This method of praying the scriptures started in a lay Benedictine movement in Chile called ‘The Manquehue Movement’.
Suitable passages for those starting lectio would be...
The texts for the meeting on 28th of July were...
The healing at the Pool of Bethesda
(Jn 5:2-17)
Paul on the Body of Christ
(1 Cor 12:12-27)
The Valley of Dry Bones
(Ezk 37:1-14)
There are many ways of praying the bible - but this is perhaps one of the easiest and most effective.
The idea behind it is simple, and beautiful. The Holy Spirit inspired the
words of scripture in order to communicate with God’s people. He still wishes to communicate, and uses the same words to open our ears and hearts. ‘The word of God is alive and active’ (Letter to the Hebrews) and speaks to each person in the present moment. It guides, encourages,
rebukes, and teaches.
Although it can be done on one’s own, it is better in small groups of up to 10. It is suitable for all ages.
After a prayerful silence, while each one considers what he or
she has brought into the meeting in terms of feelings, worries, plans, suffering, joys etc, the group say a prayer to the Holy Spirit together for inspiration. They also say together an Act of Contrition such as the ‘I confess...’.
Then a passage is read aloud by one person while everyone considers what it is the Lord is trying to say to him at this moment in these words. After a while it is read again with pauses between the sentences or verses. Into these silences each person speaks simply of what the Lord is saying to him or her.
It ends with a ‘Glory be to the Father....’ and some sort of social recreation, (such as tea and biscuits.)
This is an excellent devotion for those who feel that prayer is always ‘a one-way conversation’. It deepens faith, encourages spiritual friendships and guides us securely on the way of holiness.
“The Lord Who Speaks” - 28 July 2001
On Saturday 28th July, 400 Christians of all denominations from this part of North Yorkshire gathered at Ampleforth in order to share the Word of God. The format was that of shared lectio. There were two sessions, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, and a third text for taking home for a continuation meeeting there.
Archbishop David Hope (York) was ill and could not attend, but sent his chaplain, Michael Kavanagh, to speak for him. Also present were Arnold Harrison, the Moderator of the United Reform Church in Yorkshire, the Very Rev. Canon Eddie Gubbins, the Episcopal Vicar for the North Area of the Middlesborough Diocese (Roman Catholic), Stuart Burgess, the Chairman of the Yorkshire and Humberside Methodists and Mr & Mrs Bernard Snooks representing the Salvation Army.
The purpose was to read the scriptures with the heart, and to share what we received with one another. This was a powerful experience of, and witness to, the fact that the Lord speaks to all his people through his Word, and that we can build each other up through this means, despite apparent division into denominations.
The date for next year’s meeting is already fixed. It will be 27 July, 2002.
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Postal address: Ampleforth Abbey, York, YO62 4EN.
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