This Sunday, 24th of January 2021, we celebrate the Sunday of the Word of God. This Feast was constituted by Pope Francis in 2019 to allow us reconnect with life-giving presence of the Word of God in our lives.

One way to connect with Scripture in a new way is Lectio Divina. Lectio Divina is an ancient method of praying with Sacred Scripture used in the Christian tradition for over  thousand years. It has a number of stages: To Invoke, To Read, To Meditate, To Pray, To Contemplate and To Imitate.

To Invoke: Choose a piece of Scripture – create some time and space – turn off your phone – sit comfortable – hold the Scripture in your hand & pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit and Our Lady.

To Read : Begin to read the scripture – read it again, slowly and allow it to soak in. Set aside time, so that you can take your time. There’s no rush.

To Meditate : What’s jumping out at you from what you have read? What’s happening in the scripture piece? Can you imagine yourself in it? Bring the piece to life in your heart and mind

To Pray: As you allow the scripture come to life for you, what prayers are forming in your heart? What do you want to say or discuss with God? What conversation is it beginning for you?

To Contemplate: What is God saying to you in this piece of Scripture? How does it resonate with your life? How is it challenging you or encouraging you?

To Imitate (This is an extra ‘Franciscan’ step): What can you bring to your life from this experience? What practical thing can you do? What needs to change in your life? What needs to be strengthened? Is there a short phrase or image from the Scripture that you can carry with you and call upon during your day?

Finish with a short prayer of thanks giving and praise such as the Glory be.

Pope Francis reminds us that through praying with the scriptures we can foster a true dialogue with God. Let us pray that we can experience this Grace in our lives.