Four Spiritual Practices for Praying and Interacting with God’s Word

Introduction: Each of these is a contemplative (stillness) practice. Find a quiet place where you can be alone and undisturbed. Leave phones and other technological devices in another room. Light a calendar to signify Christ with you, if you desire. Sit comfortably. Focus on your breathing. Some practices require you to shut your eyes. Some offer the option of handwriting notes or even sketching if you are artistic. Let the Spirit guide you.

Lectio divina (Divine Reading)

Lectio divina is an ancient spiritual practice designed to help us interact deeply with God’s Word in a process and attitude that allows God’s Spirit to speak to us through the text and instruct us on how to live differently in response to these insights.

Steps

1. Lectio (Read)

The first reading is an opportunity to become familiar with the Scripture passage. Listen carefully for any words or

phrases that seem to stand out to you. This is a gentle process of God’s Spirit guiding you and not something you need to force.

2. Meditatio (Reflect)

This is the second reading of the same passage that allows you to further focus on the words or phrases that spoke to you during the first reading. Read slowly. Listen for what God might be speaking to you through this passage. Pray that the message you are intended to receive will be made clear by God’s Spirit.

3. Oratio (Respond)

As you read the passage slowly again for the third time, begin to think on how God’s wants you to respond based on what you have received in this passage. Journaling might be a helpful way to process and discern your response. Ask yourself how this passage is inviting you to think or act differently.

4. Contemplatio (Rest)

Spend some quiet time sitting in this presence of God. This is not a time of active prayer or further analysis of the scripture passage. This is about quieting the mind and remaining connected with the divine. If your mind wanders away during this time, just gently call it back to the presence of God.

Ignatian Contemplation

Saint Ignatius of Loyola was a 16th century Spanish priest and theologian whose writings about prayer and spiritual practices were so profound that they are still widely used today. His Contemplation is a way of praying the scriptures by using our imagination to interact with a story that is being told. It requires that you insert yourself as an active participant in the Bible story. But as with Lectio divina, it is not about forcing ourselves inside but about surrendering to God’s Spirit who will do the work of involving us in this prayerful experience. This is not us trying to rewrite scripture, but allowing the imagination that God gifts us and the working of God’s spirit to help us add flesh to these sparse stories. There is a Jewish tradition called midrash, which is based in this very process. It is ok for that story to be about “truths” and not just about “facts.” As you move through the steps, it is fine to handwrite notes or sketch if you are artistic. Don’t take notes on a phone or computer. The great writer and theologian Barbara Brown Taylor insists that “pen and paper will take you to places a keyboard never will.”

Steps

1. In a quiet place where you can be alone, sit comfortably. Leave your phone and all technology devices in another room.

2. Select a passage from the Gospels where Jesus is interacting with others.

3. Read the passage at least twice to become familiar with the story. It helps to read it in more than one translation.

4. Close your eyes and imagine this scene playing out as on a stage or movie screen. Who are the people present? Which of them are major players in the scene and which are minor? What are the people wearing? What are they doing? What is the setting (place, time of day, etc.)? What is the mood?

5. Now, insert yourself into the story as one of the people, animal, or even inanimate object (basket, coin, loaf of bread, etc.). You can also insert yourself as a person, animal, or object that is not in the scene but that you add. Once you are there, ask yourself questions about what you are thinking and feeling (What is the temperature? What are the smells and the sounds? Are you tasting something? What emotions are you having?) If you are an object, ask questions like what is your purpose in the story and how are people interacting with you? The goal is to fully experience the scene with your senses and imagination.

6. You may decide to revisit this same scene over the course of many days or to choose different ones. Regardless, allow this time spent in deep connection with Jesus to go with you as you continue with your daily activities.

Centering Prayer (Contemplative Prayer)

Centering Prayer is a contemplative exercise that allows us to quiet our minds and bodies as we come into God’s presence. It makes room for us to commune with God’s Spirit in a deep way.

Steps

1. Choose a sacred word (grace, love, peace, God, Jesus, faith, trust, etc.) as a symbol of your intention to enter into God’s presence.

2. Leave your phone and all technology devices in another room. In a quiet place where you can be alone, sit comfortably and silently with your eyes closed. Introduce into your mind that sacred word you have chosen as an act of consent to God’s presence and work within you.

3. If your mind wanders away with other thoughts or you notice bodily sensations or sounds in the environment, gently call yourself back, without judgment, to the sacred word.

4. When ready (at least 15 minutes if possible), draw your time of prayer to a close by sitting quietly for another few minutes.

The Daily Examen

The Daily Examen is a spiritual prayer practice introduced by the 16th century priest and theologian Ignatius of Loyola. Its purpose is for us to exercise gratitude, offer confession, and seek God’s guidance. It is intended to be practiced at the end of the day.

Steps

1. Prepare: Sit comfortably and alone in a quiet space. Center yourself by taking a series of deep breaths and/or lighting a candle.

2. Review: Think through the events of the day with the intention of naming what brought you joy and delight (a flower, a conversation, a smell, etc.). Nothing is too minor to escape naming. Now, thank God for all of these things. Feel free to handwrite this is that is helpful/meaningful.

3. Feel: Reflect back on all the emotions that you felt strongly during the day, both positive and negative. Ask yourself what God was communicating to you through these emotions. Is there a lesson to be learned? Is there an action that needs to be taken?

4. Pray: Focus on one of the events or emotions from the day to offer up in prayer. It can be a positive happening that you want to spend more time in thanksgiving. It can be a difficult moment or concern for which you need to practice intercession or to ask for guidance, strength, or forgiveness.

5. Equip: Conclude by praying for God’s strength and guidance for tomorrow. Ask God to equip you for every eventuality that you will need to face.