Week 8, Day 5: Holy Reading

Artist Mako Fujimura was once asked to explain how to “see” his paintings. He said:

It usually takes at least 10 minutes of sitting, quieting our hearts, and beholding the work before our eyes start to see, and our brain stops to try to categorize. My friend and fellow artist Bruce Herman says, “If you want to understand something, learn to stand under it. If you stand over it, you are ‘over-standing’ (bringing in your preconceptions and presuppositions) and not ‘understanding.’

The same applies to the Bible. It is too easy for us to bring our preconceptions and presuppositions to Scripture rather than allowing the words of God to speak to us. 

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Lectio divina (pronounced ‘lexio’), a practice that has been used by Christians for over 1,500 years as a way of standing under the Bible, is something I have found tremendously grounding and helpful for my own spiritual health. It is a Latin phrase that can be translated “divine reading” or “holy reading.” One way of looking at is as a combination of prayer and reading the Bible. It builds on the knowledge we gain through inductive Bible study in order that we might not only hear but receive God’s word through Scripture; it also forces us to slow down, to create space for silence, listening, and reflection. In reading this way, we seek not only information but transformation.

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Lectio was popularized by Benedict of Nursia (c.480-543), an Italian monk, who started an order that became known as the Benedictines. In AD 525, Benedict wrote his Rule for Monks, which laid out what life in the monastery would look like, including a detailed daily schedule. Lectio was a key feature of the monks’ practice, and was practiced regularly throughout the day.

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LOOK & LISTEN: James Martin, S.J. on ‘Lectio Divina’