How to Pray with the Sacred Scriptures
As faithful Christians, we know that the Bible is more than just a piece of literature or an account of history. It is the book that is the foundation for our way of life as Catholic Christians. The Bible was divinely inspired through many centuries to help people of all times and places encounter our loving God and understand how to build a loving relationship with Him. Whether we gravitate toward exploring the Old Testament or the New Testament, we find God’s guiding hand throughout all of history. The Bible takes us through the creation of the world, God’s work with His chosen people—the Israelites—and tells the story of His greatest gift to us, His Son, Jesus Christ. When it comes to helping us define who we are today as Christians, the Bible is perhaps our most effective tool. Yet, how do we make it effective for our lives? We do this not just by reading Scripture, but more importantly by praying with it. The following are various ways in which we can encounter God in the Bible and grow in our Christian faith.
Divine Reading
One of the backbones of breaking open the Scriptures and making them prayerful for us is a practice called Lectio Divina, which means “Divine Reading.” It is rooted in the monastic tradition and is a process by which one can prayerfully meditate on a Scripture reading in such a way that it promotes communion with God.
The process contains four main parts: Lectio (reading); Meditatio (meditating); Oratio (praying); and Contemplatio (contemplating). Lectio Divina is designed so that one can transform the reading of Scripture into a conversation with God to help a believer hear God’s voice in their life. This process can help one build a more intimate union with God and Christ. The following are steps to the Lectio Divina process:
Prepare for the experience by finding a quiet space to spend time with God. This can be at home, church or an outdoor space or anywhere you can quiet yourself and be present with Him. If needed, ask God to help clear your heart and mind of distractions so you can stay focused on the task at hand.
Choose a passage from Scripture. This could be from the weekday or Sunday readings, the psalms or another part of the Bible that captures your interest. Read the passage slowly. Also, read it multiple times to allow the words to permeate your heart and mind.
Reflect and meditate on the text. What is the word or phrase that captures your attention, and why does it capture your attention?
Take what you are experiencing to prayer. Spend time speaking directly to God, sharing your thoughts and feelings that arise from the passage you are focused on. Do you feel called to praise, petition or reflection as you pray?
Contemplate what you are experiencing as you sit in silence with God. What comes to your mind and heart as you rest in His presence and let the Word sink into your heart? If you are one who likes to journal your experiences, this can be a great time to do so. Consider as well: from what you are experiencing, is God calling you to take some type of action? Lectio Divina can be helpful when one is discerning a major decision.
The process of Lectio Divina can be done individually or with small to large groups. In the group setting, how others are touched by the same Scripture passage can add to our understanding of what God is telling us and it can help one move more deeply and intimately into prayer.
Daily Living
Following the Scriptures that are selected for each day’s Eucharistic celebration is an excellent way to bring the Bible into our lives. Whether they are encountered at Mass or on your own, taking in each day’s Scripture readings can help guide one through the day, understanding how God is present in it. You can find the readings for the day at www.usccb.org/readings.
To help move into prayer with the daily Scripture, there are many resources. These include but are not limited to the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops (USCCB), Dynamic Catholic, The Word Among Us, Living Faith, Magnificat and Word on Fire. These reflections can help open up the daily Scriptures and lead you more profoundly into prayer.
Imagination
There are many schools of spirituality that come through our religious orders. One of the most widely known is the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises developed by Saint Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuit order. These exercises are a collection of meditations, prayers and contemplative practices that can help one deepen their relationship with God. One of the techniques used in this practice is known as Gospel Meditation. This technique relies on the imagination of the individual to enter a scene as an active participant. It involves engaging the five senses—sight, sound, touch, taste and smell—to experience the Gospel personally and encounter Jesus.
For instance, take the Gospel account of the woman caught in adultery, found in John 8:1-11. Place yourself in this scene, letting it unfold as you read through it. Imagine the scene through your five senses. Who do you engage with? What interactions do you have? Imagine you are the woman, one of the Pharisees, or possibly a bystander who was taking in the teachings of Jesus. What do you experience as you take on one or more of these roles? As a Pharisee, can you understand that your own sins keep you from condemning others for their sins? As the woman caught in adultery, how do you feel knowing the people of the town turn away from condemning you? More importantly, how do you take in the experience of being forgiven by Christ? What is your conversation with others—and especially with Christ?
This method of prayer and reflection allows us to be present—not in a Gospel of 2,000 years ago, but as someone living it today. It is designed to help you know Jesus more intimately, to love Him more deeply and to follow Him more closely.
Reaching Out
There are times when we experience emotions in all their highs and lows. To help us in these moments, it is important to come to God in prayer so that He can guide us through whatever we are experiencing. This is where the Book of Psalms can be very beneficial to us (see the feature story on the psalms on page 31). Each of the 150 psalms was written by individuals who were reaching out to God—whether it was in joy, sorrow or anxiety. From their connection with God came forth each psalm which we pray today. It is good to take the psalm(s) that speak to where we are and contemplate on what the words of the prayer mean for us.
Our life of prayer, communicating with God and Christ, is vital to living a good life built in faith. The Scriptures are there to help us move deeper in our prayer, understanding the message that God is offering to us. What is offered above does not exhaust the many ways that we can take Scripture and make it real and relevant for our daily living. The Bible is not just a fine history book—it is one of the most beautiful ways that God can speak to us. Incorporating the Scriptures calls for more than just merely reading what is written on the pages. Taking time to reflect on and contemplate what is before us can help build a life-sustaining connection with our Creator. In love, God gave us this book. May we in love receive this Word and build our lives in His name.
