"LECTIO DIVINA"

(invocatio)

HAVE YOU TRIED LECTIO DIVINA IN YOUR PRAYER GROUP?

HERE IS HOW TO BEGIN...

The basic stages are:

Invocatio(invoking the help of the Holy Spirit)

Lectio (reading a few verses of Scripture)

Mediatio (allowing a verse or portion of a verse to sink into your heart and soul),

Oratio (Your inspired prayer drawn from the verse chosen)

Contemplatio (through sacred silence allowing the Lord to embrace you), Collatio (sharing with others what you have received)

Actio ( your call to action to share a gift of the Spirit or to a change in attitude as a result of the Lectio Divina (Divine Reading i.e. Divinely inspired reading and meditation).

Example:

 - Read Ephesians Chapter 3 verses 14-20

 - Before you open the Bible, you may wish to reverence  the Bible with a kiss.

 - Before you begin to read passages in the Bible, you may wish to pray the following prayer:

             "LECTIO DIVINA"

 (invocatio)

Lord, I am your poor servant and unworthy of all Your good but I ask You to open to me the treasures of knowledge in such a way that I may love You! Amen. 

                                                                                                                       (St Francis)  COME HOLY SPIRIT!

O Holy Spirit, the Word became flesh

in the womb of the Virgin Mary

through Your power.  Let the Living Word I read (lectio)

become alive in my heart and soul (meditatio)

and lead me into Your contemplative embrace (contemplatio)

and fill me with Your divine gifts, energy and grace

to put into action (actio) the Living Word.

May the Living Word within me lead me

into a deeper communion with the Trinity

and Your people (collatio).  Amen.

(Fr Frank Karwacki)