What is lectio divina?

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, CCC 2708, “Meditation engages thought, imagination, emotion, and desire. This mobilization of faculties is necessary in order to deepen our convictions of faith, prompt the conversion of our heart, and strengthen our will to follow Christ. Christian prayer tries above all to meditate on the mysteries of Christ, as in lectio divina or the rosary. This form of prayerful reflection is of great value, but Christian prayer should go further: to the knowledge of the love of the Lord Jesus, to union with him.” The five steps of lectio divina include:

• Reading. Read a passage slowly and carefully within the bible.
• Meditation. Thinking deeply or dwelling upon a spiritual reality within a text.
• Prayer. Having a loving conversation with God.
• Contemplation. Resting in Gods presence.
• Action. Go and do likewise.

Before I begin Lectio Divina, which includes about one hour, I usually have a cup of tea, coffee, or water.

November 17, 2024 – Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time: Dn 12:1-3, Ps 16:5, 8, 9-10, 11, Heb 10:11-14, 18, Mk 13:24-32

Using the five steps for this week’s Gospel, one reads the following slowly trying to visualize what Jesus said to His disciples, which is about the end times. I chose to read this Gospel three times since it is very challenging to think of the end times. After a pause, the words that attracted me were: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” Thinking deeply about these words, I reflect about where this reading has touched my life. Its nice to know that what Jesus said as noted in Scripture will never pass away and that His words are the truth, the way and the life. Before I go to my prayer, I read the Gospel again very slowly and have a deep prayer with God, lifting all my doubts, my emotions, my good and bad thoughts to God, having a one-on-one conversation with God. At times I struggle, but I try not to give up on this Lectio Divina and sip my coffee, looking out the window. Then I just try to sit still and rest in God’s presence having known that the words of Jesus never pass away. Pausing, I read the Scripture again and decide what small action I can do with the words I have chosen. After 10-15 minutes, I decide that maybe I need to be honest when I speak to others with compassion in the words that I choose.

God bless you! SK

“Jesus said to his disciples:
“In those days after that tribulation
the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light,
and the stars will be falling from the sky,
and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
“And then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in the clouds’
with great power and glory,
and then he will send out the angels
and gather his elect from the four winds,
from the end of the earth to the end of the sky.
“Learn a lesson from the fig tree.
When its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves,
you know that summer is near.
In the same way, when you see these things happening,
know that he is near, at the gates.
Amen, I say to you,
this generation will not pass away
until all these things have taken place.
Heaven and earth will pass away,
but my words will not pass away.
But of that day or hour, no one knows,
neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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