sodoma2For many people reading the Scriptures is comparable to dental work: it gets put off for ages, happens infrequently, and can be downright painful. I wish I had a dollar for everyone I knew who set out to “read through the Bible.” They usually started in Genesis, got bogged down in Leviticus, and quit by mid-Deuteronomy. Why does the reading of God’s word, the history of God’s relationship with his people, provide so little meaning, enjoyment, and inspiration to people today? I think the answer may lie in how we are taught to read the Bible.

Ever since the Enlightenment, scholarship of all kinds has tended to look at literary documents in terms of their historicity. At that time, the Bible started to be judged by the same standards. Skeptics were more than happy to point out historical and scientific errors and contradictions. Many of those who responded to the skeptics started to emphasize the complete inerrancy of the Bible, even in historical and scientific matters. This debate continues today and most reading of Scripture from study Bibles to Bible studies tends to focus on historical, archaeological, and scientfic issues. Although the debate over the authorship of Genesis (whether Moses or JDEP) is interesting to academics and informed layman on both sides, it doesn’t really provide the meaning most people seek in their lives. After all, if a dying person asks the meaning of life and death, no decent pastor would say: “well, according to the priestly source…” We need to break out of our Enlightenment chains and start reading Scripture in the context of a) the Church and b) prayer. Lectio Divina is a start.

Lectio Divina is an ancient method of reading the Scriptures. As by Fr. Luke Dysinger, O.S.B writes, it “… enables the Bible, the Word of God, to become a means of union with God.” Lectio Divina involves several steps: 1) listening/reading: we read the Scriptures, slowly and methodically, to listen for the voice of God 2) meditation: we find a word or passage that sticks out to us and we “ruminate” on it and let it touch us at our deepest levels 3) prayer: we have a conversation with God and prayerfully consecrate all of our lives, even the painful parts to him 4) contemplation: a quiet rest, total silence in the loving presence of God.

Lectio Divina at first seems unnatural to many in the 21st century because it runs counter to our values. Our society values speed, efficiency, the hard facts, noise, and clutter. Yet, for all this frantic activity, society is very shallow. Lectio divina is slow, spiritual, quiet, methodical, and simple. Yet, it is extremely deep and offers limitless opportunities to grow in the Faith and our relationship with the Blessed Trinity.

For more info please visit: Introd. to Lectio Divina by Fr. Luke Dysinger, O.S.B (his article was a source for this entry).

Photo is Sodoma’s St. Benedict and his Monks Eating at the Refectory from CGFA.