“Lectio Divina” is a Latin term which means “divine reading” and describes a way of reading the Scriptures whereby we gradually let go of our own agenda and open ourselves to what God wants to say to us.
It literally means “Sacred Reading” and the Carmelite Spirituality is rooted in this ancient practice within the Monastic tradition.
We offer a daily lectio divina or a prayerful reading of the Word of God.
The value of lectio divina was rediscovered by the Carmelite Family (and indeed the wider Church) in the twentieth century.
First, we share one way of prayerful reading of the Bible followed by other examples of Carmelite prayers. We take the word of God deeper and deeper into ourselves. All Carmelites, filled with the spirit of the Order, seek to live their own vocation by silently listening to the Word of God – hearing, praying and living the Word – in silence, in solitude and in community, especially in the form of lectio divina as in the 13th century the Carmelite Rule of St. Albert prescribed to Carmelites the daily prayerful pondering on the Word of God.
So pondering the word of God has been a method of prayer for Carmelites for many centuries. In this we take as a model, Mary the mother of Jesus, who pondered the word of God day in and day out!
Thus at its heart, lectio divina is an encounter with Jesus Christ, the Word of God incarnate!
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