Lectio Divina : The Art of Divine Reading
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LECTIO The first part, lectio, is a slow and gradual reading
I love the analogy of eating as a way to understand
God’s response, we might as well not even call it a
of a Scripture passage—perhaps several times—
Lectio. Eating, chewing, swallowing, and being
personal relationship—not if all we’re doing is firing
followed by the questions “What stood out to you?
refreshed correlates to reading, meditating, prayer,
off a to-do list for God based on what we think needs
What word or phrase ‘sparkled’ or ‘shimmered’?”
and resting. When eating, we first taste, we notice
to happen. We say we want to know God’s will for
It’s just noticing, without commentary, question,
what we put into our mouths. Then we start to chew
our lives, but are we really listening?
or assessment—that’s the hard part.
on it and break it down. When we swallow food, we take it down deep inside of us and it literally
Now instead of asking whether I hear an invitation,
becomes a part of us and helps us to become healthy
I ask: What can I take with me in my pocket? What
After reading is meditatio (meditation), where you
and grow. Finally, after eating a healthy meal, we are
word or phrase, image or feeling, can I take with me
reflect on what you read. Why did that word or
refreshed and restored and we can rest.
and carry around today? As a person who likes little
MEDITATIO
trinkets and mementos, that question resonates with
phrase stand out to you? What is going on in your life that you are touched by it? What is within you
My practice of Lectio has changed a bit since my first
me a lot. I love reaching back into my pocket, pulling
that is responding to this?
encounter with it, most notably in the third step
out something that sparkles, and continuing to be
of prayer. It is one thing to tell God any manner of
refreshed by it throughout the day. n
ORATIO
things—but it is another to have an actual conversa-
In the third part, oratio (prayer), bring that word or
tion, to wait and listen to hear what God might say
phrase into conversation with God. What is God try-
in response. Sometimes it is very hard to be patient,
ing to show you through this word or phrase? Listen
to be still, and to be quiet. But when God speaks, it
Audrey Hindes is program associate for academic
for an invitation in the passage, to do, be, or become
is unmistakable because it’s usually not something
and international support at Candler. She is currently
something in response to what you have read.
that I would have said myself. Without waiting for
CONTEMPLATIO
reading Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal, and Delight in Our Busy Lives by Wayne Muller, and The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg.
Finally, in contemplatio (contemplation), simply rest in God’s presence. This step often employs the practice of centering prayer, a form of silent prayer that promotes resting in God’s direct presence without the intermediaries of thoughts, words, or images.
Some groups choose to use upcoming lectionary readings to prepare for worship, but Hindes says that any Scripture reading will do: “My favorite passages for a group are those you’ve heard so many times that you immediately tune out when you hear them,”
For God
so loved the world....
she says. “Using Lectio Divina allows the text to have new life breathed into it, so you can hear it as God’s word again.”