Praying Scripture for a Change

An Introduction to Lectio Divina

Book and Workbook Combo

Dr. Tim Gray

Book Details:

"If you’re looking to learn how to get the most out of PRAYER, this book is INDISPENSABLE."

As St. Augustine notes, "When we pray, we speak to God; when we read Scripture, God speaks to us." The key to enriching our prayer is learning the language of Christianity, and the most effective way to learn the language of Christianity is an ancient technique known as lectio divina ("divine reading").

In these pages, you will learn:

• How God speaks directly to each of us in His Word. 
• How to overcome the obstacles to a consistent and fruitful prayer life. 
• Why the fourfold method of lectio divina leads us directly into the heart of contemplative prayer. 
• Strategies for reading—and praying—the Bible fruitfully. 
• What Christian meditation is and how it differs from non-Christian approaches. 
• How everyone—not just saints and mystics—can truly reach mystical union with God.

In this succinct book, Catholic theologian and biblical scholar Dr. Tim Gray walks the reader through the Bible and the wisdom of the saints to reveal the practical steps of this great treasure of our Tradition.

Learning the simple steps of lectio divina will provide a practical and effective way for you to enhance your prayer life through the power of God’s Word.

Click here to listen to an interview with Tim Gray about Praying Scripture for a Change.

What people are saying about Praying Scripture for a Change:

"Whoever reads this wonderful little book will put to rest any thoughts that lectio divina is only for mystics, saints or scholars. Tim Gray shows in clear, practical steps how anyone who desires to can learn to read Scripture in conversation with the living God. This book shows the wisdom that can only come from long personal experience in praying with Scripture and teaching others to do so. I highly recommend it."

Dr. Mary Healy
Professor of Scripture
Sacred Heart Major Seminary

"Dr. Tim Gray has done us all an invaluable service by making the riches of Lectio Divina available to the ordinary reader of Scripture.  He is a master vintner who squeezes the grapes of the sacred page and helps us drink of the rich wine of God's revelation."

Mark P. Shea
Author: Mary, Mother of the Son

Click here to view a Sample Chapter!

Workbook details:

This study guide is designed to help the reader of Praying Scripture for a Change: An Introduction to Lectio Divina increase the fruitful harvest of this wonderful short book.

Each chapter of this study guide has three parts.

1) Each chapter opens with a story from the life of a particular saint, as an example of how they heard God speak to them in their meditation and prayer and allowed His Word to infuse their life and work. The saints personally experienced Scripture as the "living and abiding word of God" (Pt 1:23). It was a fresh spring from which they drank freely, allowing the Word to flow deep into their hearts and their lives, and finally out to the world around them, through their "Scripture-soaked" deeds. Each story is also an encouragement to each of us, inspiring us to allow God’s Word to be active in our own lives as well.

2) The central part of each chapter is a Study Questions section. These questions are meant to help the reader of Praying Scripture for a Change to think through the material in a deeper way. Along with various discussion questions to reinforce the book’s material, Scripture texts are provided to illustrate some of the reading strategies that Tim Gray outlines, as well as Scripture passages on which readers can practice lectio divina.

3) Each chapter closes with a Personal Reflection, a quote from the Catechism or the Pope, followed by several questions and/or a prayer. The goal of any book on prayer is not just to present us with new information about prayer, but to help our prayer life grow more fruitful by giving us ways to apply what we have learned.