'I will sing praise to Thee in the sight of the angels: I will worship towards thy holy temple'
- Psalm 137: 1-2
The Lord gave us these words from the Psalms on the night before our Lectio Divina group met for the first time: 2nd October 2013, the Feast of the Guardian Angels. We chose, then, to place our Lectio Divina group under the patronage and protection of the Guardian Angels. The goal of our Lectio Divina is, accompanied by the angels, to adore and bless the Lord who speaks to us through the Scriptures.
The Scriptures are an icon of the Holy Spirit, their words a veil hiding the living presence of the Lord. They are a point of encounter with the Holy Spirit; a privileged means of meeting with God.
The Scriptures are an icon of the Holy Spirit, their words a veil hiding the living presence of the Lord. They are a point of encounter with the Holy Spirit; a privileged means of meeting with God.
As human beings we’re all called to be challenged and look beyond what is in front of your eyes, not to confine ourselves to what is understandable and easy to explain. To fully become the person we are meant to be, and to be truly happy, we must open ourselves to what is infinite, we must open ourselves to God.
Lectio Divina (‘Lectio’ for short) is an ancient form of prayer which has been practiced since the early days of Christianity. It involves reading a passage of the bible and meditating on it. During Lectio we are called to allow ourselves to be open. We open ourselves to the love that God has for each one of us and to the promptings of his Holy spirit.
At the heart of Lectio is a relationship. Through the words of scripture Christ makes himself known to us and allows us to build up a relationship with him. As Christians a relationship with Christ is fundamental to our lives, it gives them shape and colour, it gives us strength and joy. It is only through allowing Christ to love us that we can love others like Christ. It is in loving others like Christ that we ourselves are transformed, becoming more like Christ and growing into the people we are meant to be.
Lectio can be prayed in groups with a time available for group members to share how they experience Christ in the scriptures. At the Chaplaincy here in Bristol we have a strong Lectio group. We meet weekly to do Lectio together and to enjoy each other’s company. Through sharing our experience of Christ in the scriptures we grow in friendship together and form a strong, supportive and welcoming community.
Many people find Lectio Divina a very powerful way of fostering this relationship and developing their own faith. Whether you have or haven’t done it before, whether you’re Catholic or Christian or not, everyone is welcome to come and make themselves open to the greatest love it is possible to know.
Lectio Divina (‘Lectio’ for short) is an ancient form of prayer which has been practiced since the early days of Christianity. It involves reading a passage of the bible and meditating on it. During Lectio we are called to allow ourselves to be open. We open ourselves to the love that God has for each one of us and to the promptings of his Holy spirit.
At the heart of Lectio is a relationship. Through the words of scripture Christ makes himself known to us and allows us to build up a relationship with him. As Christians a relationship with Christ is fundamental to our lives, it gives them shape and colour, it gives us strength and joy. It is only through allowing Christ to love us that we can love others like Christ. It is in loving others like Christ that we ourselves are transformed, becoming more like Christ and growing into the people we are meant to be.
Lectio can be prayed in groups with a time available for group members to share how they experience Christ in the scriptures. At the Chaplaincy here in Bristol we have a strong Lectio group. We meet weekly to do Lectio together and to enjoy each other’s company. Through sharing our experience of Christ in the scriptures we grow in friendship together and form a strong, supportive and welcoming community.
Many people find Lectio Divina a very powerful way of fostering this relationship and developing their own faith. Whether you have or haven’t done it before, whether you’re Catholic or Christian or not, everyone is welcome to come and make themselves open to the greatest love it is possible to know.
Lectio Divina is not a practice which has to take place in a group setting, it can also be practised alone. We would encourage you to build some time for Lectio Divina into your regular prayer life, maybe by taking the Gospel of the day as your reading, or by selecting a book (maybe one of St. Paul's letters) and working through it over a period of time.
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The first writer in the western tradition to explain the practice of Lectio Divina was Guigo II; prior of the Grande Chartreuse Carthusian monastery.
Guigo, writing around 800 years ago, spoke of four movements in Lectio Divina. These four movements are reflected in the practice of Lectio Divina here at the Chaplaincy. "Reading is the careful study of the Scriptures, concentrating all one’s powers on it. Meditation is the busy application of the mind to seek with the help of one’s own reason for knowledge of hidden truth. Prayer is the heart’s devoted turning to God to drive away evil and obtain what is good. Contemplation is when the mind is in some sort lifted up to God and held above itself, so that it tastes the joys of everlasting sweetness…" |
The four movements Guigo identifies are:
These movements are mirrored in the initial reading of the Gospel passage, the period of quiet meditation to ponder the reading, the time of prayerful response, and the opportunity to rest in God's presence and give thanks.
It is a good idea to record the insights gained through the prayer of Lectio Divina. Please feel free to bring a notebook, and to jot down the thoughts and images that occur to you during the time of prayer. This can also be done in your private practice of Lectio Divina, and form the basis of a spiritual journal.
A well-worn and tatty Bible is one that has been read and cherished. It is so important for us to become familiar with the Scriptures. If you are able, please do bring a Bible with you to Lectio Divina (although some are available for use at the Chaplaincy). Get to know your Bible; flick through it, read it often. Your Bible will become a good friend, and a portable oratory where you can meet with God whenever you choose.
- Reading
- Meditation
- Prayer
- Contemplation
These movements are mirrored in the initial reading of the Gospel passage, the period of quiet meditation to ponder the reading, the time of prayerful response, and the opportunity to rest in God's presence and give thanks.
It is a good idea to record the insights gained through the prayer of Lectio Divina. Please feel free to bring a notebook, and to jot down the thoughts and images that occur to you during the time of prayer. This can also be done in your private practice of Lectio Divina, and form the basis of a spiritual journal.
A well-worn and tatty Bible is one that has been read and cherished. It is so important for us to become familiar with the Scriptures. If you are able, please do bring a Bible with you to Lectio Divina (although some are available for use at the Chaplaincy). Get to know your Bible; flick through it, read it often. Your Bible will become a good friend, and a portable oratory where you can meet with God whenever you choose.
