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TODAY WE WILL SHARE IN A LECTIO DIVINA EXERCISE TOGETHERLectio Divina is a way of being with God in His

Word in Four Movements. Its roots go back to some of the early church fathers and later became formalized as a part of monastic life beginning with Benedict in the Sixth Century.

The passage of Scripture will not usually be more than about six to eight verses in length.

STEP ONE - PREPARATION

Preparation: Silence

We prepare by quieting ourselves before the Lord and seeking to get in touch with and amplify our heart’s desire to hear His voice. Once we are quiet, we read the passage through four times in our quest to become more present to it. Take a moment to be quiet after each reading as if listening to the last notes of a great piece of music.

MOVEMENT ONE – READ (LECTIO)

Now we return to the passage and read it once, maybe twice, with particular awareness of any word or phrase that strikes us. We are particularly looking for anything which resonates more deeply within us or which we resist in some way within.

We will be gentle and reflective – anticipating that God is present to speak to us. For a moment, remain with the word or words that stand out, savoring or repeating it (them) without trying to figure out why they (it) got our attention.

MOVEMENT TWO – REFLECT (MEDITATIO)

Now we return to the passage again to specifically reflect on why the word or phrase may being meaningful to us today. If it is a story, we may ask: “Where am I in this story?” Or we may reflect on the question: “What is going on in my life that I needed to hear this word today?” Try not to overthink at this point, but to reflectively examine anything that seems worth noting.

MOVEMENT THREE – RESPOND (FORMATIO)Is God inviting us to something? Is He

challenging us in some way? How do we find ourselves responding to this? This is the time to pray back to the Lord out of the experience we are having.

Let the prayer be authentic, intimate, honest and heartfelt. If we are aware of sin, confess it. If we are inspired, rejoice with gratitude. If we are touched, savor it. If we are amazed, admit it!

MOVEMENT FOUR – REST AND EMBODY (CONTEMPLATIO / INCARNATIO)Now we read the passage through one final time

with an attitude of rest and satisfaction. We have encountered the Spirit of God in His word. We can rest in this encounter and be at peace.

We resolve to embody or carry into life with us anything we have received from our experience of Him with the expectation that it will bring life to ourselves and others.

THE PASSAGE – I CORINTHIANS 1: 20 - 31“20 Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of

this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22 Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

26 Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”