LECTIO DIVINA AN ANCIENT WAY TO READ SCRIPTURE

LECTIO DIVINA AN ANCIENT WAY TO READ SCRIPTURE

Then the voice that I had heard speaking from heaven spoke to me again, saying, "Go and take the open scroll which is in the hand of the angel standing on the sea and on the land. " I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, "Take it and eat it; it will turn sour in your stomach, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey. " I took the little scroll from his hand ate it, and it tasted sweet as honey in my mouth. But after I swallowed it, it turned sour in my stomach. Then I was told, "Once again you must proclaim God's message about many nations, races, languages, and kings. " Rev 10: 8 -11

"Mortal man, listen to what I tell you. Don't be rebellious like them. Open your mouth and eat what I am going to give you. " I saw a hand reaching out toward me, and it was holding a scroll. The hand unrolled the scroll, and I saw that there was writing on both sides---cries of grief were written there, and wails and groans. God said, "Mortal man, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the people of Israel. " So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat. He said, "Mortal man, eat this scroll that I give you; fill your stomach with it. " I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey. Then God said, "Mortal man, go to the people of Israel and say to them whatever I tell you to say. Ezek 2: 8 – 3: 4

HOW DO WE READ OUR BIBLE ? There are many reason why people read Scripture and these reasons affect how we read Scripture

• Some are fascinated by the intellectual challenges posed by the Bible HOW DO WE READ OUR BIBLE ? • Others who read Scripture for more practical reasons – for guidance as to how to life well and how to avoid trouble • Some read the bible for inspiration or comfort or even hope • Some read Scripture for spiritual upliftment WE ALL COME TO THE BILE FROM EITHER ONE OR ALL OF THE ABOVE WAYS WE ALL COME TO THE BIBLE IN SINCERITY

BUT !!!!!!!“ !!!!!!! HOW DO WE READ OUR BIBLE ? It is possible to read the Bible from a number of different angles and for various purposes WITHOUT DEALING WITH GOD AS HE REVEALED HIMSELF, without setting ourselves under the authority of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit who is alive and present in everything we are and do. To put it bluntly, not everyone who gets interested in the Bible and even gets excited about the Bible wants to get involved with God” Eugene Peterson EAT THIS BOOK : 30

HOW DO WE READ OUR BIBLE ? CS Lewis wrote, in the last book he ever wrote that there are two kinds of reading. “There is the reading in which we use a book for our own purposes. And there is the reading in which we receive the authors purposes. The first ensures only bad reading; the second opens the possibility of good reading. ” CS Lewis quote pg 30

A NEW DANGER HOW DO WE READ OUR BIBLE ? Unlike the depersonalised reading of the text we have touched on, we can also read Scripture from very personalised way but which is at odds with what is achieved while reading Scripture in submission to the authority of the Holy Spirit

CS Lewis wrote, in the last book he ever wrote that there are two kinds of reading. HOW DO WE READ OUR BIBLE ? “There is the reading in which we use a book for our own purposes. And there is the reading in which we receive the authors purposes. The first ensures only bad reading; the second opens the possibility of good reading. ” CS Lewis quote pg 30

HOW DO WE READ OUR BIBLE ? We come to Scripture from our own authority and of ourselves being in charge and authority for our own spiritual development and ourselves as being in charge for ourselves We come to Scripture from the individualised position of our wants, needs and feelings

HOW DO WE READ OUR BIBLE ? We are essentially profoundly selfcentered and arrogant From the youngest of ages we learn from role-models and are taught to choose for ourselves what is best for us We are taught that we have a say in the formation of our lives and, within certain boundaries, the decisive say in our lives We Lord it over our own lives and destinies and in the process current psychological wisdom and the media confirm and affirm the sovereignty of our needs, wants and feelings And so these three rule as sovereign in our lives – our needs, wants and feelings

HOW DO WE READ OUR BIBLE ? OUR NEEDS are non-negotiable – our need for fulfillment, expression, affirmation, sexual satisfaction, respect, to get my own way. Our so-called individual rights are fundamental to my identity MY WANTS are evidence of my expanding sense of kingdom. I train myself to think big because I am big, important, significant. I am larger than life and so require more and more goods and services, more things and more power. I have to consume and acquire. MY FEELINGS are the truth of who I am. Anything or person who can provide me with ecstasy, excitement, joy and stimulus with psychological or spiritual connection validates my sovereignty. This involves gurus, therapists, travel agents, gadgets, recreations and entertainments to cast out the devils of boredom or loss or discontent – all the feelings that undermine or challenge my self-sovereignty THE SOVEREIGNTY OF OUR NEEDS, WANTS AND FEELINGS ARE CONFIRMED BY HOSTS OF NEW SPIRITUAL MASTERS – SCIENTISTS, ECONOMISTS, PSYCHOLOGISTS, POETS, WRITERS, EDUCATORS AND ACTORS

HOW DO WE READ OUR BIBLE ? We come to Scripture from our own authority and of ourselves being in charge and authority for our own spiritual development and ourselves as being in charge for ourselves We come to Scripture from the individualised position of our wants, needs and feelings

HOW DO WE READ OUR BIBLE ? “The danger of installing the self as the authoritative text for living, at the same time we are honouring the Holy Scriptures by giving them a prominent place on the shelf, is both enormous and insidious. ” Peterson EAT THIS BOOK : 34

WHAT IS LECTIO DIVINA

The antique use of Lectio Divina is a manner of readng the Bible and with the Holy Scripture which enables us to meet God in Scripture, or better still, to open ourselves up to His work in our lives. Lectio divina is the Latin term meaning divine reading or holy reading. We could interpret it as meaning Godly reading or the spiritual rading of the Bible. This art, which was rediscovered in the last few years, is a means whereby we allow Scripture to be God meant it to be : a medium through which we meet God. The Bible is not an information book about God or God’s will. The Bible is God’s word (Word) to us. The purpose of God’s Word is conversation and the meeting with us. The purpose of reading the Bible can be nothing other than us personally meeting the Lord Jesus and allowing Him, through the work of the Holy Spirit, to change our lives according to His will. Lectio Divina is a practical and dynamic method to help us in this process. For this reason lectio divina can be described as “a way of reading that becomes a way of living. ”

The purpose of lectio devina is not to follow a method of reading the Bible like a slave. The purpose to to meet God. Often we will not be able to follow all four steps in the process. When we become aware of the Lord speaking to us we need to stop and take the time to listen to Him. This method must not be seen and handled like a straight-line process where every step always and precisely follows the previous one. Rather it is like a spiral where all four elements are constantly present and play a role in different orders. The important point is that all four elements need constantly play a role and that not one must be practiced as a isolated element from the others.

A FOUR DIMENSIONED APPROACH • LECTIO – reading • MEDITATO – meditation and reflection • ORATIO –prayer • COMTEMPLATIO – Rest/ Life

THE PRACTICE OF LECTIO DIVINA

LECTIO READING

LEARNING TO HEAR THE WORD OF GOD LECTIO READING The reason is that the purpose behind this step is not to “know” but to “hear” the Word of God. The process of listening differs substantially from the process of reading and lection assists us to start hearing the Word again. Although the first step entails reading, we would rather think about it in terms of “hearing. ” The art of lectio is to “hear” while we are “reading. ” We are reading the text seeking to meet with God. This is an exceptional way of reading – it is reading ‘with the ear of our hearts’ (St. Benedict

Ø read the text slowly with attention LECTIO READING Ø try to open ourselves for the possibility that God want to speak to us now through His Word, that He wants to touch us and address us and change us through His Word.

WORDS OR PHRASES THAT STRIKE US LECTIO READING Ø Underline words and phrases that either strike you and cause you to wonder or think. Ø Take note of thoughts that come to mind. Ø After that you can perhaps read something that explains the text and compare this with your first thoughts about the text.

MEDITATO

GO BACK TO THE TEXTS THAT STRUCK US MEDITATO MEDITATION Ø When you have read through the text once or a few times, go back to the words or phrases that struck you or which you wrote down or underlined. Ø The meditato phase of lectio divina leads one to be still with these phrases and to think over them. Ø It is to repeatedly go over something in thought, to memorise and visualise and to allow it to interact with who you are (your ideas, thoughts, hopes, fears and desires)

USING OUR IMAGINATIVE POWER MEDITATO MEDITATION Meditation tries to draw us into the living world of the texts and to change us from being spectators of the text to partakers of it. The images and stories of the text draw us into the greater story of God with us. Use your imaginative power.

Ø Place yourself into the passage and imagine you are part of the story. MEDITATO MEDITATION Ø Listen to what is being said, look at teh various reactions, try and understand even feel the various reactions and feelings. Ø Go back to Jesus and try to discover and experience who He is in the text. Ø Be suprprised and amazed at His words, His actions, His answers and reactions – everything to do with Him in the passage.

MEDITATO MEDITATION “Meditation moves from looking at the words of the text to entering the world of the text. As we take the text into ourselves, we find that the text is taking us into itself. Meditatio is letting the images and stories of the entire revelation penetrate our understanding. ” (Eugene Peterson, p 99)

HOW LONG SHOULD WE STAY ON A TEXT MEDITATO MEDITATION Ø Meditate on a word or phrase as long as you feel you need to or as long as it grasps your attention. It may be a momentary reflection or take a few minutes or even a few days or weeks reflecting on a phrase or word. Ø The important thing that you allow the text the time to do its work in you – just don’t rush from one word or phrase to the next.

MEDITATO MEDITATION One of advantages about meditating on the Word in this way is that we naturally learn and memorise (sometimes in your heart) certain passages To recall these passages and to pray them with your heart enables you to experience the closeness of God during your day and night.

ORATIO OR

RESPONDING TO HEARING GOD SPEAK TO US – PRAYER ORATIO The realisation that God does speak to us when we read the Word of God and experience of God speaking demands a response from us. This response – whether it comes in the form of words, thoughts, feelings or even a sigh – is called prayer. Prayer is the third phase of lectio divina whereby we simply respond out of our reflection on the Word, to God.

RESPONDING TO THE GOD WHO SPEAKS TO US ORATIO • Respond to the things that touched you in the text; use the words, images and metaphors upon which you meditated; • respond with the emotions, thoughts and perceptions that you experienced during your reflection on the Word; • share with God the things that you became aware of. • It often helps to write down these things while you pray.

KEEPING PRAYER AS A DYNAMIC PROCESS ORATIO Remember that oratio, as is with all the steps of lectio divina, is a dynamic process. While we read the text there exists the need to reflect over certain parts of the text, and while we meditate the desire exists to talk to God about these texts. Sometime we respond with short prayers or thoughts, other times we spend a large prtion of time in prayer. We can also go back to the text and start the steps of the process from beginning again. Do not try to structure or plan the time of prayer. Rather try to be sensitive to the movment of the Spirit while we spend time with God’s Word.

CONTEMPLATO

CONTEMPLATO • The last step in lectio is contemplatio. It is a time of rest – a being restful in God’s Word. Although it may appear so contemplatio is not meerly a passive action. It is a rest wherein we internalise in our spirit that which we have read, experienced and prayed about.

CONTEMPLATO • It is here that God comes and makes us aware of His way and purpose for us. It is here that lays upon our hearts His will for us, where He changed us from the inside through His Word and Spirit. This change from the inside asks to be lived out. It demands for action and change in thought and way of life

CONTEMPLATO

CONTEMPLATO

CONTEMPLATO