Lectio divina bible

[danielsisk619]

Hi,

I’m thinking of taking up Lectio Divina again and was wandering what you all thought would be a good translation and format of the bible to use. By this should I use a New American Large Print edition (which is what I’m thinking about using) or what.

btw I’m thinking Large print because the print in many bibles are just too small for comfortable reading, not because I have bad eyes.

 

[three-sixteen]

Douay Rheims all the way… I know that it is the most accurate Bible, although there are some good modernish Bibles too.

 

[puzzleannie]

you should use any Catholic translation (with imprimatur) that is easy for you to read and handle. If the basis of your lectio will be the Mass readings, the NAB is the version used in this country, so for that purpose, a missalette, or a devotional like Magnificat or Word Among Us (larger type) that has the daily readings can also be useful (and for some of us, much easier to handle.

Personally I use the one volume paperback study books of the RSV-CE with notes by Scott Hahn. It is nearly impossible for me, with arthritis, to hold and read a full size bible for any length of time, and at the same time make notes or journal.

 

[Bible_Reader]

I find the discussion of using study Bibles (or a heavily footnoted Bible) for lectio divina fascinating.

I distinguish different types of Bible reading. Sometimes I read the Bible for intensive study. Sometimes I read the Bible as part of prayer (for example, the Liturgy of the Hours). Sometimes I read the Bible simply to follow the narrative thread. And sometimes I do lectio divina: slow, prayerful, meditative reading.

I love using study Bibles for intense study (the best ones are like having a teacher give me a private lesson) but when I do lectio divina, I am used to concentrating purely on the Scriptural text – a small section, on which I meditate. For this purpose, I worry that using a heavily footnoted Bible will distract me.

For lectio divina, sometimes I find reading the Matins hour from a breviary useful; by meditating on the readings, I find I can stretch out the prayer time and make it more meaningful. I also find the Saints Devotional edition of the NJB with its readings from the Saints and illustrations to be a useful aid – it forces me to slow down and read the words slowly and prayerfully.

I also must admit that I appreciate that I appreciate Bibles with Catholic art – icons or paintings from the Vatican for example useful aids to meditating on the meaning of Scripture. For example, there have been a number of excellent modern versions with illustrations drawn from the Urbino Bible. Others may appreciate reading from a more contemporary illustrated text, such as the Saint John’s Bible (although this is not to my personal taste).

I also find that reading the Bible in a language other than English forces me to slow down and think about what the Bible is saying. I enjoy classical languages, so I enjoy reading lectio divina in Latin, Greek, and to the extent I can handle it, Hebrew.

Certainly, any technique that allows one to prayerfully, meditatively, slowly read the Bible (or to read the Bible in anyway that is meaningful for the reader and brings him or her closer to God) is worthwhile.