How to Practice Lectio Divina (Holy Reading)
READ - Place yourself in a comfortable position and allow yourself to become silent for a few moments, breathing deeply a few times. Turn to the text and read it slowly, gently. Savor each portion of the reading. Take note of the style of text you are reading and consider how the reading challenges, comforts, intrigues, confronts and guides you in your understanding of God and God’s presence in your life.
MEDITATE – Reflect and ruminate on the specific verses chosen from the longer passage, pondering on how your understanding and relationship to God is challenged, reflected, confirmed, or supported through these specific verses. Spend enough time to memorize the verses and truly take them inside your mind and heart.
READ - Place yourself in a comfortable position and allow yourself to become silent for a few moments, breathing deeply a few times. Turn to the text and read it slowly, gently. Savor each portion of the reading. Take note of the style of text you are reading and consider how the reading challenges, comforts, intrigues, confronts and guides you in your understanding of God and God’s presence in your life.
MEDITATE – Reflect and ruminate on the specific verses chosen from the longer passage, pondering on how your understanding and relationship to God is challenged, reflected, confirmed, or supported through these specific verses. Spend enough time to memorize the verses and truly take them inside your mind and heart.
CONTEMPLATE – Read and consider the thoughts of a spiritual writer who has pondered the passage of scripture you have just read. You are listening in on the devotional dialogue between God and others who have gone before you. Several questions will follow each excerpt to aid you in your reflections.
PRAYER – Respond to the passage by opening your heart to God. God invites you into an inner dialogue. Learn to use words when words are helpful, and to let go of words when they are no longer necessary. Rejoice that God is with you in both words and silence, in spiritual activity and inner receptivity.
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In this particular practice of lectio divina a scripture passage and meditation is provided for you. Another, older form of lectio divina, can be practiced by selecting a passage of your own choosing and, after carefully reading the passage, meditating on a word or verse that caught your attention or touched your heart. Your contemplation would involve imagining how the selected verses could become part of your life, transforming your day to day existence and confirming God’s presence with you. The fourth and final movement in lectio divina is always prayer. Prayer as understood as a resting in God, in deep dialogue with a heavenly father who knows and loves you.
It is not necessary to assess anxiously the quality of your lectio divina, as if you were "performing” or seeking some goal. Lectio divina has no goal other than that of being in the presence of God by praying the Scriptures.
PRAYER – Respond to the passage by opening your heart to God. God invites you into an inner dialogue. Learn to use words when words are helpful, and to let go of words when they are no longer necessary. Rejoice that God is with you in both words and silence, in spiritual activity and inner receptivity.
*********************************************************************************************
In this particular practice of lectio divina a scripture passage and meditation is provided for you. Another, older form of lectio divina, can be practiced by selecting a passage of your own choosing and, after carefully reading the passage, meditating on a word or verse that caught your attention or touched your heart. Your contemplation would involve imagining how the selected verses could become part of your life, transforming your day to day existence and confirming God’s presence with you. The fourth and final movement in lectio divina is always prayer. Prayer as understood as a resting in God, in deep dialogue with a heavenly father who knows and loves you.
It is not necessary to assess anxiously the quality of your lectio divina, as if you were "performing” or seeking some goal. Lectio divina has no goal other than that of being in the presence of God by praying the Scriptures.