Lectio Divina

Lectio Divina is Latin meaning sacred reading. School has taught us to read to master the material and understand it. This kind of reading slows us right down and lets the material master us and change us. 

The traditional movements are:

1. Read (Lectio). Start by settling in, quieting yourself, and coming to rest in the presence of God. Read through a passage slowly. Move your lips, or say it out loud, anything to slow you down and let it soak in. Keep the selection short and rest in it. Move through it a few times, taking time between to contemplate - enter into your imagination and heart.

2. Meditate (Meditatio). What is sticking out to you? Is there a word or phrase that has energy around it as you hear it? What might the Holy Spirit be pointing out for you to pay attention to? Read through the passage again.

3. Pray (Oratio). How do you want to respond to what God is saying to you through the passage? Can you turn the passage back to God in prayer? Does it touch on a place of tenderness in your life that you want to change? Is there a place for confession? Does the passage stir praise in you for the beauty of God? Turn that into a prayer of gratitude. 

4. Contemplate (Contemplatio). Finish by listening. Perhaps read through the passage one more time to just enjoy it. Rest in God and hear what God might say to you. Enjoy God’s presence.

Suggestions for practice.

• Lectio can be done alone or in groups. Group Lectio offers a chance to reflect together and can be rewarding as you come to discover new things from one another. Try it as a family.

• For young children (pre-readers): Model the practice and invite them to join you. Read the passage to them. Don’t worry too much about them understanding all the words. Wonder about it together, emphasize that we aren’t looking for the right answers about the reading like we would at school. It is not a comprehension test, but rather to wonder together about the mystery and listen to God together. This is good practice for all ages. 

• For school-age children: Invite them to read to you. Share your reflections together. See what you can learn from their insights and imagination. Talk about how the passage interacts with your child’s sense of belonging with friends, family, and church. Does it bring up prayer concerns for their growing sense of place in a wider world? Does it highlight how they gain strength from their Christian community?

• For teens: Expect and welcome questions that struggle with the meaning of the text and how it relates to the world. Teenage faith may look like doubt and searching. Don’t feel the need to explain things away or have an answer for everything. Accompany them in the times of meditation to sit with the difficulties and lean into the questions. Enjoy the mystery in the presence of God.

Resources:

Audio Lectio Divina for kids

Sydney Sloth's slow Bible storytelling is perfect for bedtime. Calm anxiety and pray a bible story. Stories coincide with the readings from the Revised Common Lectionary, so they can be used to prepare for Sunday or to reflect on what you heard in church the previous week. Close your eyes and settle in. Use your imagination to enter into the story and make it prayer. Don't be afraid to fall asleep while you pray the story. There is no better way to fall asleep than while talking with God.

Wonder with the Word is a weekly podcast that invites children (and the childlike!) to explore the gospels through the power of imagination and curiosity.