,
or hand him a scorpion if he asks for an egg?


If you,
with all your sins, know how to give your children good things,


how much more will the heavenly Father
give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him."



"Lord, teach us to pray."

This Sunday's gospel passage is about prayer. One of the Lord's disciples asked Him how they are to pray. Jesus took occasion to teach about prayer. First, He taught the "Our Father" - from which the Pater Noster comes from. Second, He proceeds to tell a parable - emphasizing the importance of persistence in prayer. And Lastly, He teaches the importance of faith in prayer - faith in a heavenly Father who knows how to give his children what they need, when they "ask and seek" Him in prayer.


The Church continues the mission of Christ to teach about prayer. Below are a few quotes from the Saints who taught the importance of prayer in our Christian life:


The Holy Spirit is the teacher of prayer. He enables us to
live in perfect peace and constant joy, which is a foretaste
of paradise. (St. Philip Neri)


As often as you become conscious of these promptings to good
in your hearts, give glory to God and reverence the Holy Spirit
whose voice is sounding in your ears. (St. Bernard of Clairvaux)


Ask God to give you the grace of prayer...ask him ceaselessly
It is an alms that you beg of him. It is not possible, if you
persevere, for him to refuse you. (St. Vincent de Paul)


The grace of prayer. It is a gift that we receive from the Holy Spirit. It brings peace and joy. It leads us to God and to practice reverence and respect for all life. It gives light to our minds and strengthens our faith. It makes us aware of a Father who is holy, and whose will and dominion spans the earth and the heavens. Prayer makes us see a God who provides for all His children. Prayer makes us humble to understand His will for specific situations in life.

Scripture verses:
"I will give thanks to you, O Lord, with all my heart." (Psalm 138)
"God gave you new life in company with Christ." (Colossians 2)