Lectio Divina
“Speak Lord your servant is listening”
Lectio Divina is a theological method which does not cost money or academic background and includes all Gods people coming to know Him. It is a home coming story where we can all relate and identify with the characters more so than in some television programs or films. Lectio Divina means sacred reading – it is at one and the same time a prayful reading of God’s word which is written in the Bible and written in our own lives and the world. Jesus teachings are not moral commands but are in fact wisdom teachings. This method is based on an understanding of God that is not authoritarian but a God who wants to share and who brings out the truth. Moralising is the number 1 enemy of Lectio. It is alienating and says we are not where we should be. God meets us no matter where we are or in what state we are in. Jesus’ method of communication was homecoming. Jesus is not sitting on a throne throwing down commands at us. When we think about Jesus in the story we get a whole understanding of Him and recognise him as a real person for us. When we enter into the wisdom of the passage we enter into the wisdom of God. Our story is very important and when we can relate our story to the story of Jesus it is a great wisdom moment. We hear the Jesus story. We recognise it and the moment of wisdom is the fruit of this. Side by side with the wisdom moment is the contemplative moment – another dimension of prayer. One thing that amazed me about Lectio Divina is that even though we have the same gospel at different times the same wisdom moment does not arise because we are in a different place. This to me is the gospel being fully alive. Lectio Divina is God in the world saying and doing what God did in the scriptures.
Click here to go to the Lectio Reflection archive.
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