Issue #9: Lectio Divina: The Sacred Art of Divine Reading

See previous issue: Benedictine Spirituality

Have you ever tried praying the Scriptures? In this blog, I am going to introduce you to Lectio Divina, which is Latin for “Divine Reading.” It’s nothing more than meditating upon the Scriptures and praying them meaningfully and purposefully. Many people get hung up on the word meditation, but Eugene Peterson explains,

Lectio divina is a way of reading the Scriptures that is congruent with the way the Scriptures serve the Christian community as a witness to God’s revelation of himself to us. It is the wise guidance developed through the centuries of devout Bible reading to discipline us, the readers of Scripture, into appropriate ways of understanding and receiving this text so that it is formative for the way we live our lives, not merely making an impression on our minds or feelings. It intends the reading of Scripture to be a permeation of our lives by the revelation of God.[1]

This is a very different kind of meditation from Eastern meditation, where one is taught to empty one’s mind. The opposite is true here, where you are to fill your mind with Scripture. Of course, the Bible, especially the Psalms encourages us to meditate on Scripture, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer” (Psalm 19:14), “My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding” (Psalm 49:3), and “May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the Lord” (Psalm 104:34).

Lectio Divina is about letting God speak to you through his Word. Don’t approach this academically like you would a Bible study, which is important too, but approach it like an innocent child. This form of bible meditation has only five simple steps, but before you begin, you could start by offering a short prayer, like, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” (1 Samuel 3:9). The five steps are:

First, read a short Bible passage, typically 6 to 12 verses long, which is called Lectio. The second step is Meditatio, which is to meditate. So read the same passage again very slowly and reflect deeply on it, take your time. The third step is Oratio, meaning to pray. Read the same passage a third time slowly, and as you do, begin to pray through the passage. If anything that you are reading stands out to you, have a conversation with God about it. Next is Contemplatio, that is, contemplation. Take a moment and rest in God’s presence. Be at peace with him and enjoy being with him in silence as you quietly contemplate what you have read and what God has said to you through his Word. The final step is action. From there, put what you have learned into action. Remember, we must be hearers and doers of the Word.[2]

Lectio Divina is all about knowing God and practicing his presence, as we learned from Brother Lawrence. It’s also more than an intellectual exercise of the mind; it’s an exercise of the heart and soul where we seek after God because we want more of him.

Task

I want you to do Lectio Divina with one of my favorite passages, Mark 4:35–41, Jesus Calms the Storm. Go through all the steps, read, meditate, pray, contemplate, and then put it into action.

See previous issue: Benedictine Spirituality

AI Disclaimer:

This article has been edited for grammar, clarity, and readability using AI-assisted tools. The core content, theological insights, and personal reflections remain my original work.

Notes:

[1] Peterson, Eugene. 2006. Eat This Book: A Conversation in the Art of Spiritual Reading. London: Hodder & Stoughton Ltd, p 81.

[2]  These five steps are taken from the annotated prayer guide in Brother Lawrence, 2023. The Practice of the

Presence of God. St Francis Bay: Gladdening Light Press, pp 77–79.