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LUKE 7:11-17 LECTIO DIVINA PART 3
PRAYING THE WORD - CONTEMPLATING THE WORD
The Text Itself
Please read Introduction to Lectio Divina for the structure and underlying principles involved.
Stage 3. Praying the Word (Oratio).
The group leader's prayers should not replace the prayers of the participants but provide inspiration for them. For this reason examples of possible prayers given below can be used but leaving ample time between them. The leader should not dominate the group but fade into the background if at all possible. This would depend on the active participation of the others.
Barely audible music Duration 5-10 seconds.
Group Leader:
Let us now express briefly our prayer of thankgiving, praise, or make our requests to the Lord. Please feel free to do this aloud if you so wish.
Barely audible music
Allow plenty of time for others to express their prayers. If no prayers are forthcoming the leader may encourage others to express their prayer or express another prayer inspired by the text.
Group leader
I thank you Lord for having spoken to me through your Word. May your Holy Spirit bring to my heart that part of your Word that you want me to apply to my life.
Here encourage participants to pray audibly or in silence leaving plenty of time for others to pray.
Barely audible music.
Group leader:
Thank you, Lord Jesus for teaching me what commitment is all about. After healing the centurion’s servant, you travelled 25 miles from Capernaum to Nain not to enjoy the panorama as a tourist but to meet the needs of the widow. You did not count the cost. I ask that through the power of your Holy Spirit you give me the strength to reach out to those in need as you did to the widow of Nain.
Leave plenty of time to allow others to express their prayer.
Barely audible music.
Group leader:
I was in that funeral procession once on the road to death and destruction, heading towards the land of the dead.
Then I met you. You approached the corpse I bore within. You touched my heart and I was born again to a new life in your presence. You held your hand out towards me and gave me renewed strength and joy. You are my strength and my fortress, in you I have life everlasting.
Leave plenty of time to allow others to express their prayer.
The time allotted for this stage would depend largely on the active participation of the group.
Stage 4. Contemplating the Word (Contemplatio).
Group Leader:
Now let us rest in the presence of God and his Word. Total surrender. No inner activity, no reading, no speaking, no thinking. Just inner and outer silence being aware of the Holy presence within. God has spoken to us, we have responded. Now let us simply rest in the presence of the Beloved. “take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground” (Exodus 3:5).
Ideally 15-20 mins.
Barely audible music duration 10-15 seconds
Group leader:
Now gradually, in your own time, emerge from this state of contemplation and become aware of your surroundings.
Rather than have a concluding prayer it is better to let the group take away with them the experience of joy and peace, characteristics of the Kingdom (Romans 14:17). Experience of the Kingdom within is the best state of prayer with which to end the session.
End of session
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Back to Part 1 Luke 7:11-17 Lectio Divina
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