Divine Word Missionaries - SVD - Botswana Province
Word of God
1. Lectio Divina Shared in Community

(A) Listening for the Gentle Touch of Christ the Word
(The Literal Sense)

1. One person reads aloud (twice) the Scripture passage, as others are attentive to some segment that is especially meaningful to them.
2. Silence for 1-2 minutes. Each hears and silently repeats a word or phrase that attracts.
3. Sharing aloud: [A word or phrase that has attracted each person].
A simple statement of one or a few words. No elaboration.

(B) How Christ the Word speaks to ME
(The Allegorical Sense)

4. Second reading of same passage by another person.
5. Silence for 2-3 minutes. Reflect on “Where does the content of this reading touch my life today?”
6. Sharing aloud: Briefly: “I hear, I see...”

(C) What Christ the Word Invites me to DO
(The Moral Sense)

7. Third reading by still another person.
8. Silence for 2-3 minutes. Reflect on “I believe that God wants me to . . . . . . today/this week.”
9. Sharing aloud: at somewhat greater length the results of each one's reflection.
[Be especially aware of what is shared by the person to your right.]
10. After full sharing, pray for the person to your right.

Note: Anyone may “pass” at any time. If instead of sharing with the group you prefer to pray silently,
simply state this aloud and conclude your silent prayer with Amen.
Some Methods of Bible Sharing in Community
LECTIO DIVINA - a Christian meditation art using the Holy Bible
2. The Lumko Method - THE SEVEN STEPS

The Seven Steps look very simple and indeed they are. Our experience in the dioceses of South Africa and elsewhere has shown us however that these "simple" steps may also lead up to an encounter with God and our fellow humans. Steps 1-4 help us to "persevere" with God, to "Iisten" to participate in the biblical action, "to surrender ourselves to God". Step 5 brings us together as brothers and sisters because we risk sharing our experience with God with one another. This is not the most important step, but it gives great joy to all those who want to build and experience a deeply human community in God. In step 6 we confront our life with the Word of God. It is often the case that in this atmosphere of prayer, individuals discuss problems which they wish to resolve as a neighborhood group. In step 7 all are invited to share in spontaneous prayer.
FIRST STEP: We invite the Lord

Once the group settles down, the facilitator asks someone to volunteer "to invite the Lord". The belief in the living presence of the Risen Christ in our midst is the presupposition and basis of our meditation. We want to meet the Word who became flesh and dwells among us. We remember Jesus´ promise: "Where two or three are gathered in my name, I shall be there with them." (Mt 18,20).

SECOND STEP: We read the text

The facilitator announces the chosen text. First the book, then the chapter. He/she waits until everyone has found the chapter and only then does be announce the verse. When everyone has found the passage, the facilitator invites someone to volunteer to read the text. A moment of silence follows.

THIRD STEP: We dwell on the text

The facilitator continues: "We dwell on the text. Which words strike you in a special way?" In doing so, almost the entire text is very listened to again. The participants spontaneously read aloud the word or words that have impressed them. Whole verses are not read, only short phrases or individual words. The participants are encouraged to repeat those words silently to themselves three or four times. It is extremely important that a moment of silence be kept after each person has spoken, allowing the message to "soak in". As a result of this step, "simple" words often take on new meaning.

FOURTH STEP: We are quiet

After spending time on the individual word, the entire passage is read again slowly. Then the facilitator announces a time of silence, giving the exact length of time, for example, three minutes. We advise the people to spend this time in silence before God. "We are open to God." "We allow ourselves to be loved by him." "We let God look at us." A helpful practice during this silence is to repeat a specific word.
Meditation: Simply to be open to God, to wait for him, to be with him, "in fact he is not far from any of us" (Acts 17,27).

FIFTH STEP: We share what we have heard in our hearts

After the time of quiet, the facilitator announces the next step: "We share with each other what we have heard in our hearts." We do this to share with one another our faith experience and to help each other to grow in the faith. The entire Sacred Scripture is nothing less than a God experience which the People of Israel and Jesus "share" with us. It is somewhat strange that we can talk to friends about almost every aspect of our life yet when it comes to sharing with others our experience with God, we become shy. In this Bible meditation method, however, anyone can learn "to risk" this sharing in a very natural and unpressured way.

SIXTH STEP: We search together

The facilitator announces: "We search together." Now the time has come for the participants to examine their lives in the light of the Gospel. At this stage, a basic community might discuss everyday problems as:
Someone needs help in the neighborhood...
Children need instruction in the faith...
Who will lead the Service of the Word next Sunday, since the priest will not be there?...
How can we settle a discord that has arisen?...
What can we do about getting the street lamp repaired?...
None of these problems need to have a direct connection to the Bible passage which had been read and shared. However, they emerge and can be resolved because of the mutual confidence that now exists in an atmosphere of the presence of God. Things look different when God is allowed to be present.

SEVENTH STEP: We pray together

The facilitator invites everyone to pray. The words of Scripture, the various experiences of God´s Word, the daily problems - these all become fuel for prayer. Some find this form of sharing in prayer the easiest way to communicate with others. The participants are encouraged to incorporate in their personal prayer whatever has been of special importance to them during the meditation. Only at the end is a formal prayer known to everyone recited.
Prolog Prayer(L= leaderA= all)(based on the Prolog of St. John)

L: In the beginning was the Word,
A: - and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.
L: All things came into being through him,
A: - and without him not one thing came into being.
L: What has come into being in him was life,
A: - and the life was the light of all people.
L: The light shines in the darkness,
A: - and the darkness did not overcome it.
L: The true light,
A: - which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
L: He was in the world,
A: - and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him.
L: He came to what was his own,
A: - and his own people did not accept him.
L: But to all who received him, who believed in his name,
A: - he gave power to become children of God,
L: who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man,
A: - but of God.
L: And the Word became flesh
A: - and lived among us, and we have seen his glory,
L: the glory as of a father's only son,
A: - full of grace and truth.
L: From his fullness we have all received,
A: - grace upon grace.
L: The law indeed was given through Moses;
A: - grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Lord, You love us so much that You became one of us, our Brother. Help us to be Your friends always by keeping Your Word and living a truly Christian life. Help us to keep our integrity and pure hearts so that we can help others to find You, to know You and to accept You as their only Lord and Saviour. Amen.




The Praises (based on the Prolog of St. John)

- The Incarnate Word, who always existed – We (I) praise you, be our life and light.
- The Incarnate Word, who was always with the Father - We (I) praise you, be our life and light.
- The Incarnate Word, the eternal God - We (I) praise you, be our life and light.
- The Incarnate Word, who was in the beginning with God - We (I) praise you, be our life and light.
- The Incarnate Word, through whom all things came into being - We (I) praise you, be our life and light.
- The Incarnate Word, without whom nothing can exist - We (I) praise you, be our life and light.
- The Incarnate Word, source of all life - We (I) praise you, be our life and light.
- The Incarnate Word, source of light of all people - We (I) praise you, be our life and light.
- The Incarnate Word, that makes all darkness vanish - We (I) praise you, be our life and light.
- The Incarnate Word, the light that will never be extinguished by any evil - We (I) praise you, be our life and light.
- The Incarnate Word, the only true light of the world - We (I) praise you, be our life and light.
- The Incarnate Word, that enlightens all people - We (I) praise you, be our life and light.
- The Incarnate Word, who loved the world so much and wanted to come into the world - We (I) praise you, be our life and light.
- The Incarnate Word, who was in the world - We (I) praise you, be our life and light.
- The Incarnate Word, who shaped the universe - We (I) praise you, be our life and light.
- The Incarnate Word, who was not known by the world - We (I) praise you, be our life and light.
- The Incarnate Word, the Lord of the whole world - We (I) praise you, be our life and light.
- The Incarnate Word, who was rejected by His own people - We (I) praise you, be our life and light.
- The Incarnate Word, waiting to be received by all - We (I) praise you, be our life and light.
- The Incarnate Word, the source of true faith in the only Name given to people - We (I) praise you, be our life and light.
- The Incarnate Word, who has power to make us children of God - We (I) praise you, be our life and light.
- The Incarnate Word, through whom we are born as children of the Heavenly Father - We (I) praise you, be our life and light.
- The Incarnate Word, who became Flesh out of immeasurable love - We (I) praise you, be our life and light.
- The Incarnate Word, who lived among us - We (I) praise you, be our life and light.
- The Incarnate Word, whose glory we have seen - We (I) praise you, be our life and light.
- The Incarnate Word, the only Son of the Father - We (I) praise you, be our life and light.
- The Incarnate Word, full of grace - We (I) praise you, be our life and light.
- The Incarnate Word, full of truth - We (I) praise you, be our life and light.
- The Incarnate Word, from whose fullness we have all received - We (I) praise you, be our life and light.
- The Incarnate Word, from whom we receive grace upon grace - We (I) praise you, be our life and light.
- The Incarnate Word, the source of all grace and truth - We (I) praise you, be our life and light.
- The Incarnate Word, our Lord and faithful Friend - We (I) praise you, be our life and light.
- The Incarnate Word, our Protector and Guide - We (I) praise you, be our life and light.
- The Incarnate Word, our only hope - We (I) praise you, be our life and light.
- The Incarnate Word, full of mercy and love - We (I) praise you, be our life and light.
- The Incarnate Word, full of justice and forgiveness - We (I) praise you, be our life and light.
- The Incarnate Word, our God and our Brother - We (I) praise you, be our life and light.
- The Incarnate Word who takes away our sins – have mercy on us
- The Incarnate Word who grants us forgiveness – have mercy on us
- The Incarnate Word, Savior of the human race – have mercy on us

Prolog of the Gospel of St. John (John 1:1-18) NAB translation

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
3 All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. What came to be
4 through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race;
5 the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6 A man named John was sent from God.
7 He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.
8 He was not the light, but came to testify to the light.
9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
10He was in the world, and the world came to be through him, but the world did not know him.
11He came to what was his own, but his own people did not accept him.
12But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name,
13who were born not by natural generation nor by human choice nor by a man's decision but of God.
14And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us,
and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father's only Son, full of grace and truth.
15John testified to him and cried out, saying, "This was he of whom I said,
'The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.'"
16From his fullness we have all received, grace in place of grace,
17because while the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
18No one has ever seen God. The only Son, God, who is at the Father's side, has revealed him.
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