Lectio Divina

When I was a student at Wheeler County High School in Alamo, Georgia, the only foreign language taught was Latin.  Now, my graduation was not before the turn of the century, but in the 1960's.  It was a small rural high school and it is likely that Mrs. Thomas was the only one on the faculty certified to teach any foreign language so we got Latin.  For two years I labored through Latin vocabulary and the wars fought by Julius Caesar.  I was told it would prepare me for any language studies which I later found out to be true.

 

So, when I saw the words, "Lectio Divina" I knew it meant divine reading.  Actually, it is a Benedictine discipline of reading and meditating on the Scripture.  It is not a discipline designed to provide a learning experience, but a spiritual one.  It is not about learning about God, but being in the presence of God.  It does not send us to commentaries, but into a spirit of contemplation.  It is a spiritual discipline that has been practiced for centuries and is not something reserved for Roman Catholics who choose life in a monastery.  It is a discipline which is useful to any of us who seek to learn what it means to sit in the presence of God.

In one of Thomas Merton's writings, he speaks of the four dimensions of  "Lectio Divina."   The first step is Reading the Word.  The second is Reflection, as in the sense of ruminating.  The third step is Response as in spontaneous prayer.  And, finally, there is Resting in the presence of God.  While this brief word only opens the door to this particular spiritual discipline, much more can be learned and experienced in our spiritual journey.