“The books of Scripture firmly, faithfully, and without error teach [the] truth. . . . Written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they have God as their author” (Second Vatican Council, DV 11). [103-107]
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The →BIBLE did not fall from heaven in its final form, nor did God dictate it to human scribes who copied it down mechanically. Rather “God chose certain men who . . . made full use of their own faculties and powers so that, though he acted in them and by them, it was as true authors that they consigned to writing whatever he wanted written, and no more” (Second Vatican Council, DV 11). One factor in recognizing particular texts as Sacred Scripture was their general acceptance in the Church. In the Christian communities there had to be a consensus: “Yes, through this text God himself speaks to us—this is inspired by the Holy Spirit!” Which of the many original Christian writings are really inspired by the Holy Spirit has been defined since the fourth century in the so-called →CANON of Sacred Scriptures.
CANON (Greek: kanon = measuring rod, rule, norm): the authoritative collection of Sacred Scriptures in the Old and New Testaments of the Bible.
OLD TESTAMENT (Latin testamentum=covenant, will): the first part of the complete Bible and the Sacred Scripture of the Jews. The Old Testament of the Catholic Church includes forty-six books: historical writings, prophetical writings, and wisdom literature, with the Psalms.
NEW TESTAMENT: the second part of the complete Bible. It contains the specifically Christian texts, namely, the Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, fourteen letters written by Paul, seven Catholic letters, and Revelation.
The right way to read Sacred Scripture is to read it prayerfully, in other words, with the help of the Holy Spirit, under whose influence it came into being. It is God’s Word and contains God’s essential communication to us. [109-119, 137]
The right way to read Sacred Scripture is to read it prayerfully, in other words, with the help of the Holy Spirit, under whose influence it came into being. It is God’s Word and contains God’s essential communication to us. [109-119, 137]
The →BIBLE is like a long letter written by God to each one of us. For this reason I should accept the Sacred Scriptures with great love and reverence. First of all, it is important really to read God’s letter, in other words, not to pick out details while paying no attention to the whole message. Then I must interpret the whole message with a view to its heart and mystery: Jesus Christ, of whom the whole Bible speaks, even the Old Testament. Therefore I should read the Sacred Scriptures in the faith that gave rise to them, the same living faith of the Church.
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“Lectio Divina” means divine reading in Latin. It’s an ancient practice that teaches us how to read, meditate on and live the Word of God. History tells us that it was the Blessed Guigo the Carthusian, who wrote the “most important stages” of this way of meditating the word. It’s not a prayer with fixed rules, but it does have important phases which will guide us towards an encounter with a personal message from God to us, through the Sacred Scriptures.
These phases are four: the lectio or reading of God’s word; the meditatio, or meditation on that which we have read; the oratio, or prayer which is when we enter in dialogue with God; and finally the contemplatio, or contemplation stage in which we abandon ourselves to holy thoughts. This is when we leave behind our own thoughts and get ready to listen to God’s voice, who speaks within us.
Lectio Divina can be done individually or in a group. It’s the latter which makes the structure necessary. Today, we present a way to develop this meditation. It will, for sure, help you grow in your relationship with God.
“Reading seeks, meditation finds, prayer asks, contemplation feels. Reading puts as it were whole food into your mouth; meditation chews it and breaks it down; prayer finds its savour; contemplation is the sweetness that so delights and strengthens. Reading is like the bark, the shell; meditation like the pith, the nut; prayer is in the desiring asking; and contemplation is in the delight of the great sweetness” (Blessed Guigo The Carthusian – Fragment about contemplative life).
1. Preparation ahead of time. Finding the Scripture reading.
1. Preparation ahead of time. Finding the Scripture reading.
Before starting the Lectio it’s important to prepare yourself by looking for the Gospel for the corresponding day’s Mass (or another one which you want to meditate on), as well as quotes and comments that could help you to deepen your understanding and to prepare some questions for personal reflection. Carefully read different commentaries and try to find the most important points that catch your attention. Afterwards, you can begin the actual prayer.
2. Sign of the Cross
2. Sign of the Cross
We start by finding the right spot and position for prayer – a quiet, comfortable place free of distraction but suitable for concentration. The next step (which can seem obvious, but it’s important to remember) is that a Catholic always starts his prayers with the Sign of the Cross.
3. Initial Prayer
3. Initial Prayer
There are many prayers with which we can open Lectio Divina. One suggestion is to invoke the Holy Spirit so He enlightens us and allows us to listen to the message God wants to give us through his Word. Here we give you an example, but you can just build the initial prayer with your own words.
“My Lord, in your presence I want to prepare my heart for this moment of prayer. Send your Holy Spirit to enlighten me and open my mind and heart to everything You want to tell me today. Thank you Lord, for nourishing me with your Word.”
4. Scripture Reading
4. Scripture Reading
It’s at this point where the scripture reading of the previously selected Gospel is done. It can be that day’s Gospel or any other you choose to meditate on. It’s nice to do the reading directly from the Bible and slowly, that way you can understand what is written.
5. Brief Reading
5. Brief Reading
This is the point where we re-read the commentary or reflection of the Gospel we found or chose in our preparation. This brief reading’s aim is to help you go deeper into the scripture’s sense and to predispose yourself to listen to God’s voice.
6. Brief personal meditation
6. Brief personal meditation
This is when interior silence is made and the meditation properly starts. The idea is to reflect on what the Gospel has to do with your life, and to welcome it into your heart. Here we propose some questions which could help you during this phase, but they are merely suggestions:
What does the Gospel I just read tell me?
How does it enlighten my life?
What traits of Jesus do I find in it?
What particular message does God want to deliver to me?
7. Thanksgiving and personal petitions
7. Thanksgiving and personal petitions
To wrap it up, and after having meditated on the scripture reading, we give thanks to God for the lived moment and we pray to Him for our intentions. It’s a moment of “free time,” in which you raise a prayer to God from the experience of the encounter you just had with Him, you contemplate Him and let your heart be transformed with His Word.
8. Final prayer and consecration to Mary
8. Final prayer and consecration to Mary
We’ve reached the end of our Lectio. As we said at the beginning of this post, it’s not a rigid structure. We can finish the Lectio with the thanksgiving prayer. But a beautiful way to close it is by consecrating ourselves to Mary and asking for her intercession. We suggest you pray an Our Father, a Hail Mary and a Glory Be.
9. Sign of the Cross
9. Sign of the Cross
Having finished our meditation and after doing a consecration to Mary, we end the same way we started, with the Sign of the Cross.
Significance of the Bible
Significance of the Bible
"Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ."
ST. JEROME (347-419, Father of the Church, Doctor of the Church, interpreter and translator of the Bible)17. What significance does the Old Testament have for Christians?
17. What significance does the Old Testament have for Christians?
In the →OLD TESTAMENT God reveals himself as the Creator and preserver of the world and as the leader and instructor of mankind. The Old Testament books are also God’s Word and Sacred Scripture. Without the Old Testament, we cannot understand Jesus. [121-123, 128-130,140]
In the →OLD TESTAMENT a great history of learning the faith begins, which takes a decisive turn in the→NEW TESTAMENT and arrives at its destination with the end of the world and Christ’s second coming. The Old Testament is far more than a mere prelude for the New. The commandments and prophecies for the people of the Old Covenant and the promises that are contained in it for all men were never revoked. In the books of the Old Covenant we find an irreplaceable treasure of prayers and wisdom; in particular, the Psalms are part of the Church’s daily prayer.
18. What significance does the New Testament have for Christians?
18. What significance does the New Testament have for Christians?
In the →NEW TESTAMENT God’s →REVELATION is completed. The four Gospels according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are the centerpiece of Sacred Scripture and the most precious treasure of the Church. In them the Son of God shows himself as he is and encounters us. In the Acts of the Apostles we learn about the beginnings of the Church and the working of the Holy Spirit. In the letters written by the apostles, all facets of human life are set in the light of Christ. In the Book of Revelation we foresee the end of the ages. [124-127, 128-130, 140]
Jesus is everything that God would like to tell us. The entire Old Testament prepares for the Incarnation of God’s Son. All of God’s promises find their fulfillment in Jesus. To be a Christian means to unite oneself ever more deeply with the life of Christ. To do that, one must read and live the Gospels. Madeleine Delbrêl says, “Through his Word God tells us what he is and what he wants; he says it definitively and says it for each individual day. When we hold our Gospel book in our hands, we should reflect that in it dwells the Word that wants to become flesh in us, desires to take hold of us, so that we might begin his life anew in a new place, at a new time, in a new human setting.”
DAILY GOSPEL CALENDAR: https://bible.usccb.org/readings/calendar
DAILY GOSPEL REFLECTIONS: https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/
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