Tonight, I invite you to explore a profound way of praying—one that can deepen our experience of this Advent season. To begin, let us reflect on the words of St. Josemaría Escrivá:
“This time of Advent is a time for hope. These great horizons of our Christian vocation, this unity of life built on the presence of God, our Father, can and ought to be a daily reality.
Ask Our Lady, along with me, to make it come true. Try to imagine how she spent these months waiting for her Son to be born. And Our Lady, Holy Mary, will make of you alter Christus, ipse Christus, another Christ, Christ himself!” Christ is Passing By, 11
Advent, as St. Josemaría reminds us, is a time to turn to Our Lady. She stands as the model of Advent spirituality—waiting, preparing, and hoping in perfect harmony with God’s will. Reflecting on her journey helps us embrace this sacred season in its fullness.
Interestingly, earlier generations of the Church emphasized this Marian aspect of Advent more explicitly than we often do today. In medieval England, for example, the Gloria was sung during the almost daily Rorate masses of Advent, and it was altered to include explicit references to the Blessed Virgin. She was also commemorated, with an additional collect, at every mass. Advent was seen as her season, a time to turn to Mary for guidance as she prepared for the coming of Christ in a way no one else ever could—carrying him in her womb.
St. Josemaría challenges us to go beyond simply praying to Our Lady. He invites us to enter into her experience by imagining how she spent those sacred months of waiting. Imagination, when rightly directed, plays a vital role in deepening our spiritual lives. Far from being fanciful or distracting, it can become a powerful tool for prayer, especially in a practice known as Lectio Divina.
Waiting with Mary
Before diving into the specifics of Lectio Divina, it is worth pausing to consider why Advent is such a powerful season for this practice. Advent is unique in the liturgical calendar—a season of joyful anticipation and solemn preparation. It invites us to wait with hope, something profoundly countercultural in a world that values instant gratification.
Waiting, however, is difficult. It can bring restlessness, impatience, or even despair. But through Mary, we learn that waiting, when embraced with faith, can be transformative. She waited for the birth of her Son with unwavering trust in God’s promises. In her waiting, she did not succumb to fear or doubt but embraced the moment with joyful expectation.
The challenge for us is to embrace Advent in the same spirit, to allow its quiet rhythms to reorder our hearts and renew our hope. This requires intentionality, and Lectio Divina provides a perfect framework for entering into this sacred time.
What is Lectio Divina?
Lectio Divina, meaning “divine reading,” is an ancient method of prayerful engagement with Scripture. Its roots stretch back to the early Church, but it was systematized in the 12th century by Guigo II, a Carthusian monk. He outlined four steps—lectio, meditatio, oratio, and contemplatio—or, in English: reading, meditation, prayer, and contemplation. Each step builds on the last, forming a pathway into a deeper encounter with God.
This practice is particularly well-suited to Advent, as it allows us to meditate on the moments leading to Christ’s birth and align our hearts with the patient anticipation of Mary.
Lectio (Reading)
The journey begins with reading the Sacred Scriptures. Open the Bible and choose a short passage—perhaps a few verses from the Gospels recounting the Annunciation, the Visitation, or the Nativity. In Lectio Divina, the goal is not to cover a lot of ground but to approach Scripture attentively and reverently, allowing a word, phrase, or detail to stand out.
Consider this: How often do we hear the same Gospel passages year after year without noticing certain details? In the stillness of Lectio, those overlooked moments can suddenly come alive. Maybe it is the angel’s greeting to Mary—“Hail, full of grace”—or Elizabeth’s cry, “Blessed are you among women!” These words can take on new meaning when we approach them prayerfully.
This first step is about openness. By reading slowly and attentively, we create the space for God to speak to us.
Meditatio (Meditation)
Having read the passage, we enter meditation. Here, imagination becomes a sacred instrument. Place yourself within the scene—walk the dusty roads of Nazareth, stand in awe before the angel, or sit beside Mary as she sings her Magnificat.
Meditation in Lectio Divina is not a passive exercise but an active engagement of the mind and heart. You might imagine the expressions on Mary’s face, the tone of the angel’s voice, or the joy shared between Mary and Elizabeth. What were the sounds, the sights, and the emotions of the moment? These imaginative details help draw us deeper into the reality of Scripture, allowing us to encounter it in a personal and transformative way.
As you meditate, you may find yourself identifying with one of the characters in the scene. Perhaps you feel drawn to Mary’s courage, or maybe you resonate with Elizabeth’s joyful recognition of God’s work in her life. This identification is a way of letting the Word shape your heart and teach you how to respond to God’s call.
St. Josemaría encourages us to meditate on how Mary waited for Christ. Imagine her daily life during those months—her prayers, her conversations with Joseph, her quiet reflections on the promises of God. What can her example teach us about waiting with faith and hope?
Oratio (Prayer)
When meditation has run its course—when the scene has been explored and its lessons begin to crystallize—we turn to prayer. Oratio is our response to God’s Word. Here, we speak to him about what we have encountered.
This is the moment of conversation with God. Thank him for the insights he has revealed and for the gift of his Word. If the meditation brought to light a particular challenge or call to action, pray for the grace to respond. For example, if the scene revealed Mary’s trust in God, ask for a deeper trust in your own life. If it highlighted Elizabeth’s joy, pray for the ability to recognize and celebrate God’s work in the world around you.
Prayer is where the Word begins to transform us. It is not just a dialogue but a step toward aligning our hearts with God’s will.
Contemplatio (Contemplation)
The final step, contemplation, is a gift of grace. Unlike the earlier stages, it is not something we achieve through effort. The tradition calls it an infused gift, a grace placed directly into the mind and soul by God. Contemplation is God’s work in the soul—a moment when he draws us into his presence in a profound and transformative way.
If contemplation occurs, it is unmistakable. It is an experience of God’s love and presence that transcends words and thoughts. Time seems to stand still, and the soul rests in a deep communion with the divine. While contemplation cannot be forced, we can create the conditions for it by approaching prayer with humility and openness.
Advent is an especially fitting time to cultivate this openness. As we prepare for the coming of Christ, we can ask God to draw us closer to him, trusting that he will grant us the grace we need, whether through contemplation or other means.
Preparing for Christmas Through Lectio Divina
If we approach Advent with the discipline of Lectio Divina, we can make this season truly transformative. By meditating on the Gospels and placing ourselves in the footsteps of Our Lady, we learn how to wait for Christ with the same love and readiness she exemplified.
Mary’s example is particularly poignant during Advent. She shows us how to embrace waiting not as an inconvenience but as a sacred opportunity. Her patience, trust, and quiet joy teach us how to live in the tension between the “already” and the “not yet” of God’s promises.
Lectio Divina invites us to walk this path with her. Through its steps, we learn to listen more attentively to God’s Word, to reflect on its meaning for our lives, to respond in prayer, and to rest in his presence. This practice not only prepares us for Christmas but transforms our hearts, drawing us closer to Christ.
A Call to Action
St. Josemaría’s invitation is clear: Turn to Our Lady this Advent. Pray for her intercession, imagine her waiting, and let her guide you into deeper communion with her Son. Through the practice of Lectio Divina, you will find yourself not only prepared for Christmas but transformed by it.
Do not let this Advent pass by in distraction or busyness. Embrace the gift of this holy season. Make time for Scripture, for prayer, and for silence. Follow the steps of Lectio Divina, trusting that God will speak to you through his Word. And as you meditate on the life of Mary, allow her example to inspire you to greater hope, deeper faith, and more ardent love.
When Christmas morning arrives, may you rejoice not only in the birth of Christ but in the renewal of your own heart. And as you enter the new year, may the graces of Advent carry you forward—living as “alter Christus,” another Christ, in the world.