Why does God call us to read the Bible?
The bible is God’s love letters to us. It is the story of God and all of the things that He has done for us. It’s a great to know this historically but also to know that that same God is our God today. Jesus is the word made flesh. When we delve into the Bible, we are delving into Jesus and being close to Him. It is just like receiving Him in the Eucharist.
What is lectio divina?
Lectio divina is a way of reading the Bible through five-steps of meditation and receiving what God is saying in a particular bible passage.
Step 1: Lectio (to read) Begin by reading or listening to a verse or passage of the Bible.
Step 2: Meditatio: (to meditate) Meditate on the words or phrases that stood out to you or how it makes you feel.
Step 3: Oratio (to respond) Pray to God about the response that comes from your heart while reading and meditating.
Step 4: Contemplatio (to contemplate) Think about how God is speaking to you and how He is calling you to go forward with this prayer time.
Step 5: Actio (to act) Receiving God’s love and grace through your time of prayer and scripture, He is calling you to step out and act upon what you learned in scripture.
How can someone create time to read their bible?
It’s as simple as adding it to your daily routine. Make it a thing you do normally throughout your day like you would brush your teeth or tidy the house. Add 10-15 minutes of bible reading in the morning or in a pocket of your day.
If you don’t know where to start reading, start with reading the daily readings. You can find these on Hallow, Laudate, or iBrevery apps. The gospels are another excellent place to start in the Bible as well. Fr. Mike Schmitz has the Bible in a Year podcast which is great if you have commute time in the car or want to hear his reflections on the passages.
What is one piece of advice that you want every young Catholic woman to know?
“The Lord sees you, He hears your prayers, and He treasures you.” -Madeline