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
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