Four Steps to Lectio Divina

by Karen Griefzu, prayer group leader

 

Lectio Divinia is a method of prayer that goes back to the 4^th and 5^th centuries.

The term, Lectio Divinia, means sacred reading.

It was first practiced in Eastern monasteries and then brought to the West by John Cassian at the beginning of the 5^th century.

It is closely connected to St. Benedict and Benedictine spirituality since it was used in the communities founded by St. Benedict.

• Lectio or spiritual reading.  We slowly and carefully read a sacred passage  Scripture.  We might then use a concordance and study the passage so we can have a good understanding of it.  We once again read the passage, perhaps out loud, savoring each and every word; seeking wisdom and guidance. 
• Meditatio or reflection upon what we have read.  We welcome the living word of God into our hearts and into our lives.  This is a good time to use two of the prayer forms we have been studying over the past few months:

• Projection - Placing ourselves in the Bible passage we are reading and interacting with those in the story.
• Transposition - Imagining that the words of scripture are being spoken personally to us by God the Father, Jesus or the Holy Spirit. It is helpful to have a notebook to record our insights and reflections.

• Oratio or speaking to the Lord and responding to the insights we have received from Him.  For instance we might feel love, joy, gratitude and peace or perhaps sorrow, repentance, conviction or commitment.  We can verbalize these feelings through prayers of adoration, contrition, thanksgiving and supplication.
• Contemplatio in which we stop reading, thinking and praying and simply rest in the Lord for a set period of time.  We do nothing but surrender and allow our Lord to fill us with His love and grace in His own time.  This requires silence, stillness and willingness to wait on the Lord.  Although we will experience distractions, we simply ignore them and return to the quiet of our hearts

Our prayer time is sacred, rewarding and uplifting.-

It is an important pathway in our spiritual journey.

Try to set aside a special time and place for your prayer time. 

Be sure it is a time with few interruptions. 

Be sure it is a time when you are rested and alert.

Be sure the place is quiet and restful and conducive to prayer.

Decide on your Scripture passage sometime before your prayer time so you don’t spend too much time paging through trying to find a passage that speaks to you.

I hope you will try the Lectio Divinia prayer form sometime before we meet again. 

Remember Lectio Divinia means sacred reading.

It has four steps:

1. Lectio – (reading)  Think of the Lectionary we use at Mass.
2. Meditatio – meditation or reflection.
3. Oratio – (orating) speaking or praying to God.
4. Contemplio – (contemplation) Contemplative Prayer.