Lectio Divina

A Guide by Fr. Carlos Urrutigoity

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The Organic Process Of Lectio Divina

“Hear, O Israel, the statutes and ordinances that I am addressing to you today;
you shall learn them and observe them diligently!” (Deut 5:1).
“This is the last exhortation by the Apostle: thinking with the thought of Christ.
And we can do this by reading holy Scripture,
where the thoughts of Christ are Words, which speak to us.
In this sense we should follow the lectio divina,
listening in the Scriptures to the thought of Christ, learning to think with Christ,
thinking the thought of Christ and thus having the same feelings of Christ,
being capable of giving Christ's thought and feelings to others.”
—Pope Benedict XVI

“Prepare to meet your God, O Israel!” (Am 4:12)

CONSECRATION OF SACRED SPACE God is coming to the living tabernacle of your body to make himself present in a new way by speaking to you. Enhance your awareness of that mystery by visible, holy signs (choose an appropriate place for lectio divina, venerate an icon, light a candle, set lights, etc.).
CONSECRATION OF A SACRED TIME Silence to hear God’s still voice. Quiet down external and internal distractions, dedicating this time exclusively to conversing with the Trinity.
OPENING PRAYER

Ask for open-mindedness, trust, and obedience of faith God infinitely surpasses not only our understanding and plans, but also our goodness, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord” (Is 55:8).
Renunciation of sin Moral evil within you or your community is the only possible obstacle to prayer and union with God. Be particular if something comes to your mind.
Welcome the Father’s saving Word The Father sends his Word and speaks to you today, starting or deepening a never-ending dialogue with the Trinity, within which you take the place of the Son, as you are a member of his Body.
Who is sent to set you free from the bondage of evil and transform you into the perfect image and likeness of the Son When we listen properly, the word of God abides in our hearts, bringing about what it says—as if it were, an icon that mirrors to us how to be Christ-like, i.e. how to become the beloved son of the Father and to be his living image.
By the power of the Holy Spirit who enables you 1) to hear properly God’s words, 2) to interpret faithfully his message, 3) to make a fruitful life application, and 4) to respond lovingly to the Father’s promptings and teachings, thus entering fully into the family life of the Trinity.

The Natural Phases Of Lectio Divina

1. Lectio = Listening to the Word ⇒ Discover The Meaning

Sh'ma Israel! “Hear, O Israel, the statutes and ordinances that I am addressing to you today…” (Dt. 5:1)

What is God saying in this particular passage of the Scriptures?

DETERMINE THE TEXT in Scripture. All of the Bible is the Word of God and is, therefore, profitable. Start with a text rather than with a topic, though the two are not exclusive to one another. Choose a complete unit of thought in the Bible, to which particular attention will be given—there is no set number of verses; the concern is that the thought not be distorted by an incomplete reading.
READ THE TEXT repeatedly, pondering it in your heart—in a certain way, learn the text “by heart”, “with the heart”. Do not save time by skipping the reading of texts thought to be familiar. Open yourself to the mysterious powers of the Scripture’s text—let it do what is says:

At the level of your whole body, involving as many senses as possible in its reading, external and internal. Read it with your eyes and with your mouth, out loud. Gesticulate. Perceive the beauty of its sounds and words, its rhythms and cadences. Conjure up its images; visualize its settings—sense with all vividness its details. Let key words bring to mind the memory and resonance of other passages. Read with a pen at hand to record associated passages, to draw the scene or elements thereof.
At the level of the mind, considering in a preliminary and general way the meaning of words and expressions, how the text says what is saying (logical composition, literary genre). Seek to understand what is being said, what is the truth of the matter. You may use a variety of versions and, of course, the original, if possible. Use your pen to record questions and observations that emerge. N.B. This is not the time to read commentaries or to track down answers, which you will do later.
At the level of the spirit, listening deeply and freely under the influence and the light of the Spirit, coming to an overall and comprehensive grasping of the passage.

WHAT’S THE BIG IDEA? Encapsulate now the message or the “big idea” of the text in a strong theme statement. Answer this question in a complete sentence of no more (generally) than twelve words (no sentence fragments; avoid the use of any conjunctions to keep it simple and unified). What is the text talking about [the subject]? What is the text saying about what it is talking about [the predicate]? Within the predicate, consider first the main actions or verbs conveyed by the text. N.B.: The effort will be flawed at this point. This is a preliminary step in order to make sure that due personal consideration to the text is given before consulting the experts. Also, the advance framing of a big idea will give focus to the exegetical work.
EXEGESIS Understanding what God is saying is a preliminary, fundamental step to assimilating his message. This is the work of exegesis. Not only must I understand the ancient text (biblical exegesis), but I must also be intimate with the contemporary situation into which this text is being applied (prayer exegesis). This involves a thorough study of both the text and today in order to determine the message that God has for me / my people at this time. The biblical text, understood objectively and in an integrative way, has to bring light to my real life questions and solutions to my real life needs. It is appropriate to consult with commentaries, study guides, and other expert guides by means of whatever media is available.

Literary Analysis Consider the nature of the text in its literary context. What kind of passage is it? How does the way the text is presented (genre) affect the way the message is received (rhetoric)? A letter (epistle) intends something different from a hymn (psalm). Consider genre parallels in the experience of the contemporary media. Help yourself overcome barriers inherent in the literary construction of the text.
Historical Analysis Texts in Scripture are given within historical contexts. God does not speak into a vacuum but into space and time. Understand the historical setting of the text as carefully as possible. It helps, for example, to know who the Hittites were. Then seek to understand carefully the contemporary—your personal and community—situation, looking for parallels within biblical history.
Linguistic Analysis The Bible’s message is a text. It is a saving truth given in the medium of writing. Know the language. A) Interpret carefully the words themselves, understanding that definition is key to interpretation. B) Key to distinguishing ideas from texts is syntactical and composition analysis: separate main clauses from subordinate ones, note the inter-relationship of ideas in the text as indicated by grammatical markers employed. C) Now you are ready to translate or rephrase the text so that its ideas are easily recognized today.
Theological Analysis What does this particular text with its sets of ideas teach about God, his character, his will, and reality in general, and how do these ideas fit into the grand story of salvation? What is God doing in his word? What is timeless about this text? At this point, there is a natural merge between the ancient and the contemporary situations. Moreover, a Bible passage cannot be fully understood unless it is seen in the light of Christ and his Paschal work on the cross. The gospel is the key to interpret the whole Bible, while still retaining the intention and integrity of the original passage. The Bible is Christological and Christ-centered, and, therefore, every lectio divina points to Christ, to whom we seek to conform ourselves.

2. Meditatio = Learning my Lesson ⇒ Interpret The Message
“…you shall learn them…” (Dt. 5:1)

What does God want to say: through this passage; at this time; to me / to my people?

CONSOLIDATE THE FINDINGS Reconfigure all of the date gathered as answers to the following four questions:

What’s the Story / the Human Side? This question considers how the text is experienced. Every text has a story. Even the book of Romans is about God’s interaction with people. Those people were called Romans. They live in Rome and they experience the same stuff in life that we do today. If we can uncover the human material in the text, we can easily connect with the message God wants proclaimed today.
What’s the Point / the Truth Taught? Determine how the text is explained. Be disciplined to consolidate a number of points and ideas into one coherent presentation, faithfully corresponding to the text’s intention.
What’s the Problem? The world in which we live and we ourselves are at constant cross-purposes with God’s intention and the truth as it is presented in his word. Apply the previously determined point / truth taught to your cognitive process, to the way you and your world view, think, feel, and act. Understand today in the light of God.
What’s the Difference / Change or Conversion? Every interaction with the word of God intends some kind of change or conversion. What is the difference stimulated by the experience of this text in this world?

VISUALIZE in all its concreteness and detail the changes brought about by this text to your life, or the life of your community View how you acted in the past and why, and now see yourself acting different and the reason for that change. Make concrete resolutions and schedule them into practice immediately.
RESTATE AND MEMORIZE Return to the “Big Idea” in order to craft the statement more carefully. Put the message in a nutshell (what does God want to say through this text to me / my community at this time?). Then memorize the entire passage or a meaningful segment that will embody and recall all you learnt and what you resolved to do, and that you can repeat to yourself throughout the day and your life.

3. Oratio = Giving my Answer ⇒ Your Response to the Father

What answer do I need to give to my Father today? This could entail asking for forgiveness for concrete deviations from God’s word, thanksgiving for the lights shed on today, petitions for strength or more graces needed to understand more deeply God’s message or to put it into practice, etc.

ADDRESS YOUR FATHER THROUGH THE WORD IN THE HOLY SPIRIT, using an already formulated prayer, particularly if taken from the Scriptures themselves or the liturgy, or formulate your own prayer. Commit to his promptings and teachings.

4. Contemplatio = Rejoicing in the Truth and Living accordingly ⇒ The Fruit—be like God!
“… and observe them diligently!” (Deut 5:1).

Click here to download A Guide to Lectio Divina by Fr. Carlos Urrutigoity.
Or in a Word document by clicking here.