Week Twenty-Four: Lectio/Audio/Visio/Eco Divina. June 11 – Lectio Divina, Step 1: Lectio (Reading)

Gregg’s Reflection

Lectio Divina begins with simple, prayerful reading of Scripture. We listen not for information but for the word or phrase that stirs our heart. “Reading seeks, meditation finds, prayer asks, and contemplation tastes.”— Guigo II, The Ladder of Monks, Ch. 2. We will also wade into Audio, Visio, and Eco Divina, contemplating things we see and hear and experience in nature. Wade into this powerful spiritual practice.

When I first learned Lectio Divina, I thought I already “read” scripture. But this was different — slower, quieter, and far more attentive. It was reading not for information, but for encounter. I remember one morning sitting with Psalm 46, “Be still, and know that I am God.” I read it once, then again, slower, listening for what stirred within. The words “be still” seemed to rise from the page. They were not a suggestion to calm down — they were a command, an invitation, and a promise all at once.

In the Lectio step, we listen for the word or phrase that seems to shimmer. We do not force this — we simply notice. I’ve found it’s a bit like walking along a stream looking for trout. Your eyes scan the water until suddenly you notice movement, a flash of color, and you pause to watch.

Lectio is letting scripture come to you. You read with the expectation that God will meet you here, in these words. Sometimes a phrase will catch your attention without you even knowing why. That’s the Spirit’s work — trust it.

Scripture

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.

Psalm 119:105

Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.

Matthew 4:4

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.

Colossians 3:16

Ancient Quotes

The Scriptures are not understood unless they are loved.

St. Augustine, On Christian Doctrine, Book I, Ch. 26

Do you not understand that you are reading what is addressed to you?

St. Jerome, Letters, 53.5

Modern Quotes

Reading the Bible for transformation, not just information, requires us to slow down, listen, and allow God’s voice to speak between the lines.

Richard Foster, Life with God, p. 19

In the sacred reading of Scripture, we allow the text to read us.

Henri Nouwen, Spiritual Formation, p. 57

You can be reading the text of a mystic, and because the text is so pure, the deathless presence of the teacher awakens the student. How can we be more expectant and more open to it happening?

James Finley, Living School Teaching

Journaling Prompts

• When was the last time a verse of Scripture seemed to “stand out” to you? What was it, and why do you think it spoke to you?
  
  
• How might slowing down in your reading change your relationship with Scripture?
  
  
• What word or phrase from today’s reading seems to catch your attention?
  
  
• How does it feel to approach Scripture with the expectation that God is already waiting to meet you there?

👉 Go deeper into this week’s theme:
Read the full Week 24 Reflection: Lectio/Audio/Visio/Eco Divina