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The Word of the Lord came to me …
puzzling me … encouraging me …
disturbing me … comforting me ….
In his WYD Letter to Youth for 2006, Pope Benedict
called the Church to rediscover the ancient
art of Lectio Divina, of praying with the Scriptures.
The following short article has been
prepared by the Sisters of the Good Samaritan
of the Order of St Benedict.. This
version is designed for use by a group. It can
be adapted for personal use.
PREPARATION
• Play some soft music.
• Light a candle.
• Open the Bible to the section you have chosen
for today.
• Focus on Prayer: be aware God is with you.
FIRST READING
(Lectio)
• Read the text you have chosen for the first
time.
• Listen to the reading with the ear of your
heart.
SILENT REFLECTION
(2 minutes)
• Be aware of any word or phrase that attracts
your attention.
• Repeat it quietly and slowly to yourself,
conscious that this is a gift from God to you.
Do not force anything. If nothing comes,
stay with the silence
SHARING A WORD OR PHRASE
• When the leader invites you, simply share
the Word or phrase that caught your attention.
Don’t rush. Leave time to savour the
words that people share.
• An image you might find helpful is that of
dropping a stone into water and then allowing
the ripples to flow out and come to rest
again. Each word we share is like dropping
the stone into the water and the silence is
like the time needed to allow the ripples to
come to calm again in the water.
SECOND READING
(Lectio)
• Read the text you have chosen for the second
time.
• Listen again to the reading with the ear of
your heart.
SILENT REFLECTION (Meditatio – 5-10 minutes)
• As you spend time in silent reflection, hold
your word or phrase reverently within you.
• Another word may arise.
• Chew these words over in your mind, wonder
about their meaning.
• How do these words connect with what is going
on in your life?
• Notice what you are felling.
PRAYER
(Oratio)
• Ask God what these words, feelings, reflections
might mean for your life.
• Listen to how God responds
CONTEMPLATION
(Contemplatio)
• Just be with God.
• In the silence God’s Spirit and your spirit will
commune at a level beyond words and feelings.
SHARING
• Share something of this experience with others
in your group..
CONCLUSION
• Pray slowly this Prayer of Praise to the Trinity:
Glory be
to the Father,
and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now and every shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
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