The Bible is one of the greatest sources of inspiration we can tap into. When we pray with the Bible, God can deeply touch and change our lives. The more we are willing to pray with the Scriptures, the more we can enter into the profound mystery of God’s relationship with all of humanity. God’s word is the compass that leads us more deeply into the immense heart of God. This is why the church proclaims the Scriptures every time we worship together and why all are encouraged to use the Bible in our private prayer. By praying with the Scriptures, we discover that God’s story is our story. God’s life is intimately connected with our lives. The unfinished part of the story is our response to God’s love for us. Each of us has a part in the great story of God’s salvation of all humanity.
For our spiritual journey, our earthly pilgrimage, God has provided us with a guide who knows of the human experience from the inside out. God the Father has given us Jesus the Son as the Way, the way to the New Jerusalem – one of the biblical descriptions of Heaven. Jesus shows us the importance of prayer for our journey. Through prayer Jesus clearly understood the will of the Father. Through prayer Jesus gained and maintained his burning desire to do the will of God. We know from the Gospels that the Hebrew Scriptures were an important part of Jesus’ prayer life. The Bible was a compass that helped point Jesus to his Father. God wishes the Bible to be the same for us. So here are some tips for using the Bible in your Prayer: Be Creative in Making Time for Prayer; Engage Your Imagination; Listen.
Memorizing Bible Passages
St. Augustine provides us with an image for short, effective prayers that are based on Scripture. He describes the prayers of monks in Egyptian monasteries of the third century AD. The monks prayers were short and to the point, and the monks continuously repeated them, as if trying to bombard God with prayer. We too can pray this way by memorizing short passages of Scripture and repeating them regularly. To do this, find short passages of Scripture that you can memorize and pray when situations in your life call for them. In other words, let your daily life trigger your prayer. Here are some examples of this kind of prayer: “My Lord and my God” (Jn 20:28) could be a prayer whenever you walk by a cross or crucifix; “A clean heart create for me, God” (Ps 51:12) could be a morning prayer as you set out on a new day; “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit” (Lk 23:46) could be a prayer before you go to sleep; “How great are your works, Lord” (Ps 92:6) could be a prayer whenever you are outdoors with God’s creation. (Catholic Youth Bible)
You can create your own daily Scripture prayers. As you read and reflect on the Scriptures, write down short phrases that appeal to you. Then ask yourself, “What things in my everyday life do theses phrases connect with?” then when you experience these things, they will trigger your memory and you can pray the Scripture phrase.
Praying with the Psalms
The Book of Psalms serves as a common book of prayer for Jews and Christians. As Catholics we use psalms at Mass, the Liturgy of the Hours, and many other times when we gather for prayer. Because they address feelings and experiences common to all, they speak to us today just as strongly as they did to the people who first used them thousands of years ago.
Saint Athanasius advised us to hear the Psalms as being addressed to us, as believers in the present. So read Psalms slowly and reverently, savoring each word as if God is saying it for the first time. You will gain deeper insights if you read the Psalms in this way. (CYB, C14)
When you read the Psalms, look for their rhythm and repetition. Just as modern music and poetry use rhythm and repetition to emphasize certain things, so the Psalms use rhythm and repetition to emphasize their authors’ keen insights into our relationship with God. Perhaps you will share the experience of Saint Ambrose who one said, “When I am reading divine Scripture God walks again in the earthly Paradise.
Lectio Divina
Lectio Divina is a traditional and an ancient way of praying with the Bible. You can use this way or method or technique of praying with any passage of the Scripture. It is divided into 5 steps or movements.
Step 1. Lectio (Reading): Reading reverentially and slowly the Scripture passage.
Step 2. Meditatio (Meditation): Reflecting attentively on the Scripture passage.
Step 3. Oratio (Prayer): Praying devoutly with the Scripture passage.
Step 4. Contemplatio (Contemplation): Resting silently in the presence of God and in his unconditional love.
Step 5. Actio (Action): Finally it is times for action by being or doing what God is asking of you through this Scripture passage.
This way of praying, with its 5 steps, helps us to encounter God in his sacred Word and respond to His grace.
Reading (Lectio)
You read slowly and reverently the text, the Word of God, attentively listen to the Word and carefully seek to understand the Word as interpreted by the Church, not by anyone’s opinions (CCC. # 84-87 & 100). You can ask yourself: what does this passage say to me? Who I am in this passage? What do I see or hear?
Meditation (Meditatio)
Silently meditate and reflect on the text by asking yourself questions such as “what does this text say to me today and to my life, who I am in this text, what do I learn from this text”. It is good to take notes the answers and the insights you gain through reflection.
*** Look for more in the weeks ahead ***
View and reflect on today’s Readings courtesy of EWTN.