Choosing a Lectio Divina Passage
adapted from Centering Prayer for Everyone
To find scripture passages for use in lectio divina, you could begin with one of the biblical lectio divina passages here. Once you experience the types and lengths of scripture passages that work well, you may develop your own sense of what kind of passages will suit you and the group. Flip through the Bible or a beloved book of poetry and find a favorite passage with which you would like to spend more time; or consult a lectionary to find passages that are being read that week in church.
Lectio divina is not the same as spiritual reading, but has a more specialized meaning, referring to a particular way of reading a Bible passage. That being said, non-scriptural passages can be read in the lectio divina format, and this approach may often be appropriate for inclusive groups that are open to the wisdom of different traditions and voices. All of the leaders of our group tend to be attracted to non-scriptural passages that are rooted in Christian tradition, for example passages from spiritual classics like Teresa of Avila or Symeon the New Theologian, or more modern writers like Thomas Keating or Thomas Merton. We are also very comfortable in our group with writings from other religious traditions, particularly Buddhism and Taoism, and with poetry. A group that is exploring its comfort level with non-scriptural passages might try alternating between scriptural and non-scriptural passages at its meetings. An advantage to rotating leadership in our group is that the leaders have different taste in readings and we get to enjoy the freshness and surprise of each other’s choices.
In our group we tend to choose readings of about forty to two hundred words. Passages much longer than that can tire the reader and the practice begins to feel too wordy. We often read very short passages three or four times, longer passages only two or three times, at the discretion of the reader. However, it’s helpful to announce at the beginning how many times you are planning to read so that others know what to expect. Some groups prefer very short readings, such as sayings of Jesus that are only ten or twenty words long, for example, “Judge not, that you not be judged,” or “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”
As you choose a passage for lectio divina from less traditional sources, you might ask yourself, “Does this passage help me remember what is important? Does it help me remember the presence of God, even if it doesn’t use God language?”
It is possible to listen with the ear of the heart while not necessarily agreeing with the content of the passage. You may hear God speak to you even, or maybe especially, in readings that are challenging for you. No one has ever openly objected to one of the readings we’ve selected, but silence does not constitute agreement. In my recollection the loudest dissent we’ve heard after the group has been to biblical passages. No choice is safe, and perhaps that is not even a good goal. When God speaks to you through a passage, it is not always to affirm what is being read. You might receive an invitation to speak truth or stand up against injustice.
Examples of biblical lectio divina passages may be found here, non-biblical here.