Lectio Divina is the traditional Benedictine practice of reading Sacred Scripture slowly and prayerfully so that the Word of God may penetrate the heart. It is not Bible study. It is a form of prayer.
St. Benedict sets aside time for it in the daily horarium (Rule, ch. 48) and reminds us that every page of the divinely inspired books of the Old and New Testaments is a most exact rule of human life (Rule, ch. 73).
How to pray Lectio Divina
- Prepare
Find a quiet place. Make the sign of the Cross. Invoke the Holy Ghost: Veni, Sancte Spiritus… or simply ask the Lord to open your heart to His Word. - Lectio (Reading)
Read the chosen passage slowly, preferably aloud, two or three times. Do not rush. Let the words sink in.
Suggested text (optional): the Gospel of the day - Meditatio (Meditation)
Pause. Repeat a word or phrase that stands out. Reflect on it. What does the Lord say to you in this text today? Turn it over in your mind as the cow chews the cud. - Oratio (Prayer)
Respond to God. Speak to Him in your own words about what you have read. Offer thanksgiving, petition, or contrition as the text moves you. - Contemplatio (Contemplation)
Rest in silence before God. Let go of words and thoughts. Simply remain in His presence. This is a gift; do not force it.
Notes for Oblates
- The daily Gospel is offered only as a convenient starting point. You may use it, continue through a book of Scripture, or choose any other passage.
- Prefer the Douay-Rheims (or the Vulgate) when possible.
- Fifteen to thirty minutes is a good length. Consistency matters more than duration.
- If distractions come, gently return to the text or to a short prayer.
- Lectio is best done in the morning after Lauds or at the time set aside in the monastic horarium, but any quiet moment is suitable.
“Seek in reading and you will find in meditating; knock in praying and it will be opened to you in contemplation.”
— Guigo II, The Ladder of Monks