How to Practice Lectio Divina

 

 

Lectio Divina prayer as a Group at St. David's

 

 

We prepare ourselves as you would for individual prayer and also have the use of the Prego and Prego plus leaflets from the St. Beuno’s Jesuit Spirituality centre.    https://stbeunosoutreach.wordpress.com

 

We keep it simple and follow seven simple steps.

 

1. Invite

We remind ourselves that the Risen Lord is with us. Someone will offer a prayer of welcome and thanks to the Lord and each person prays for the grace they personally need, this can be done silently or shared, the choice is the individuals.

 

2. Read

Someone will read the chosen scripture reading – we focus on the Gospel of the coming Sunday. The reading is slow and prayful.

 

3. View with wonder

Anyone in the group may pick out a word or short phrase that particularly speaks to them, they read them aloud prayfully and repeat them three times.  [the silence between repetitions should be long enough to repeat the same word once or twice in our hearts]

 

 

Afterwards:  Another reader will read a different version of the same scripture passage. [other bibles are available or passages from a variety of versions can be sourced at       www.biblegateway.com
 

 

4.Listen

We keep silent for approximately 15 mins and allow God to speak to us.

 

5. Share

We share what has touched us personally, this is not intended as a discussion but a sharing of our personal experience [there is no obligation to speak].  Afterwards we think of a word for life to keep us focused for the week.

 

6.Plan for action

Some time is then given thinking how we can bring this to our lives, this can be shared or kept private. When possible, if there is something we can do as a group, this can also be discussed.

 

 

7. Pray

Anyone who wishes may pray spontaneously.

We end with a prayer which everyone knows.

 

 

 

 

Lectio Divina as an individual

 

 

• First, choose the passage you intend to pray.

• Enter into the prayer in a quiet place in a comfortable yet attentive posture.

• Mark the start of the prayer by recognising you are in the presence of God.

• Be aware of your own needs 

• - what gift or grace do you feel you need to ask of God?

• Slowly read the passage

• Stop where a word of phrase strikes you. 

• Savour it, stay with it as long as there is something in it for you.

• The passage may trigger off thoughts on your own life - that is fine.

• Talk to God in your own words, or simply stay in silence before God.

• When you are ready, or if you become distracted, move on to the next phrase, and again, 

• stop when something strikes you. Take your time.

• When your prayer time is finished, end with a short prayer.

 

The idea is not so much to think about the passage as to let it engage your feelings, emotions and life.

The questions to ask when looking back on the prayer are:
     What struck me? 
     How did I react and feel? 
     Does this tell me anything about God, myself, or the way I relate to God or to others?