Miles Jesu: Sons and Daughters of the Immaculate of Heart of Our Lady of the Epiphany, An Ecclesial Family of Consecrated Life in the Catholic Church

Praying

Meditations / Praying With the Bible

The holy bible has always been the foundation for the prayer life of the Church. The Mass, the highest act of worship, is composed almost entirely from the words of scripture. The liturgy of the word (the first part of Mass where we sit and listen to readings from the gospel, the psalms, and other Old and New Testament texts) spells out for us chapter and verse what the Church has assigned for the day’s reading, and the homily’s primary function is to explain and apply the day’s gospel. But the entire Mass is full of scripture texts, including the pinnacle of the Mass, the consecration, whose words of course are taken directly from the Gospel of the Lord’s Supper. The prayers of the liturgy of the hours and of the rosary, both taking such an important and popular place in the daily prayer life of so many Catholics, are also deeply linked to the bible.

The Church encourages us to use the bible for our own private prayer, too. God wants us to use the bible to develop our own unique personal relationship with him. Our private prayer life should lead us to “contemplation.” At first that sounds like a word to be applied only to mystics or, at least, to monks and nuns in the strictest orders who have made a real specialization of prayer. But the dictionary definition of contemplation is nothing to be intimidated at: “to gaze at....to consider thoughtfully.” It conjures up images of the silent communication of a couple truly in love, or a mother watching her baby sleep, as well as shedding new light on the many images of saints gazing at a crucifix or into the heavens. Contemplation is the quiet joy and strength that comes from knowing that we are in the presence of the one we love. And it is a form of prayer open to us all.

Meditating on scripture can be broken down into four steps that proceed from informing the mind to moving the heart and thus lead us into true communication with God.

Step One: Reading
“Blessed is he who reads the words of the Prophet” (Ap. 1:3)

Begin by asking the Holy Spirit for wisdom and openness to his grace so that God may truly speak to you as you read. Find a place that helps you achieve internal and external quiet. Carefully read a scripture text. Read the text half-aloud, slowly. It might be helpful to read it several times, emphasizing and even memorizing some of the phrases which touch you or catch your attention. It is important to take in what the Lord is saying, without rejecting any part or analyzing why which sections are more appealing and which aren’t.

The goal of such reading: to nourish the mind.

Step Two: Meditation
“How I love Your law; I meditate on it throughout the day” (Ps. 119:97)

It is not enough simply to read, for the word to go deep into the heart. Don’t be a passive observer in what is going on but take part in it. What biblical image especially draws you, and why? How would you act if you were actually in the scene? Ask yourself what God wants to say to you. Meditate on it going steadily deeper into the mystery of the word of God, the mind concentrated on becoming aware of the more deeply hidden truths. Stop at a section that especially catches your attention, whether by making you feel especially moved or, possibly, uneasy. Re-read the text, reflecting on it. Repeat the word or phrase that has arrested your attention. Write down the ideas that meant the most to you and put them up somewhere where you will see them during the day.

The goal of meditation: to feed the heart.

Step Three: Prayer
Now it is your turn to speak to God. Open your heart to him, listen to what he is stirring inside of you. Let God in and tell him about what you are experiencing, what his word is producing in you. Pray simply and spontaneously, using the background from the reading and meditation you have just made. Call to mind all the things God has done for you during your life. Praise him and thank him for everything in your life. Trustfully ask his help in your sufferings.

The goal of prayer: a heart to heart conversation with God.

Contemplation while reading the Bible is key to understanding. Step Four: Contemplation
Open yourself to the grace of contemplation: “be” with him; be aware of his presence. Stay close to him and, in the awareness of his presence, face also your true self. The simple recognizing of his presence is the essence of contemplation; words are not necessary. Try to remain still and silent, attentive to his presence. Experience a longing for him, a looking at him. In this way a deep bond with God can be formed, fulfilling all the aspects of life. Try to always look to him in all of life’s events, big and small, so that everything can be penetrated with his grace. To begin to be able to see things as God sees them is the beginning of true interior peace.

The goal of contemplation: to live in the presence of God.

Additional information on meditations may be found here.

Recommended steps for making a meditation

Make the Sign of the Cross.
Say, "Praised be Jesus Christ in the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Altar."
Recall that you are in the presence of God.
Offer the meditation (e.g., a reading from Scripture, a biography of a saint, or a spiritual guide) to God and ask His help in making a good meditation.
Ask the Blessed Mother for help in making a good meditation.
Ask your favorite angels and saints for help in making a good meditation.
Imagine Jesus in any way that inspires more fervor.
Read a few sentences from the book and think about them over and over.
Talk to Jesus any time you are inspired, or to Mary.
Do not read more than you need to help you to meditate or pray. Be sure that you understand it well.
If it does good, stay with the same meditation for as many days as it is beneficial.
Always apply the meditation to your practical daily life in a way that will help you love God, Mary, and your neighbor more by being more humble, more patient, more generous, more detached, and more free from peer pressure. Apply it in your life so that faith, hope and charity will be increased and you will be led further and further from sin.
Before finishing the meditation of the day, always make a small practical resolution to be put into practice before the next day's meditation.
Always finish with a fervent dialogue with God the Father, the Holy Spirit, Jesus, or with Mary.

Other Guidelines

It is better to make the meditation before the Blessed Sacrament.

It helps to take a short prayer out of the meditation tto repeat during the day, and in this way ensure the fruit of the meditation.

If you make the meditation in the morning, it is an excellent idea to read a little of the meditation before going to bed that night, and in this way go to sleep thinking of these ideas. Immediately upon awakening the next morning, remember these ideas and keep them in the back of your mind until the next session.