The Bible is ancient, enigmatic, and from a culture vastly different from our own. That's why most of us find it hard to read.
So how can we understand its importance in the church, and how can it enrich our lives?
Central to lectio divina is the conviction that to read the Bible faithfully and prayerfully is to learn an ancient art by entering into dialogue with the God who speaks to each of us through the biblical page.
Enzo Bianchi touches on the essentials of the history of lectio, from the brilliant thinker Origen in the third century to the development of historical criticism in the modern era. He explains how to do lectio and how to understand and implement its four "moments" lectio, meditatio, oratio, and contemplatio.
This is not simply a book about how to approach the Bible, because Scripture ultimately wants to lead us beyond itself, to the truth and mystery of Christ that can never be captured fully in the written word.
"With his deep biblical wisdom, Bianchi is able to explore the whole Christian tradition of prayerful reading. St. Benedict mandates at least two hours of lectio divina a day for his monks, which is a considerable challenge for the modern person. But with Enzo as our guide, we can do it!" - Terrence G. Kardong, osb, editor of American Benedictine Review