The Catholic Prayer Bible: Lectio Divina Edition

by Paulist Press

Experience the ancient, beautiful, and life-transforming practice of lectio divina--the prayerful reading of Scripture. Give the gift of prayer to yourself and to those you love. Gilded page edges; bonded leather cover--navy.

Genres: Catholic

1968 pages, Paperback

First published June 26, 2010

Reviews

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read somewhere (yes, prepare for a skewered quote) that Lectio Divina was like returning everyday to an old friend and I feel like that's exactly what you get from this Bible. If you are looking for a study Bible this isn't it, but if you want to know that every night (or whenever you read it; for me it's always at night) that you will feel like you have had an experience that was meaningful in terms of reading the Bible and connecting it to your prayer life, this is it. Each chapter has a "Reflect, Pray, Act" section that guides you in contemplation. I would stress that what I love about this is its simplicity and ease of use; I never feel like it's too much to take this up at night no matter how tired I am and it always completes my day. If you are already an accomplished prayer-warrior who isn't tired when you read the Bible/pray and who wants to study the intricacies of each passage with their historical references, etc, you won't get that from this. And someone who isn't a beginner to Lectio Divina might benefit more from a Lectio Divina primer. BUT, if you keep telling yourself that you'll read the Bible every day and pray every day and then, well, things get in the way, this is a really wonderful place to start. I think the NRSV text is beautiful and the reflections are written in the compassionate, chipper, splendidness that I would expect from the Paulists.

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely translation and guided prayer Bible. This is the first version that has inspired me to read and love the Bible every day. This is not a study Bible. Rather, it is a guided reading approach that encourages you to reflect, pray, and act on every section. It has helped me think through how to apply even the Old Testament passages to my life. It is broken up into small sections (one chapter or part of a chapter) that are doable in the morning, evening, or middle of the day when you need a break.

I cannot say enough good things about this Bible. It made it approachable for me and helped me build a habit of reading every day and enriching my prayer life.

[Beth Withers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although not Catholic, I enjoyed reading this Bible this past year. I liked the Lectio Divina format, and I got to read some interesting books that are not found in a Protestant Bible.