Praying with the Bible (Lectio Divina)

Lectio Divina is a Latin phrase that literally means "Sacred Reading". It is a part of both the Eastern and Western traditions of the Catholic Church.

It is not bible study. It is bible prayer. It is about personally entering into a meditative and contemplative state through Scripture, the inspired word of God. It is not rocket science. It is deceptively simple. And while it comes from a monastic tradition, it is really a prayer method for all Christians.

There are 4 'moments' in the lectio method:

1. Reading (lectio)

2. Meditation (meditatio)

3. Prayer (oratio)

4. Contemplation (contemplatio)

Reading (Lectio)

Choose a passage of Scripture. The easiest way is to simply choose the Gospel from the Mass readings of the day. If you plan to use lectio once a week, choose the Gospel from the upcoming Sunday. Or randomly open the Bible, scan the page and select the passage that draws your attention.

Then go to your prayer place - a comfortable place free of distraction - where you can pray in peace for at least 15 minutes or as long as you desire. Read the passage. Read it again. Read it quietly aloud. Read it silently in your head. Let the words echo inside you. Notice the words that jump off the page. Notice any spoken words, especially the words of Jesus, if you are reading the Gospel. Jot down the phrases that attract your attention in a prayer journal, or highlight the phrases in the copy of text you are using.

Ask yourself: How does the Word speaks to ME?

Meditation (Meditatio)

Meditation means to mull over the passage. Ruminate (reflect) on the passage - 'chew the cud' so to speak. Meditate and ruminate especially on the passages you noted. The words that jump off the page are often special 'words' from God for you in this particular place and time. Because you may read the same passage a year later and you may find different words that jump off the page.

Meditation is an intellectual process of examining the passage with your mind. It should move you toward examining the passage with your heart.

Ask yourself: What does the text mean to me? What is God saying to me through the text? What is the text/God saying to my heart?

Prayer (Oratio)

While the whole process of Lectio Divina is a prayer, oratio is the prayer 'moment' in the strict sense. Oratio is our response to the 'word' received from the lectio and meditatio phases. Use the standard forms: thanksgiving, praise, repentance, petition/intercession. One might also add resolution or action to this 'moment'. Perhaps the message you receive has led you to make a resolution. This is included in our response to 'word' received.

Ask yourself: What do I want to say back to God?

Contemplation (Contemplatio)

This is the summit of the Lectio experience. Contemplation is a wordless, supersensory experience of God. It could be called 'basking in the presence and love of God'. It is a foretaste of the beatific vision. An ecstasy is a deep form of contemplation. Contemplation is an immediate experience of God - immediate in the sense of no mediation. No mediation of words or sacraments. It is direct contemplation of God - a union of souls.

Not every lectio experience leads to contemplation. If you have experienced contemplation before, you know what I am talking about. If you have not experienced contemplation, nothing I can say can properly explain it. It simply needs to be experienced first-hand.

In the contemplation moment, you do not ask yourself a question. But in retrospect, you'll be able to answer the question: What do I mean?

What does 'what do I mean?' mean? It means that in the contemplation moment, you find your true self. You discover who you are. You find the answer to 'who am I?' and 'what am I doing here?'. But it comes in a wordless way. In the immediate communion, so to speak, with God, you find the answer to everything. The soul achieves union (although in an incomplete and inchoate way) with God through contemplation.

Review

So the four moments in a nice parallel nutshell:

1. What does the text mean?

2. What does the text/God say to me?

3. What do I say back to God?

4. What do I mean?

Once again we practice silence, letting go of our own words. This time simply enjoy the experience of being in the presence of God. Feel His embrace and peace. It is His gift.

The author considers this article to be in the Public Domain. This article may therefore be downloaded, reproduced and distributed without special permission from the author. It was first published in the Spring, 1990 (vol.1, no.1) edition of Valyermo Benedictine. It has subsequently been reprinted as (1) “Appendix 2” in The Art and Vocation of Caring for People in Pain by Karl A. Schultz (Paulist Press, 1993), pp. 98-110; and in (2) An Invitation to Centering Prayer with and Introduction to Lectio Divina, by Basil Pennington and Luke Dysinger (Liguori/Triumph, 2001)