Lectio Divina |

Here is an adapted form of Lectio Divina I have used to close most of my small groups for the last couple of years. I started doing this after reading Contemplative Youth Ministry by Mark Yaconelli and over the past two years I adapted his technique based on the suggestions of my teenagers. I enjoy doing this for two reasons:

1. The students have told me they like doing it – always a plus.
2. On the days when everything goes wrong I still feel like we’ve done something good after closing with this prayer.

• For the reading, use the Sunday’s Gospel whenever possible.
  • Use the short version or trim it down if it is too long.
• Use a candle to change the room’s lighting to help make the atmosphere more prayerful.

1. Have everyone sit in a circle around the candle.
2. Begin with the sign of the cross.
3. Read the passage.
   1. Pause.
   2. When you do this for the first time you may need to encourage the students to try and be comfortable with the silence. I went through a period of awkward giggling, but now the students tell me they enjoy the silence.
4. Read the passage again
   1. If you are just beginning to use this prayer technique, then before the second reading encourage the students to listen for a word or a phrase that stands out to them. When that word or phrase comes to them, they should try to meditate on it for a while. After explaining this a couple of times you can eliminate the explanations entirely and the prayer will flow more smoothly.
   2. Sometimes the students don’t calm down entirely until after the first reading. So, for the second reading, I try to subtly add a little “James Earl Jones” sound to my voice and to make the scripture come to life.
   3. Take a long pause after the second reading to give the students time to meditate.
   4. I tell the students they have three options (listed below) and then go around the circle.
      1. Pass
      2. Share the word or phrase
      3. Share what they think God is trying to tell them through that word or phrase. (I am often amazed by the insights that the obnoxiously rowdy boys have. . .and by the fact that they are the ones who actually share their thoughts for a change.)

5. After everyone has shared, say a quick impromptu prayer of thanks then continue the prayer by ask the students if there is anything going on in their lives, or anyone in their lives they would like us to pray for.
6. Close by asking God to grant all of our spoken and unspoken prayers, in the name of the Father . . .