St Augustine was a monk, and the very first Archbishop of Canterbury. He was sent on a mission to England by Pope Gregory the Great, which was successful in converting King Ethelbert of Kent to Christianity, thus allowing missionaries freedom to preach across the kingdom.
As Augustine was a Benedictine monk, today's prayer theme is Lectio Divina. It is a method of unlocking new meaning in Scripture by reading and reflecting prayerfully on it, listening for new understanding and insights. Traditionally, there are four steps, taken roughly in turn:
Read - the text
Meditate - on its meaning
Pray - about the text and its meaning
Contemplate - what has been learnt, allowing that, the text, and a deeper relationship with God, to 'sit' with you.
If you'd like to give it a go, here's a guide to Lectio Divina from AnglicanCommunion.org
A Bible verse you might like to try Lectio Divina with today:
“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11.28-30
♫ Almost all of the words come from Ecclesiastes 3.1-8 in today's music suggestion: The Byrds - Turn! Turn! Turn!
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