Praying with the Bible Lectio Divina2016 · 2020. 8. 25. · ‘Lectio Divina’ as a way of...

The Prayer Pack

Allofusprayindifferentwaysatdifferentstagesinourlives.SometimesourwayofprayingchangesaswegrowinourrelationshipwithGod

‘LectioDivina’–or‘SacredReading’asitissometimescalled–isaspecificwayofprayingwith theBible. In contrast toaBible study,whereweseek thedeepermeaningof thetext itself, inLectioDivinaweremainwithaparticular textasawayofencounteringtheLivingWordthatcanspeaktoeachofuspersonallyattheheartofourlives.

‘LectioDivina’asawayofpraying iscloselyassociatedwiththestructureofthelifeofprayerwithinmonasticism. ButStOrigenreferredtothiswayof readingtheBiblealreadyinthe3rdcentury,longbeforethemonastictraditionemerged.LectioDivinawasformalisedbyGuigoII,aCarthusianmonkwholivedinthe12thcentury. InhisbooktheLadderof theMonks,heexplainsthiswayofpraying infour steps: lectio (reading), meditation (pondering), oratio (prayer) andcontemplation(wondering).

Some Biblical texts that can be used for practicing this way of praying:Ps23,139;Is43:1-7and55:1-13;Jer29:11-14;1Kings19,orEph3:14-21.

Booksuggestions

Hayden,Christopher(2001)PrayingtheScripture-sAPracticalIntroductiontoLectioDivina,StPaul’sPublishing.ValtersPaintner,C.andWynkoop,L.(2008)LectioDivinaContemplativeAwakeningandAwareness,PaulistPress.

Frontcoverimage:SCarlsson

PrayingwiththeBible

LectioDivina–HolyReading

“TheHolySpirit….willteachyoueverythingandremindyouofallIhavesaidtoyou.”John14.26

WetendtoreadtheBibletogainknowledgeandinspiration;tofindoutwhatwecandowithit.

ButthereisawayofprayingwiththeScripturesthatcanbringusintopersonalcontactwithGod.

Aslow,meditativereadingofaselectedpassageorpsalm,lettingthewordssinkinandevenusingyourimaginationtobecomepartofwhatisbeingdescribedcanbeatransformingexperience.

Thiscanbedifficultatfirst,soherearesomesimplestepstohelpyouonyourway.

Chooseoneofthesuggestedpassagesorpsalms.Takeafewminutestogetintoarelaxedattentiveness.

RememberthatthesewordsareGod’swords,andthattheyspeaktoyou,hereandnow.

Readthepassageorpsalmslowly,afewwordsatatime.Readitoutloudorinawhisper,butalwaysinrhythmwithyourbreathing,andrepeatwordsorphraseswheneveryoufeellikeit.

Lingerwhereveryoufeeldrawnormovedbywhatyouhaveread,orperhapsconfused,evendisturbedbywhatthewordsaresayingtoyou–thesefeelingsareoftenthespringboardforgrowth,ifyoucanownthemandpraywiththem.

Respondtowhathasmovedyou:givethankstoGod,orshareyoursadnessandconfusion;askforhishelp,hisforgiveness.

Finally,talktoGodaboutyourthoughtsregardingthisparticularpassage–anyfeelingsithasevoked,doubtsorconcernsthathavearisenduringprayertime.Behonest.Speakfromtheheart,asyouwouldwithagoodfriend.

Ifyoufindthiswayofprayingquitechallengingtobeginwith,don’tlosehope:itmayjustneedalittlepractice,sokeeptrying,andshareyourconcernswithGod.Asyoupray,theSpiritofJesuswillguideandteachyou,enablingyoutoletyourpresentrealitymeettherealityandtruthoftheGospel.

Whenyou’reready,endyourprayerbysayingthankyouorusingwordsthatarefamiliar,suchastheLord’sPrayer(OurFather)–whicheverfeelsrightandcomfortable.