 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
 |
||||||||||||||
 |
||||||||||||||
 |
||||||||||||||
 |
||||||||||||||
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Lectio divina (“divine or inspired reading”) involves slow reading, using one short passage selected beforehand. It is concerned with being transformed by the Scriptures, that is with being transformed by God, and it is an ancient way of praying in the Christian tradition. Leaping words The experience we have all had where “words jumped off the page at me” is an experience which, in a quiet or dramatic way, lies beneath lectio divina. It is an experience that is creative and full of promise, even if we sometimes wish the words had kept still! Stages Lectio Read the passage slowly and more than once, letting the words sink into you, rather as you might read poetry. When a word or phrase strikes you, take time to stop, whether the word be encouraging, challenging or inviting. Meditatio “Rumination” might be a better word. The Scripture is absorbed and allowed to reverberate within us by repeating the word or phrase many times. Meditation in this way allows our feelings and desires to come to the surface and allows us to see and hear in a deeper way. Oratio Out of this pondering we speak to God about what we have received. This speaking may use words but it will also include the silence and stillness of listening. We come in touch with what we desire and bring this to God. The Holy Spirit meets us in our deepest and truest desires. That is where the discovery and energy lie that are integral parts of prayer. Contemplatio This is a quiet time of being with God, without controlling or imposing anything. Here we let God be God for us. The stages may blend into one another or not be experienced as stages at all. At best they represent a natural flow. The stages are helpful in that if we drift away from prayer, they point out how we should return. If no word or phrase strikes you, then bring to God what it is like to find nothing, and listen. In choosing a passage the psalms are a rich resource. Below are a few suggestions from Psalms and elsewhere: Psalm 61; 62; 25.3-7; 23; 121; 131; 17.6-12; 51;1-12. John 1.1-12; Luke 1.46-54; Luke 4.16-20; Luke 6.20-26; Ephesians 3.14-21. |