Lectio Divina

Lectio Divina
“Divine Reading”
Mr. Pablo Cuadra
Religion Class
What is Lectio Divina?
 Lectio Divina is a Latin
word that means
“divine reading” or
“Holy Reading”.
 Lection Divina is a
method of prayer and
scriptural reading.
What does Lectio Divina intend
to promote?
 This method of prayer intends to promote:
 A. Communion with God
 B. Provide an outlet of reflection and insight
for the word of God.
 C. It promotes a way of praying with the
Scriptures that calls one to study, ponder,
listen and finally, pray from God’s word.
Origen 220 A.D
 To benefit from the
reading of scriptures one
must read them with
attention, constancy,
and prayer.
 Origen also emphasized
the value of reading
scriptures with attention
to possible different levels
of meaning.
Monastic Rules
 The monastic rules of St. Pachomius,

Augustine, Basil and Benedict made the
practice of divine reading, manual labor,
and the liturgy, the triple base of monastic
life.
 The present form of Lectio Divina consisting
of four steps dates back to the 12th century.
The Steps of Lectio Divina
 The steps of Lectio Divina also
known as four moments are:
 1. Lectio or reading
 2. Meditatio or meditation
 3. Oration or prayer (response)
 4. Comtemplatio or Contemplation
First Step: Lectio or Reading
 “The Word of God is
read in a listening
manner with “the ear of
one’s heart.”
 “One is attentive to the
phrase, sentence or
one word that is
noticed.” Thomas Keating
Second Step: Meditatio or
Meditation
 Reflect on the text of the
passage, thinking about
how to apply to one's own
life.
 Gravitate to any particular
phrase or word that seems
to be of particular important.
 This should not be confused
with exegesis, but is a very
personal reading of the
Scripture and application to
one's own life.
Third Step: Oratio or Prayer
 This step is about
responding to God in
prayer.
 Respond to the
passage by opening
the heart to God.
 This is not primarily an
intellectual exercise, but
more of the beginning of
a conversation with God.
Fourth step: Comtemplatio or
Contemplation
 Listen to God. This is a
freeing oneself from one's
own thoughts, both
mundane and holy.
 This step is about hearing
God talk to us. Opening our
mind, heart and soul to the
influence of God.
 Any conversation must
allow for both sides to
communicate, and this most
unfamiliar act is allowing
oneself to be open to
hearing God speak.
Becoming the word of God
 “The transformative power of
the Word of God is experienced
as one is faithful to Lectio
Divina.”
 “The participants explore the
fruits of one’s deepening
relationship with God.”
Thomas Keating
Lectio Divina --Method
 Lectio is typically
practiced daily for one
continuous hour.
 A selection from the
Holy Scriptures is
chosen ahead of time.
 often as a daily
progression through a
particular book of the
Bible.
Lectio Divina --Time
 Selecting a time for lectio divina is
important. Typical methods are to
pray for one hour in the morning,
or to divide it into two half-hour
periods, one in the morning and
one in the evening.
 The key is to pre-select the

time that will be devoted to the
prayer, and to keep it. Using
the same time every day leads
to a daily habit of prayer that
becomes highly effective.
Lectio Divina --Place
 The place for prayer is to be free from distractions.
This means it should be isolated from other people,
telephones, visual distractions, etc. Some find a
religious icon to be helpful.
 The same place should be used for lectio if possible,
especially as one first begins to practice it.
Familiarity with a location reduces the possibility of
distraction away from the prayer.
 Some practitioners conduct other devotions, such as
praying before the Catholic Eucharist, as a
preparation for Lectio Divina.
Lectio Divina -- Preparation
 Prior to reading, it is important to
engage in a transitional activity that
takes one from the normal state of mind
to a more contemplative and prayerful
state.
 A few moments of deep, regular

breathing and a short prayer inviting the
Holy Spirit to guide the prayer time
helps to set the tone and improve the
effectiveness of the lectio. since the
stage is set it is time to begin the
prayer.
Pope Benedict XVI and Lectio
Divina
 “I would like in particular to recall and
recommend the ancient tradition of
Lectio divina: the diligent reading of
Sacred Scripture accompanied by
prayer brings about that intimate
dialogue in which the person reading
hears God who is speaking, and in
praying, responds to him with trusting
openness of heart (cf. Dei Verbum, n.
25). If it is effectively promoted, this
practice will bring to the Church - I
am convinced of it - a new spiritual
springtime."
The End
Thomas Merton's Prayer
MY LORD GOD, I have no idea where I am going.

I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not
mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing
about it.
Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils
alone.

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Lectio Divina

Mr. Pablo Cuadra

 The monastic rules of St. Pachomius,

 The key is to pre-select the

 A few moments of deep, regular

Thomas Merton's Prayer

MY LORD GOD, I have no idea where I am going.

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