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Lectio Divina

“If the practice of Lectio Divina is effectively promoted, I am
convinced that it will produce a new spiritual springtime in
the Church… The ancient tradition of Lectio Divina should be
encouraged through the use of new methods, attentively
pondered, adapted to the times.”

Pope Benedict XVI,
“The Bible in the Life of the Church” Conference, Rome
Catholic Bible study should help us not only to be informed about the text but to be transformed by
God’s Spirit working through the text. Threshold Bible Study uses the ancient method of lectio divina
(sacred reading), offering a time-tested way of directing readers to move from attentive listening, to
reflective prayer, to contemplative action.  

Lectio divina is the church’s most ancient way of studying Scripture. This ancient art is rooted in the
Jewish tradition of Jesus, and it has been nourished through the desert spirituality of the early Christian
centuries, the patristic writers of the ancient church, and the monastic tradition through the ages. In our
day, lectio divina is experiencing a world-wide revival as Christians are returning to age-
old wisdom to experience the Scriptures in a deeper and more complete way.

The following elements of lectio divina help Bible readers experience the ongoing power of the Spirit
within the inspired text:
Elements of Lectio Divina
Lectio
Reading the text with a listening ear and interpreting the text with
an attentive mind.     Read more here
Meditatio
Reflecting on the message of the text and its meaning for today.     
 Read more here
Oratio and Contemplatio
Praying from the heart which flows from reading and reflecting on
the text.       Read more here
Collatio
Conversing about the Bible and forming a community of faith.     
Read more here
Operatio
Witnessing to God's word in the context of daily life and making a
difference in the world.     Read more here