Holy Reading : An Introduction to Lectio Divina

Lectio Divina, or holy reading, is an essential element of Benedictine spirituality and time for personal reading of the Bible in a prayerful, contemplative way is built into the Benedictine day.

It is a spiritual discipline that goes back even further than St Benedict to the early church fathers.

This approach treats Scripture not just as a book, or even a holy book, but the place of encounter with Christ.

Reading therefore becomes a conversation, an act of listening, as attentive as that between lovers.

Lectio Divina encourages us to hang on to every word, to turn phrases over and over as we would a love letter.

This way, Scripture slowly transforms us.