Lectio Divina
History of Lectio Divina
Lectio Divina (‘
Sacred Reading’
) is an ancient method of Bible study,practiced at one time by nearly all Christians. Falling out of popular useduring the Protestant Reformation, Lectio Divina has been kept alivethrough the Christian monastic movement. Traditional Lectio Divinainvolves four phases: reading, meditation, prayer, and contemplation.These four movements date back to the 12
th
century when Guigo II, aCarthusian monk, wrote a book entitled
The Monk’s Ladder
. In his book,Guigo II laid out his four ‘rungs’ which are like a ladder lifting one upfrom earth to heaven as one proceeds through the four movements of Lectio Divina.
Purpose
To enter deeply into God’s presence by reading, meditating, praying, andcontemplating the Scriptures.
Practice
** See back page for tips on practicing Lectio Divina in a group setting
1.
Preparation
o
Choose a passage of Scripture to read –
You may randomlychoose a passage of Scripture each time you read, you maymethodically work through a book of the Bible, or you mayfollow a Bible reading plan– choose what works best for you.Trynot to set any goals on how much you will read– leave that inGod’s hands, some days only a single word will be all that youwill get through.
o
Find a quiet place
–This should be a place without distractionwhere you are comfortable. Use a posture (sitting, standing,kneeling, etc.) that best prepares you to experience God’spresence.
o
Prayer
– Ask the Holy Spirit to help you let go of any worries,tensions, etc. that you may have and that you mayfully enter intothe manifest presence of God.2.
Reading(1
st
Movement) –
Once you have found a quiet place andhave taken a few moments to still your mind, begin by slowly readingthe passage of Scripture that you have chosen several times. Don’trush through as you read and pay attention to words and phrases thatcatch your attention. Allow the passage to trigger memories and otherthoughts. Watch for a certain word or phrase that says, “
I am for youtoday
.”3.
Meditation(2
nd
Movement) –
Take that word or phrase thatcaught your attention and begin to repeat it over and over again.Focus on the feelings and emotions that arise as you repeat the wordor phrase. Do not be disappointed by distracting thoughts– asthoughts or ideas arise, offer them to God. Allow your meditations todraw you into a conversation with God.4.
Prayer(3
rd
Movement) –
Once you have had ample time tomeditate, begin speaking to God and asking for illumination. Tell Godthe word or phrase that stuck out to you and what it brought to mindas you meditated on it. Ask God for a deeper understanding of thisword or phrase and how it can draw you into a deeper relationshipwith Him.5.
Contemplation(4
th
Movement)
– Recognize and take comfort inthe fact that you are in the presence of God. This is a time to simplyenjoy God’s presence. In this final step you must stop doing and learnto simply be.6.
Journal-
Take a few moments to journal your experience usingLectio Divina
Tips for Lectio Divina
o
Try not to set any goals on how many verses you will readeach time.
o
Contemplation is the hardest step to achieve – it requires timeand patience, but the benefits are well worth it.
o
Sometimes in Lectio Divina you will need to look back atyour Scripture passage to further enjoy the word or phrase oryou may need to choose a new word or phrase – that is ok.
o
Feel free to return to previous movements of Lectio Divina asmany times as needed. There is no absolute structure to LectioDivina.
Leave a Comment