Lectio divina means “divine reading.” It is the quiet and thoughtful reading of the Bible and prayer.
Lectio helps us open ourselves to God and discover what he wants to say to us. It helps us to listen to God deeply with the ears of our heart.
Steps to Lectio:
- Pick a small section of scripture. For example: “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29).
- Read the passage of Scripture aloud, slowly. What word or phrase stands out to you? Write it down if you’d like. Think about that word or phrase for a minute with God.
- Read the passage of Scripture aloud second time, slowly. This time, meditate on the passage as a whole in light of the phrase or word. Consider the passage from different perspectives. What images, thoughts or feelings arise?
- Read the passage aloud, slowly, a third time. Enter into conversation with God about the passage. Ask any questions you might have. Seek God’s light and love through the passage.
- Read the passage aloud, slowly, a fourth time. Sit in silence for a few minutes. Imagine God’s loving gaze and embrace upon you.
As you close this quiet time, ask God for the grace to take what you learned from this prayer into the remaining part of the day.