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The Prayer Pack
Allofusprayindifferentwaysatdifferentstagesinourlives.SometimesourwayofprayingchangesaswegrowinourrelationshipwithGod
‘LectioDivina’–or‘SacredReading’asitissometimescalled–isaspecificwayofprayingwith theBible. In contrast toaBible study,whereweseek thedeepermeaningof thetext itself, inLectioDivinaweremainwithaparticular textasawayofencounteringtheLivingWordthatcanspeaktoeachofuspersonallyattheheartofourlives.
‘LectioDivina’asawayofpraying iscloselyassociatedwiththestructureofthelifeofprayerwithinmonasticism. ButStOrigenreferredtothiswayof readingtheBiblealreadyinthe3rdcentury,longbeforethemonastictraditionemerged.LectioDivinawasformalisedbyGuigoII,aCarthusianmonkwholivedinthe12thcentury. InhisbooktheLadderof theMonks,heexplainsthiswayofpraying infour steps: lectio (reading), meditation (pondering), oratio (prayer) andcontemplation(wondering).
Some Biblical texts that can be used for practicing this way of praying:Ps23,139;Is43:1-7and55:1-13;Jer29:11-14;1Kings19,orEph3:14-21.
Booksuggestions
Hayden,Christopher(2001)PrayingtheScripture-sAPracticalIntroductiontoLectioDivina,StPaul’sPublishing.ValtersPaintner,C.andWynkoop,L.(2008)LectioDivinaContemplativeAwakeningandAwareness,PaulistPress.
Frontcoverimage:SCarlsson
PrayingwiththeBible
LectioDivina–HolyReading
“TheHolySpirit….willteachyoueverythingandremindyouofallIhavesaidtoyou.”John14.26
WetendtoreadtheBibletogainknowledgeandinspiration;tofindoutwhatwecandowithit.
ButthereisawayofprayingwiththeScripturesthatcanbringusintopersonalcontactwithGod.
Aslow,meditativereadingofaselectedpassageorpsalm,lettingthewordssinkinandevenusingyourimaginationtobecomepartofwhatisbeingdescribedcanbeatransformingexperience.
Thiscanbedifficultatfirst,soherearesomesimplestepstohelpyouonyourway.
Chooseoneofthesuggestedpassagesorpsalms.Takeafewminutestogetintoarelaxedattentiveness.
RememberthatthesewordsareGod’swords,andthattheyspeaktoyou,hereandnow.
Readthepassageorpsalmslowly,afewwordsatatime.Readitoutloudorinawhisper,butalwaysinrhythmwithyourbreathing,andrepeatwordsorphraseswheneveryoufeellikeit.
Lingerwhereveryoufeeldrawnormovedbywhatyouhaveread,orperhapsconfused,evendisturbedbywhatthewordsaresayingtoyou–thesefeelingsareoftenthespringboardforgrowth,ifyoucanownthemandpraywiththem.
Respondtowhathasmovedyou:givethankstoGod,orshareyoursadnessandconfusion;askforhishelp,hisforgiveness.
Finally,talktoGodaboutyourthoughtsregardingthisparticularpassage–anyfeelingsithasevoked,doubtsorconcernsthathavearisenduringprayertime.Behonest.Speakfromtheheart,asyouwouldwithagoodfriend.
Ifyoufindthiswayofprayingquitechallengingtobeginwith,don’tlosehope:itmayjustneedalittlepractice,sokeeptrying,andshareyourconcernswithGod.Asyoupray,theSpiritofJesuswillguideandteachyou,enablingyoutoletyourpresentrealitymeettherealityandtruthoftheGospel.
Whenyou’reready,endyourprayerbysayingthankyouorusingwordsthatarefamiliar,suchastheLord’sPrayer(OurFather)–whicheverfeelsrightandcomfortable.