PRACTICAL EXERCISE | Silence and Solitude, Exercise 3 | Lectio Divina (Latin for Spiritual reading)

• Click here for the JMC’s thoughts on doing this.

• Choose a short part from these passages, for example you could use

  • Psalm 23 or Psalm 37 or Psalm 40 (CLICK HERE TO PRINT)

  • John 15 or John 17

  • Galatians 5

  • Ephesians 1

    • You may want to print it off so that you can annotate it as you go

  • Then Follow the 5 stages of Lectio Divina

    • Come to quiet.

      • turn your attention and desire over to God. Feel free to rest for a few moments, as

        you slow your mind down to the pace of the Spirit.

    • Stage 1: Read/lectio

      • Read the passage slowly and pay attention to each line.

      • Take your time.

      • As you move through the text, pay close attention to what “shimmers,” what words and ideas draw your attention in a special way.

      • When your heart is drawn to a word or phrase or idea, pause for a few moments, and let it expand in your mind.

    • Stage 2: Reflect/Mediatio

      • After you finish reading the passage, return to the beginning and read it again.

      • On your second time, focus even more on the words or phrases that resonate with your heart, life, or what- ever you’re wrestling with today.

      • Listen for what God is saying to you through the text

    • Stage 3: Respond/oratio:

      • Talk to God about what you are hearing

    • Stage 4: Rest/contemplatio

      • Pause to sit in God’s presence before you return to the noise of life.

      • Express what-ever is in your heart to God - wonder, awe, joy, hope or gratitude

    • Stage 5: incarnate/incarnatio

      • Ask the Spirit to illuminate our mind with a clear action step to incarnate the passive we’ve been sitting in.

• Discuss the impact of doing this exercise together