April 6, 2018 at 1:53 p.m.
REFLECTION
Prayer, part II: Using Scripture
• What exactly is prayer?
• How often or for how long should we pray, especially if we live such busy lives?
• There seem to be many different forms of prayer; are some better or more useful than others?
• How should we pray the Scriptures?
Let's take the last question first. The Scriptures are, in many ways, the source and end of our prayer. As Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI reminded us in his letter about the "Word of God," in the Scriptures, we don't just read about God as we would read a textbook or novel. We really encounter God and enter into a dialogue or a conversation with Him.
God's Word, Pope Benedict added, now has a face: that of Jesus Christ. As Saint Jerome famously said, to be ignorant of the Gospels is to be ignorant of Christ. If all this is true and if prayer is about a relationship with God, then the Scriptures must be a key way of praying!
How can we "pray" the Scriptures? First, we need to find a regular time that suits our schedule so we can pray the Scriptures each day, rather than in a hit-or-miss way.
This can help us build up a pattern of prayer and grow in prayerful knowledge of the Scriptures. It's like exercising: Sporadic efforts rarely take root in us or bear much fruit!
People often find it useful to have some structure for which Scriptures to pray. Many use the readings of the Mass for that day, or successive sections of a Gospel, a book of the Old Testament or a letter of St. Paul. This can give focus and a sense of journeying through Scripture.
Think about having a place at home you can designate to pray the Scriptures. Then take note of your body and posture: Most people find it best to sit in a comfortable (but not too comfortable!) chair, although others prefer to kneel or to stand. We pray with all of ourselves: not just our heads, but also our bodies.
Of course, we can pray the Scriptures anywhere. I read about a group who got together each day to study and to pray the Scriptures on the way to work on a commuter train.
There is an ancient model of praying the Scriptures called "lectio divina." Not surprisingly, it has its roots in the Scriptures, especially in the Acts 8:26-39 passage where Philip encounters an Ethiopian official on the road. The Ethiopian is trying to understand the Scriptures but does not know how, so Philip helps him.
Like any good conversation, the method of lectio divina gradually draws us into the Scripture passage and us to listen, to ponder, to question and to then act. Here are the stages:
• The first stage, "lectio," is when we read the passage -- really read it. It can help to read aloud: What does the text really say? This stage of reading also involves listening "with the ears of our heart," as St. Bernard says.
• In the second stage, "meditatio," we meditate on the text: What does this passage say to me? How does it move me or challenge me? (It can be helpful to imagine that you are a character in the passage or part of the crowd.)
• For the third stage, we pray ("oratio"): What do we want to say to the Lord in response to His words to us? We might offer a prayer of thanksgiving or praise, or a petition or request.
• The fourth stage is called contemplation ("contemplatio"), when we ask: "What is God now asking of me?"
You see, conversation with God in the Scriptures also leads to conversion. After all, the words "conversation" and "conversion" are closely related! Finally, as we close our prayer time in and through the Scriptures, we resolve to act ("actio"): to put into practice in our life what we have just prayed.
There are many books that can help with praying the Scriptures, both in terms of suggesting a method (such as Michael Casey's book, "Sacred Reading: The Ancient Art of Lectio Divina") and providing structured daily readings (for example, booklets that give the daily readings for Mass such as The Word Among Us, Magnificat or Our Daily Bread). There is also plenty of material online.
Praying the Scriptures can seem daunting. It is like learning a new skill, hobby or sport. But, like those things, let's not just read about it or think about it; let us actually jump in and try it.
The Lord, the Word, is waiting for us!
(Father Barratt is pastor of St. Ambrose parish in Latham. He holds a doctorate in theology and was a professor at St. John's Seminary in England before coming to the U.S. in 2004.)[[In-content Ad]]
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