Lectio Divina Today

Lectio Divina, or Divine Reading, is a traditional monastic practice for experiencing scripture as a "Living Word" to connect with and deepen our relationship with the Divine.

 

The process contains four stages - Read, Reflect, Respond, and Rest.

The regular practice of Lectio Divina dates back to the 6th century during the time of St. Benedict. The two forms of Lectio Divina are monastic and scholastic.

The monastic form is the oldest and it moves more dynamically through the stages as prompted by the holy spirit. As such, it is more suited to be practiced alone. The scholastic form was developed during the middle ages and contains the four distinct stages in order. This is the method we will use for our group practice.

Lectio Divina is a separate practice from reading or studying the Bible and praying the scriptures, which are all fruitful in their own right.

During Lectio Divina it is suggested to listen with “an ear of the heart” as we move between the four stages of Read, Reflect, Respond, and Rest. It is beneficial to frame this practice as a divine conversation with the “living word” suggesting the topics of the conversation. Accordingly an intention to remain open is recommended.