Cinema divina: Praying the Word of God with movies
Wednesday, November 6, 2024
Sr. Jennifer Tecla Hyatt
Cinema divina provides a unique opportunity to pray with the Word of God and film. Movie stories reflect our common human experience and the gift of relationships. When we bring our faith into conversation with movie stories, we can be inspired to be more authentically human.
Cinema divina, based on the ancient prayer practice of lectio divina, takes us on a journey in which we reflect on film stories and then listen to how the Holy Spirit invites us to live, based on what we experience by connecting Scripture and film.
To do cinema divina, start with a prayer to the Holy Spirit, so we can be open to how God speaks to us through this experience. Since each person watches a film from his or her own viewpoint, grounded in life experience and knowledge, calling on the Holy Spirit helps us be open to ways we can grow spiritually.
Next, follow the steps of cinema divina.
Lectio: Read the chosen Scripture passage then view the film. Re-reading the Scripture after the film brings back to mind that we’re watching the film as a prayer.
Meditatio: Discern what part of the film and/or the Scripture impressed you while you were watching. What character or scene is God inviting you to explore more closely?
Oratio: After reflecting on the scene that chose you, let a spontaneous prayer flow from your experience of the film/Scripture.
Contemplatio: Rest with the film in some moments of silence. Relish it, savor it as a spiritual experience, especially recalling the part that speaks to you the most and praise God for the insights he’s given you.
Actio: Choose a concrete action that you feel inspired to do based on your reflections and prayer.
End cinema divina with a prayer. You could use an Our Father or one that you create yourself.
Here’s an example of what doing cinema divina could look like, using the 2024 Disney film, The Young Woman and the Sea. Click here for the trailer.
Set in the 1920’s, The Young Woman and the Sea tells the true story of Gertrude “Trudy” Ederle, a woman with a competitive spirit who became the first female to swim the English Channel, a 21-mile distance through frigid, rough waters.
Lectio: Read the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 5, verses 14-16.
"You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lamp stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”
Meditatio: After watching the film and reading the Scripture, the thing that stood out for me was when Trudy seemed to get lost near the end of her journey. She had been followed by family and friends in a boat. Her swim caught the attention of the world through the radio broadcasts that kept people up to date on her progress.
When she felt lost in the shallows, exhausted and in the dark, not sure which way to go, she cries out, removes her goggles and lets them go. They slowly sink down into the dark abyss.
To me, this visual represents Trudy’s interior life at that moment. She came so far and appreciated seeing her loved ones alongside her in the boat. Now, however, Trudy feels completely alone, without hope and she’s ready to give up. Silence fills the airwaves. Then the radio announcer says, “She’s lost in the shallows, and they can’t find her.”
Holding up lanterns to try to find her, Trudy’s family and friends hear car horns in the distance. Because it’s so dark, people are lighting fires all along the beach to help guide the swimmer to shore. When Trudy’s sister, Margaret, looks out into the ocean and whispers, “Please,” it’s like a prayer uttered to God to help her sister see the light and know which direction to go.
This scene reminds me of Jesus telling his followers that they are the light of the world. As Christians, we are called to be and bring God’s hope and light to others. We do this by the choices and example of our life. Trudy’s incredible journey, even though faced with obstacles, gave hope and light to others. When she was at the most difficult part of the journey, it was others who became the light she needed to keep going. May we notice those times in our own lives when we can choose to be light for others, to point out the presence of God. Let us give thanks to God for the times when others are a light to us.
Oratio: This is the prayer that came to me as I prayed with this film and the Scripture passage. Dear Jesus, I thank you for the people you put in my life that offer light, courage and hope, especially in challenging, dark times. May I strive to be a light to others to point them to you, who are the ultimate Light. Amen.
Actio: After spending some time in quiet contemplation, resting in the experience of the film, here’s the action I feel the Holy Spirit is leading me to take as a result of praying with Matthew 5: 14-16 and The Young Woman and the Sea. I want to be intentional about being a light to the world, like Trudy was. To do this, I will pray that I might shine the light of the Lord on those around me by the words I speak and the actions I take. I want to live so that when others see me, they see Christ. For me, that is what it means to be a disciple – to shine for all to see.
The practice of cinema divina invites us into a profound experience of God through film stories. A great resource for more cinema divina guides can be found at bemediamindful.org. I pray that this deep experience of God through film will inspire you to be a better follower of Christ in the real situations in which you find yourself.
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