Lectio      Reading

Having designated time and place for your prayer, spend a few moments in silence.  Attempt to be open to God’s presence within and around you.

 

Read a scripture passage slowly.  You may spend a long time on one word, single verse or with a sentence.  Be free to read just a few words several times.  Listen to how God is being revealed to you as you read.

 

 

Meditatio      Meditation

Reading moves naturally into meditation.  In meditation, begin to explore how the reading of Scripture relates to your life.   Is it comforting?  Is it challenging?  Does it make you angry?   Be attentive to your feelings.  Relate the Word of God to your own life.

 

 

Oratio      Responding

In this stage, you are asked to respond to how God has been revealed to you during the first two steps.  Your response may include offering words of thanksgiving, sorrow, or petition to God.  You may feel God is asking you to change.  You may see a need in your family, friends, community, workplace, Church, neighborhood, or world and feel yourself challenged to do something about this need.

 

 

Contemplatio      Contemplation

At this point you are invited to wait in stillness before God reflecting on how God has been present with you during the previous three steps.  Be attentive to God’s movement in your life in and beyond the specific time of prayer.  Allow what is revealed to you to flow over into the rest of your life.