LECTIO DIVINA
An Ancient Prayer That is Ever New

What is lectio divina? Is it Bible study, spiritual reading, prayer, or all three? Is it only for “religious” people or can it be practiced by everyone? These are just a few of the many questions that this small volume seeks to address in a down-to-earth and very practical way. “Lectio divina is a reading, on an individual or communal level, of a more or less lengthy passage of Scripture, received as the Word of God which leads, at the prompting of the Spirit, to meditation, prayer and contemplation.” Its rediscovery runs parallel to a return to the study of the Bible on the part of the faithful. Both follow the recommendations of the Second Vatican Council. Originally practiced in monastic circles, today lectio divinarepresents a true grace of God with which to initiate all the faithful to a more fruitful life of prayer. The text offered here responds to this new situation by presenting, in an easy-to-read and systematic way the “meaning” and the “steps” involved in the practice of lectio divina: listening to and interpreting the biblical text (=Iectio), deepening and taking to oneself its message (=meditatio), sharing it with others (=collatio), transforming the word of God into prayer (=oratio and contemplatio), and finally witnessing to the word as a committed Christian (=operatio).

About the Author: Mario Masini is a professor of biblical exegesis at the Pontifical Theological Faculty of the “Marianum” in Rome and author of several publications on biblical subjects and prayer.