Lectio Divina // Part 3 of 4
Part 3 of the 4 part series: Lectio Divina
STEP 3 of Lectio Divina: Oratio or Prayer
Now that you have spent time reciting and meditating on Scripture, pondering it in your heart, pray with two things in mind:
Dialogue with God. This is nothing more than a loving conversation between you and Him. Practice listening for his gentle stirrings in your heart. Be open and honest with Him about your feelings, your reactions to the meditation. Try letting him respond, guiding you further in your reflections.
Offer yourself to God. Another part of prayer is giving ourselves totally to Him. Offer up those parts of your heart that you feel He doesn't want, and allow His word that you have been pondering to touch and change you. It's ok if this is uncomfortable or hurts . . . continue to offer yourself to Him.
During your time of oratio, you may use words, ideas, or images to interact with God. It is good to give to Him what you discovered during meditatio and to let Him speak his words back to you, transforming your heart, ideas, and memories. In this stage of lectio divina, you may find it encouraging, challenging, or healing. Wherever your prayer takes you, remember to be patient with yourself and with God -- there is no need to speed up the conversation.
