Lectio Divina

Reading is Important

For every Christian, and especially for the monk, reading is important in order to shore up the distinctive structure of beliefs and values that is necessary if we are to live a life worthy of the gospel and to be strangers to the ways of the world. The more exposure we have to unevangelical modes… Read More ›

Reading and Prayer

On Lectio Divina

120. Next, at fixed hours time should be given to certain definite reading. For haphazard reading, constantly varied and as if lighted on by chance does not edify but makes the mind unstable; taken into the memory lightly, it goes out from it even more lightly. But you should concentrate on certain authors and let… Read More ›

Spirit of Reverence shapes Lectio Divina

Five ways in which the spirit of reverence shapes lectio divina: Reverence propels us toward silence, and silence enables us to listen. Reverence will cause us to surround our reading with safeguards to its seriousness. Reverence for God’s Word means respect for the text of the Bible. . . . It points to a zeal… Read More ›

Which is Greater: The Word or Body of Christ?

Brothers and sisters, here is a question for you: Which to you seems the greater, the word of God or the body of Christ? If you want to give the right answer you will reply that God’s word is not less than Christ’s body. Therefore, just as we take care when we receive the body… Read More ›

Contemplative Prayer

Contemplation becomes a way of life. I don’t like to think of it so much as something I do but something I am, so I often use the phrase-the contemplative stance. It’s a way of living, moving, and being in this world. I fully admit that we don’t live all of our twenty-four hours there…. Read More ›

Lectio Divina and Prayer

On the Observance of Lent: Lectio during Lent

[return to part three] In chapter forty-eight, Benedict sets forth an observance which is still prevalent in our order. He is talking in that chapter of the daily manual labor but he goes on to say: During the days of Lent, they should be free in the morning to read until the third hour, after… Read More ›

An Example of Lectio Divina

The follow is a interesting description of the author’s experience with Lectio Divina. It is particularly instructive in how a person’s thoughts can often focus on a particular word. He does not write about what this encounter with the word “live” means to him personally. He is really only speaking here of the second step… Read More ›

Lectio Divina as School of Prayer

There is a great number of scholarly articles that have been published to the web. Periodically a fairly long article will be posted to this site site for your study and enlightenment. Mostly it will be simply a link with a short introduction similar to what was done in a recent post. At other times… Read More ›