prayingwithscripture

Praying with Scripture

Reading and praying the scriptures invite us into an exploration of the Word of God. As we listen attentively to God’s Word, we find ourselves spending time with the sacred stories of our faith tradition. When we listen with our hearts as well as our minds, God’s word is able to touch us and nurture the paths of our lives.

Pray with Scripture Now
If you’ve never prayed with scripture before, here is a simple exercise to try.

Sit in a quiet comfortable place where you will not be disturbed for 15 minutes.
Take a deep breath and acknowledge the presence of God within you.
Read this passage from Luke’s gospel aloud to yourself, slowly:

One day he got into a boat with his disciples and said to them, "Let us cross to the other side of the lake." So they set sail, and while they were sailing he fell asleep. A squall blew over the lake, and they were taking in water and were in danger. They came and woke him saying, "Master, master, we are perishing!" He awakened, rebuked the wind and the waves, and they subsided and there was a calm. Then he asked them, "Where is your faith?" But they were filled with awe and amazed and said to one another, "Who then is this, who commands even the winds and the sea, and they obey him?" Luke 8:22-25

What words, phrases or feelings attract you? Spend a few moments paying attention to them.
Read the passage a second time, this time, putting yourself in the position of the disciples. Notice how it feels to be in the boat with Jesus.
Read the passage a third time. This time, in your imagination, sit in the now-calm boat on the water, and face Jesus. Talk to him. What do you say? Listen to him. What does he say to you?

When you finish talking with Jesus, say a prayer of thanks before you leave your prayer space.
Click here to see the readings from today’s Catholic liturgy.

Praying with Scripture
Reading and praying the scriptures invite us into an exploration of the Word of God.

Gardening as Prayer
There is something profound at work in gardening, perhaps, because plant life is created by God and, when we work with plants, we sense a closeness to God.

Praying the Rosary
Fingering and moving the beads can calm our spirit, help us focus, and integrate our senses of touch and sight into the experience of God.

Labyrinth Prayer
We walk the labyrinth as we pray or meditate and in the process learn to calm our minds, relax our bodies, and reduce stress by letting go of all that burdens us unnecessarily.

The Contemplative Prayer Walk
The prayer walk is a simple procession of contemplative peace.

Faith sharing Prayer of Small Church Communities
Small church communities provide the opportunity for each member to be valued, to be listened to, and to be empowered to have a voice and the courage to act on convictions.

Liturgy of the Hours, The Church’s Prayer
Liturgy of the Hours, daily office, morning and evening prayer – some of the many names for a prayer that is offered at fixed times of the day and night.

Prayer of Examen
The prayer of examen is an examination of our lives, a way of honestly assessing our lives in the light of God’s mercy. This prayer focuses our reflection on a narrow time span, perhaps the previous day or week.

Meditation as Prayer
In the Christian tradition, meditation is a method of prayer in which we spontaneously respond to God by pondering God’s activity and presence in human history and in our lives.

Centering Prayer
Centering prayer helps us come to contemplation. It seeks awareness of the presence of God by withdrawing our attention from the ordinary flow of thoughts.

Journaling as Prayer
Keeping a journal is a meaningful prayer practice. Putting thoughts on paper as we pray can help us to be more reflective about what we feel and think.

Praying with Icons
Oftentimes in prayer, our imaginations can race in a distracted manner. Icons can help us to overcome distraction. They invite us to focus on an image of the holy that points the way to God.