A Taste of Lectio Divina

Imagine what your spiritual life would be like if you were able to open yourself to

the Word in Scripture, allowing the Spirit to guide you, learning about yourself

and God’s will for you?

Lectio Divina, meaning “divine reading”, is the ancient interactive form of praying

with Scripture, which allows us to explore the Sacred Word’s inner meaning.

The workshop will include:

- A short history of the prayer practice

- An Introduction to the method of Lectio Divina

- Delving into the “four senses” of Scripture – the literal, the allegorical, the moral/behavioral, and the unitive

- Practicing the method using passages from the New Testament

Join this exploration of sacred texts that help us move from an acquaintance with

God to a transformative relationship with the Divine.

This retreat is scheduled from 9:30am to 4:30. A full itineray is listed below. 

Contemplative Outreach has developed a workshop/retreat to introduce you to the ancient practice of praying with Scripture known as Lectio Divina (Divine Reading), one of the great treasures of the Christian tradition of prayer. Lectio Divina reveals the four senses of Scripture-the literal, the allegorical, the moral/behavioral and the unitive in a Spirit-led, transformative experience of relationship with the Divine.

A Taste of Lectio Divina

Imagine what your spiritual life would be like if you were able to open yourself to the Word of

Scripture, allowing the Spirit to be your guide to show you the way to be the word that God has

meant you to be. Lectio Divina, the ancient interactive form of praying with Scripture, allows us

to explore the Sacred Word’s inner meaning. The workshop will present the method that opens

the sacred word and deepens the message waiting for us.

A Taste of Lectio Divina

What can we learn about ourselves and God’s will for us from sacred Scripture? What does the

Word of God have to say to each of us today? This workshop will introduce you to the method

of Lectio Divina, an ancient practice of praying with Scripture. Lectio Divina is a spirit-led

exploration of sacred texts that helps us move from an acquaintance with God to a

transformative relationship with the Divine.

Elizabeth Graboski, is a longtime contemplative prayer practitioner, a Centering Prayer facilitator and commissioned presenter of Centering Prayer and Lectio Divina for Contemplative Outreach. She currently serves with Contemplative Outreach Central Pennsylvania local chapter for the Spiritual Enrichment and Formation for Facilitators of Centering Prayer Groups.

Description: This presentation provides a deepening understanding of Lectio Divina as a way of praying the scriptures. The four moments of the prayer are explored as expressions of the four senses of scripture, namely, the literal, allegorical, behavioral/moral, and unitive sense. Both the scholastic and the monastic form of Lectio Divina is used for the group experiences of the prayer.

9:00 AM

Arrival, Coffee, Registration

9:30 AM

Opening Prayer – Welcome, Introductions: Contemplative Outreach Background

9:45 AM 

Conference I: Review of Lectio Divina as a prayer form; What Lectio Divina is

Not; Overview of the Four Senses of Scripture; Two forms of Lectio Divina;

Preparatory attitudes for Lectio Divina.

10:15 AM

Short Break

10:20 AM

Conference II: Lectio: Reading the Word of God – Literal Sense; Meditatio:

Reflecting on the Word of God – Allegorical Sense

11:15 AM

Practicum: scholastic method using the first two senses of Lectio Divina (Group)

11:45 AM

Questions about the Lectio and Meditatio presentations

12:30 PM

Lunch

1:00 PM

Conference III: Oratio: Responding to the Word of God – Behavioral/Moral

Sense; Contemplatio: Resting in the Word of God – Unitive Sense

1:45 PM

Practicum: Monastic method of Lectio Divina (Group)

2:00 PM

Questions about the Oratio and Contemplatio presentations

2:15 PM

Break

2:20 PM

Conference IV: Being a Word of God- Spoken Forth, Shaped by the Word of God

2:45 PM

Full monastic Lectio Divina Experience

3:15 PM

Group sharing: Any questions about the prayer form.

How might this retreat and prayer form be helpful to you in your spiritual journey

What would have been helpful that you would like to see in a workshop like this?

3:30 PM

Departure