The Road Devotional | Lent 2024

March 17th, 2024
by Ben Rush

Lectio Divina

Lectio Divina (Holy Reading) began in religious communities in ancient times. The purpose is to pray Scripture, to enter into its message personally. The result is that we open new channels for God’s transforming presence to take root in us. This practice can also open new possibilities within God’s Word.

“For the ancients, to meditate is to read a text and to learn it "by heart" in the fullest sense of this expression, that is, with one's whole being: with the body, since the mouth pronounced it, with the memory which fixes it, with the intelligence which understands its meaning, and with the will which desires to put it into practice.” --Jean Leclercq

There are four steps to lectio divina.

Read through the Scripture and listen to God’s Word with your heart.
- Preselect the passage that you would like to read through ahead of time.
- Read through 3-4 times slowly. Allow yourself to spend time with the Scripture.
Meditate or wonder about this Word.
- If there was a word or phrase that stood out to you, meditate on that word or phrase.
Speak to God with your whole being using the Word to help you enter into communion with God.
Contemplate or rest in God’s presence. Linger there.

When Lectio Divina is used with a group, a leader is designated.

Read the passage aloud. Then leave space for silence.
Read the passage aloud again asking the participants to listen for a word or phrase that stands out for them.
Ask each person to speak their word or phrase aloud, one by one.
Sit in silence together.
Another person reads the same passage aloud and asks everyone to pay attention to either an image or feeling that comes to them.
People share this image or feeling with the group, then everyone sits in silence again.
Another person reads the passage a fourth time.
Everyone is asked to connect their word, phrase, feeling, or image to their life at the present moment.
All are asked to reflect silently on those connections.
Participants are offered the opportunity to share their reflections.
Close in silence and a spoken prayer for each person in the group.

Posted in The Roada Devotional | Lent 2024