Lectio
Divina
Lectio Divina encourages us to become receptive to the divine Word in order to form us into the image of Christ. If you desire to incorporate more Scripture into your prayer life and pay closer attention to the movements of God, Lectio Divina might be a place to start.
The following are the five traditional movements for practicing Lectio Devina.
01
Prepare (Silencio):
Prepare your heart to be quiet. Come into God’s presence, slow down, relax, and intentionally release the chaos and noise in your mind to Him. As you prepare to listen to God’s Word, center yourself in God’s presence with a few deep breaths. As you inhale, pray a favorite name for God. As you exhale, pray your honest longing or need to God.
02
Read (Lectio)
During this first reading let the word wash over. Try not to analyze it, just receive it and ask the Holy Spirit to bring it to life for you. What words or images is the Spirit drawing you toward today?
03
Meditate (Meditatio)
For the second reading, listen for a word or phrase that catches your attention that comes into bold print for you. Maybe it’s a word or phrase that stirs your curiosity or comforts you, or even agitates you. Listen for a word or phrase from scripture that invites you to pause and linger.
04
Pray (Oratio)
Have an unedited conversation with God about anything that is stirring in you as you chew on a word or phrase from the text. What are you noticing? What might God be revealing to you through His word?
05
Contemplate (Contemplatio)
Quiet. Enjoy a time of wordless communion with God. Contemplate, rest and wait in the presence of God. Allow some time for the word to sink deeply into your soul. Yield and surrender yourself to God. Before you leave, you might consider a reminder that can help you dwell on or incarnate this word throughout the day.
Practice
01 - Select a passage of the Bible. A short passage of 3-7 verses is usually best
02 - Walk yourself through the 5 movements
03 - Feel free to write down your thoughts as you move through the reading
04- Don’t rush! Take time to pause and listen after
each reading
05 - Thank God for the time of abiding with him
• 1 John 3:1-3
• John 17:20-26
• Ephesians 1:3-10
• 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
• Colossians 1:15-20
• The Gospels