It is always good to begin the process of this very ancient spiritual practice of Lectio Divina with a prayer. This prayer time is meant to slow down and to focus on the Word of God. Pray that your time with this practice will draw you closer to God. Also, it is encouraged to take a suitable posture that can help us to experience that we are in the presence of God. At the same time this posture would help us to read or listen to the Word of God more reflective way. Lectio Divina is a reflective reading and listening to the Holy Scriptures. This arose from an ancient method of reading Holy Scriptures done by Desert Fathers and Mothers and late Monastic monks and nuns in the East and the west. One who practices Lectio Divina learns to listen to a Scripture passage with the “ear of the heart,” as if he/she is in conversation with God.
The whole process of doing Lectio Divina can be summed up in the four steps; lectio, meditatio, oratio, and contemplatio. These four steps also can be stated as; moments of reading/listening (lectio), reflecting on (meditatio), responding to (oratio) and resting in (contemplatio) the Word of God. This process is geared towards a spiritual transformation of life and living according to the Word of God. Also, the aim of Lectio Divina is nourishing and deepening one’s relationship with God.
Lectio (reading/listening)
Though the literal translation of Lectio simply means “reading,” it also means listening to the Word of God. For vast number of Christians in the past could not read. Therefore, they used to gather into the monasteries to listen to the Word of God when it is read by some learned clergy/monks. This first step is to listen or read the selected text slowly, attentively, and reflectively. Lectio is reverential listening in spirit of silence. We are called to listen for the still and whispering voice of God through which He speaks to us so personally and intimately.
At this step, we are simply invited to listen/read the Word of God, rather than going deep into the meaning of the text or interpreting it. It is just to be opened and be receptive to what word or phrase that can touch our hearts. Then, after a few moments of quiet reflection, the same biblical text is read again. After the text is read and heard a second time, we are invited to speak a word or phrase that we have heard. If we are practicing Lectio Divina in a group, one at a time each one of us is invited to say a word or a phrase, such as “do not be afraid!” or “come to me!” or “knock and it will be opened to you” or “receives one child such as this” … etc. Here, everyone is encouraged to offer words or phrases that have touched them or that they have heard anew.
This step of expressing what touched them should be done without any explanation or interpretation. It is perfectly alright, if nothing touches or sticks out. In those moments we are called to just read the text again. We need to keep in mind that this is not a performance driven exercise since spiritual devotions are not meant to be mere performances. They are meant to worship God and also to spend some time with God focusing on His living presence.
Meditatio (meditation)
The next step of meditation leads to focus on a word or phrase that inspires the believer. Here, through meditation we begin to enter the scene of the Scriptural text mentally. Much of this step is about using our imagination. It is a call to imagine the situation and placing ourselves in that situation with our heart and mind. Imagine what was going on when the passage was first written. By imagining, we are called to become part of the scene of the passage. Hence, it is becoming part of the Holy Scriptures.
In order to become part of the passage ask yourself questions such as; “What does this passage say to me?” “Who am I in this passage?” “What do I see? What do I hear?” “Which character do I most relate to?” Here, it is good to know that Biblical Meditation is not the same as Eastern meditation. In Eastern meditation the objective is an emptying of the mind and experiencing detachment. On the contrary, in Biblical Meditation the objective is a filling of the mind by using our imagination to see our lives in the context of the Biblical passage. Also, the goal is to be attached to God and to be sustained by His Word. Then, when we feel like praying and move to the next step.
— Fr. Niranjan Rodrigo, Ph.D.
Note: You can find Part II of this series on Lectio Divina here.
You must be logged in to post a comment.