Tapestry of Faith: A Place of Wholeness: A Program for Youth Exploring Their Own Unitarian Universalist Faith Journeys

Handout 3: Lectio Divina

Copy this and give it to participants or write it on newsprint and post.

Moment

Task

Lectio

Slowly read and re-read the text. Pay attention to each individual word and what it means and what the whole sentence or phrase means.

Meditatio

Let your mind be attracted to one word or short phrase (no more the three or four words). Slowly read and re-read these words. What meaning to these words have in the context of your life?

Oratio

Open your heart to God, Ultimacy, the Spirit of Life, Nature or whatever you feel connected to beyond you. Meditate on these questions: What does the meaning of this text and its context in my life cause me to do? How am I different because I have read this text?

Contemplatio

Sit in the silence of the moment. Christian Monastics would call this moment feeling the love of God and appreciation for deeper understanding.