Feasts, Seasons, Sacraments

A divine read

The Bible is a source of stories that can populate your child’s imagination with lessons on how to live a virtuous–and ultimately happy–life.

     There’s a very simple but time-honored method of reading Bible stories to make them come alive to you and your children today. It’s called lectio divina, which basically means sacred reading. But don’t let the name put you off. It’s a simple approach, developed by monks long ago, as a way to read and reflect on Bible passages in a way that makes them come alive in the present. It’s a practice we can invite our children into, one that could become a life-giving habit.

Here’s how it works: Read a short passage in the Bible. (Work your way through either the Gospel of Matthew or Luke; they contain the most stories.) In the course of a short conversation with your child, cover the four basic questions of the lectio method: 1) What just happened in the passage we read? (Your child may have questions for you in this part, but don’t get hung up on details; some will remain a mystery.) 2) What is this passage saying to you personally? 3) What do you want to say to God based on what we read together? And 4) What does God want to say to or ask of you through this passage and exercise? Show your child the way by sharing your own responses.

This whole process can take as little as five minutes for younger kids or up to half an hour when they’re older. You might want to help yourself by getting a reliable commentary on the book of the Bible you’re working through. Call your local Catholic bookstore for a recommendation. Or, to apply this practice to the Sunday readings, you can get excellent reflections and explanations in At Home with the Word, available from Liturgy Training Publications (773-486-8970).

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