This document provides an overview of the practice of Lectio Divina, or "Divine Reading", as a way to change one's life through prayerful reflection on Scripture. It discusses why change is needed, examines key biblical passages, and outlines the traditional four steps of Lectio Divina - reading, meditating, praying, and contemplating a Scripture passage. A practical example is provided walking through 1 Peter 1:15-16 using Lectio Divina. The document concludes by offering suggestions for implementing changes through increased prayer, study, and acts of service.

1. Praying the Scriptures
for a Change
Changing our lives to meet Jesus

2. Opening Prayer
1 Peter 1:15-16
Become holy yourselves in every
aspect of your conduct, after the
likeness of the holy One who
called you; remember, Scripture
says, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

3. Overview
• Why Change? • Practical Example
• Metanoia • Step 5 – Divine
• Exercise for the Soul Service (Operatio)
• Climbing a Sycamore • How Can I Make a
Tree Change?
• Road to Emmaus
• Ancient Path
• Lectio Divina

4. Why Change?
• Universal hunger for happiness
• Prevailing worldview regarding happiness
– Play song: Rockstar by Nickelback
– Individualism – what’s in it for me?
– Hedonism – if it feels good, do it
– Minimalism – what is the least I can do?
• What is authentic happiness ?
• “You cannot become more like Jesus Christ
and at the same time stay as you are.” 1

5. Metanoia
• Metanoia – change of heart; interior penance
• John 16:8-9
– “[The Holy Spirit will] convince the world concerning sin
and righteousness and judgment”
• John 15:36
– “[the Holy Spirit] will bear witness to me”
• Acts 2:36-38
– “they were cut to the heart”
– What shall we do?
– Repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins;
and you shall receive the Holy Spirit (cf. Acts 26:20)

6. Exercise our Souls
• “I pommel my body and subdue it, lest after
preaching to others I myself should be
disqualified.” – St. Paul, 1 Cor 9:27
• Faculties of the soul:
– Intellect – its job is to know. Know what? Know
things as they really are (sanity)
– Will – its job is to choose. Choose what?
Choose love (sanctity)
• Catechism: “[God] calls man to seek him, to
know him, to love him ” (CCC 1721; cf.)

7. Climbing a Sycamore Tree
• Luke 19:1-6
– God does not require our deservedness to
receive his heavenly gifts
– But…He does require us to WORK:
• “he sought to see Jesus” (Lk 19:3), “Faith which
worketh by love” (Gal 5:6), “Justified by works and
not by faith alone” (James 2:24), “He will render to
every man according to his works” (Rom 2:6)
– Although undeserving, we are created, gifted
and called to participate in the work of God
• “we are God's fellow workers” (1 Cor 3:9)

8. Road to Emmaus
• Luke 24:13-32, 35
– Jesus himself drew near and went with them
– Their eyes were kept from recognizing Him
– They constrained him
– He took the bread and blessed, and broke it, and gave it
to them
– Their eyes were opened and they recognized him
– Our hearts burn within us while he talked to us…while he
opened to us the scriptures
– He was known to them in the breaking of the bread

9. Ancient Path
• Jerimiah 6:16
– Thus says the Lord: Stand by the roads, and
look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the
good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your
souls
• Guigo II, Carthusian monk ,12th century
– Ladder for Monks – Lectio Divina (“Divine
Reading”)
– Lectio Divina dates back to St. Benedict (5 th
cent.), having its roots in Sacred Scripture

10. Ancient Path
• Pope Benedict XVI:
– "I would like in particular to recall and recommend the
ancient tradition of Lectio divina: the diligent reading of
Sacred Scripture accompanied by prayer brings about
that intimate dialogue in which the person reading hears
God who is speaking, and in praying, responds to him
with trusting openness of heart (cf. Dei Verbum, n. 25). If
it is effectively promoted, this practice will bring to the
Church - I am convinced of it - a new spiritual springtime.
As a strong point of biblical ministry, Lectio divina
should therefore be increasingly encouraged.“ (Sept
2005 Address, 40th Anniv. of Dei Verbum)

11. Lectio Divina
• Four rungs of the Monk’s Ladder to
holiness (traditional)
1. Read (Lectio) – examine the details of the
passage; ask who, what, when, where
2. Meditate (Meditatio) – reflect on the meaning
of the text; ask why
3. Pray (Oratio) – converse with the Lord about
the words in the passage
4. Contemplate (Contemplatio) – wordless
prayer in which the mind and heart focus on
God’s greatness and goodness

12. Lectio Divina
• Vinyard Metaphor
– Read: Pick grapes carefully so they’re not damaged.
Work your way through the lines of text slowly and
carefully, paying attention so you can pull out the choice
bits: the images and so on
– Meditate: Stomp on the grapes! Squeeze out every
drop of meaning you can find. What stands out to you in
the text
– Pray: Allow the collected juice to ferment. Like prayer
where the heart ponders the things you’ve meditated on,
feelings bubble up in prayerful response to God
– Contemplate: The wine has fermented and aged; it’s
time to drink. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord

13. Practical Example
1 Peter 1:15-16
Become holy yourselves in every
aspect of your conduct, after the
likeness of the holy One who
called you; remember, Scripture
says, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

14. Step 5 – Divine Service
(Operatio)
• Divine Service : Bottle it up and ship it
out! Put into practice a resolution to bring
the wine of God’s word to fruitfulness in
your life and in the world
• Make a resolution to do something today to
put into practice the inspiration received
during Lectio Divina

15. How Can I Make a Change?
• Make a plan and resolve to stick with it…
Piety (Holiness): Study (Formation): Action (Evangelization):
• Liturgy of the Hours: • Lectio Divina: Read, • Teach RCIA
Invitatory, Office of Meditate, Pray, • Sponsor candidates for
Reading, Morning Contemplate the sacraments (as
Prayer, Day Prayer, • Catechism of the Catholic needed)
Evening Prayer, Night Church • Speak about Christ at
Prayer • Lives of the saints work
• Daily Mass or daily mass • Books from early Church • Visibly live the life of
Scripture readings father, saints, doctors of Christ always
• Daily Rosary or Chaplet the Church • Internet apologetic
of Divine Mercy • Writings from the Church discussions
• Noon: Angelus/Regina Councils and popes • Monday nights – faith
Coeli • Writings from the sharing/apologetic
• Weekly abstinence from diocesan bishop discussions
meat on all Fridays • Theology
• Monthly Confession texts/classes/presentations
• Annual retreat

16. How Can I Make a Change?
• Lk 19:1 “Pray always without becoming weary”
Divine Office: http://divineoffice.org/
Praystation Portable: http://psp.libsyn.com/
Daily Scripture: http://www.usccb.org/nab/
Time Source Scripture
(mm:ss)
3:25 Daily Mass Eph 2:12-2; Psalm 85:9ab-10, 11-12, 13-14; Luke 12:35-38
1:54 Invitatory Psalm 95
13:15 Office of Psalm 10; Psalm 12; Esther 4:1-17; Matthew 5:44-45;
Readings Hebrews 11:33, 34, 39; Wisdom 3:5
11:10 Morning Prayer Psalm 24; Tobit 13:1-8; Psalm 33; Romans 13:11b,12-13a;
Luke 1:68 – 79 (Benedictus); Matthew 6:9-13 (Lord’s Prayer)
6:17 Day Prayer Psalm 119: 1-8; Psalm 13; Psalm 14; Proverbs 3:13-15
9:08 Evening Prayer Psalm 20; Psalm 21:2-8, 14; Revelation 4:11; 5:9, 10, 12; 1
John 3:1a, 2; Luke 1:46-55 (Magnificat); Matthew 6:9-13
(Lord’s Prayer)
5:37 Night Prayer Psalm 143:1-11; 1 Peter 5:8-9a; Luke 2:29-32 (Canticle of
Simeon)
50:46 Total

17. About the Author
Dr. Tim Gray is the President of the
Augustine Institute, a dynamic new MA
program in Sacred Scripture and
Evangelization & Catechesis in Denver. He is
also Professor of Sacred Scripture at St.
John Vianney Theological Seminary. He
holds a PhD in Biblical Studies from Catholic
University of America. Dr. Gray is a partner
with Jeff Cavins in The Great Adventure Bible
Timeline series, the fastest growing Catholic
Bible study program. A nationally renowned
speaker, Dr. Gray has filmed numerous
series for EWTN. Dr. Gray resides in
Littleton, Colorado with his wife Kris and their
son Joseph.

18. About the Author
Dr. Edward Sri is a founding leader with
Curtis Martin of FOCUS (Fellowship of
Catholic University Students), and he
currently serves as the provost and professor
of theology and Scripture at the Augustine
Institute Master’s program in Denver,
Colorado. He also teaches as a visiting
professor at Benedictine College, where he
taught full-time for nine years. Edward holds
a doctorate from the Pontifical University of
St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome. He resides
with his wife Elizabeth and their five children
in Littleton, Colorado.

19. Questions?

20. Closing Prayer
Luke 1:29 “[Mary] considered in her mind
what sort of [Angelic] greeting this might
be.”
Luke 2:19 “Mary kept all these things, and
pondered [them] in her heart.”
Luke 2:51 “His mother kept all these things in
her heart.”