One of the spiritual practices that I have found incredibly centering and life-giving during a time of transition or uncertainty in my life is Lectio Divina.
Lectio Divina,
Which in Latin means divine reading,
Is a meditative way to read the Bible that has been practiced by followers of Christ since the third century.
The foundation of Lectio Divina is this belief and this understanding that the Bible is a living word.
That is to say,
Reading the Bible is having a conversation directly with the Spirit of God,
Hearing God's voice through stories and letters and poems and listening to God speak directly to you through these stories,
These letters,
These poems.
Lectio Divina allows God to speak to your specific relationship with God,
The particular way that God sees you as beloved,
And your personal call to love God and to love and serve your neighbor.
And so,
When you approach Scripture with the intention of hearing God speak directly to you,
The word of Scripture becomes alive.
It starts to resound and to shimmer in a way that is unique to you,
The one who is reading and hearing.
God is desperate for you to hear God's voice.
Lectio Divina is one way that you can say,
Here I am,
Lord.
I'll be guiding you through the five rhythms of our reading,
Which include part one,
Which is centering and preparing ourselves to hear the word.
Part two is the reading.
I'll read the passage twice.
Trusting that God is speaking,
We're going to listen for a word or a phrase or an image that stands out to each of us.
In part three,
Spend time in contemplation,
Considering what God might be speaking through that word,
Phrase or image through this passage of Scripture.
Part four,
We respond to God in prayer.
In part five,
Finally,
We rest in God's peace and love.
Please know that there is no wrong way to encounter God through Lectio Divina.
Even if your mind wanders,
You're invited to either call yourself back to focusing on our reading or to approach the wandering mind with curiosity.
Maybe the wandering is part of your experience of hearing God speak.
If silence is difficult for you,
As it is for so many of us,
Feel free to focus on your breath or on the music that you hear.
So prepared with an understanding of what is to come,
Let us encounter the living Word together.
Part one,
Centering and preparing.
In this moment,
I invite you to either out loud or silently let God know that you intend to turn your heart and mind and spirit toward what God wants to speak to you.
Part two.
Part two,
Reading.
I'll read the passage twice.
Notice what word,
Phrase,
Or image stands out to you,
What resonates with you or disturbs you.
If you are someone who sees the text in your mind as you hear it read,
What shimmers or is highlighted.
You'll take that word,
Phrase,
Or image to our next part of the reading.
A reading from the Gospel of Mark,
Chapter four,
Verses 35 through 41.
Jesus stops a storm.
Later that day,
When evening came,
Jesus said to them,
Let's cross over to the other side of the lake.
They left the crowd and took him in the boat just as he was.
Other boats followed along.
Gale force winds arose and waves crashed against the boat so that the boat was swamped.
But Jesus was in the rear of the boat sleeping on a pillow.
They woke him up and said,
Teacher,
Don't you care that we're drowning?
He got up and gave orders to the wind and he said to the lake,
Silence,
Be still.
The wind settled down and there was great calm.
Jesus asked them,
Why are you frightened?
Don't you have faith yet?
Overcome with awe,
They said to each other,
Who then is this?
Even the wind and the sea obey him.
And again,
Mark chapter four,
Verses 35 through 41.
Later that day,
When evening came,
Jesus said to them,
Let's cross over to the other side of the lake.
They left the crowd and took him in the boat just as he was.
Other boats followed along.
Gale force winds arose and waves crashed against the boat so that the boat was swamped.
But Jesus was in the rear of the boat sleeping on a pillow.
They woke him up and said,
Teacher,
Don't you care that we're drowning?
He got up and gave orders to the wind and he said to the lake,
Silence,
Be still.
The wind settled down and there was great calm.
Jesus asked them,
Why are you frightened?
Don't you have faith yet?
Overcome with awe,
They said to each other,
Who then is this?
Even the wind and the sea obey him.
Part three,
Contemplation.
Now it's time to focus on the word,
The phrase,
Or the image that stood out to you.
Bring it to your attention and repeat it in your mind slowly,
Noticing what thoughts or feelings arise.
Part four,
Responding to God in prayer.
Without worrying about how you're praying,
Simply have a conversation with God,
Either aloud or silently,
About what captured your attention from the reading and what thoughts or feelings came up during the contemplation.
Oh,
Part Five.
Rest in God's peace and love.
Now that you've had a conversation with God,
Just sit with God.
It's not necessary to do anything.
Just continue being present with God.
If thoughts or feelings continue to arise,
That's okay.
God might have more to say.
And then we close with the Lord's Prayer.
Feel free to say it aloud with me or just to say it silently in your heart.
Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom,
The power,
And the glory are yours,
Now and forever.
Amen.
