In preparing myself for this week I reread an article I have on ‘Lectio Divina’ and put it into practise with Matthew 14:13-21, Jesus feeding the 5,000 with the 5 loves and 2 fishes. I have had a wonderful time of reading, reflecting, further marvelling at the person and compassion and provision of Jesus the Christ. I have hunted up a sculpture, a mosaic plate and a photo that have all added to my ‘ruminating’ on the Biblical text and taking scripture further into my life. All and every way of immersing myself in the Bible is life giving. Lectio Divina is one way; a helpful way. Enjoy 🙂

Basically Lectio is reflecting on a small portion of the text. It is a different approach to the way we would normally read the bible. It is a way of reading slowly and with reverence and appreciation. It is ruminating on the text, savouring the text until all the sweet juices are given up. It is a divine encounter where we have to learn to read slowly and with careful attention; we have to read the words of scripture over and over until they pierce us through. They are to be imprinted on our hearts and memories so that they can continually return to our minds.
 
Lectio Divina is a fluid process, which for ease of understanding, can best be described as a movement, a progression, stages which flow into one another:
Lectio – Meditatio – Oratio – Contemplatio – Evangelizatio – Ruminatio
(Read – understand/reflect – pray – be still – respond – continue to ponder.)

You may like to use a journal to dialogue with the text/with God/with yourself – asking questions like:

What do you want of me?
How can I hear what you are saying and allow it to shape my life?
How is my life touched by the Word?
Is there an invitation there for me?
Does the Word relate to what is happening in my life now?
How does it make me feel? Why?

Article, An Introduction to Lectio Divina by Margaret Crook. Thanks to Melbourne Anglican’s ‘Faith and Worship’.