When we think on the fundamental tenet of our faith that God continues to speak with us, there is one particular practice that, perhaps more than any other, aids our maturation in assuming and discerning God's communing with us. The practice is called Lectio Divina, literally translated "divine reading."

Henri  Nouwen once said, "All the disciplines of the spiritual life are intended to help us move from an absurd (deaf) life to an obedient (listening) life of freedom, joy, and peace." This is especially true of Lectio Divina. 

Lectio is a framework, guide, or structure used to help us navigate our often-distracted lives and noisy minds, enabling us to dialogue with our Father through His word. In Lectio, we assume that God has spoken in the words written and that those words help us recognize His voice today. When incorporated into our regular rhythms, Lectio grounds our hearing in something sure (scripture) and helps tune our ears to be attentive to the living and active voice, which is the foundation of our conversational companionship throughout our everyday routines.

Regarding the practice itself, Lectio has four "movements": Read, Reflect, Respond, Rest. Each step guides us deeper into dialogue with our Father through the scripture and Christ, who is in us via His Spirit. While Lectio can be applied to almost any passage of scripture, psalm, or story, it is most effective when used in familiar or easily understandable texts. The purpose of the practice is dialogue through meditation and contemplation, so conducting extensive research somewhat defeats the point.

Below are several guided practices featuring texts familiar to our faith family, including Psalms and stories we often return to. Still, the guides provide a refresher on the context before walking through the step-by-step practice of Lectio Divina.