Made Present: Praying with Scripture

Sister Christina reflects upon the wonder and beauty of praying with the Gospels, sharing some simple steps for scriptural meditation.

I don’t consider myself overly intellectual. Yes, I did graduate from college and yes, I do love to learn new things … but I was not routinely a straight-A student. I never memorized the entire periodic table or took calculus.

I’m not very philosophical, either. In college, I squeaked by with one philosophy class which was specific to my major.

That being said, when I pray with the Scriptures, I especially love the tangible Gospel stories that I can imagine and relate to.

I’ve been praying with the Scriptures daily for a couple of decades, and have grown in my ability to handle some abstract texts, but the simple Gospel passages have a way of really drawing me in.

This connects, I guess, with one really cool aspect of our faith. It’s something we share with our Jewish friends.

Happenings we remember about our predecessors in faith are not “over and done.” In our commemoration of key events in salvation history, we actually enter into the event. It is made present to us. When Jewish people celebrate Passover, this is very much in their minds.

Actually, in the New Covenant, this goes even deeper. At the Eucharist, the New Passover, Jesus’ sacrifice is made present for us and we can unite with Him.

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Entering into the events

It may seem that I was just off on a tangent, but it’s all connected. Let me explain.

When we read and pray with Scripture, we can truly enter into the events before us as well.

When I read about the woman anointing Jesus’ feet and drying them with her hair (to use one of my favorites), I am there! I, too, draw near to Him, reach out to Him, hold on to Him.

When I read about the Road to Emmaus, where two disciples meet the Risen Lord though they don’t recognize Him, I am with them on that road. I ask Him to open the Scriptures to me and help me listen and take in His words.

I have a special love for praying near Jesus, present in the tabernacle of a church or chapel, but anywhere I pray I can meet Him.

He speaks to me in the Scriptures if I take time to listen. He lets me enter into the beautiful moments and encounters of His life.

They are not just “over and done.”

How beautiful and rich our faith is! How generous our God is!

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How to pray with Scripture

In case you’ve never prayed with the Scriptures in this way before, I invite you to follow a simple little outline to guide you through the process.

Every person is unique, and no one’s prayer experience will be identical, but I hope this simple outline will guide you as you draw closer to Jesus by means of the Scriptures.

Call to mind God’s presence with you. You may wish to have a picture of Jesus or special objects that help set the scene if you aren’t able to visit Him physically. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you and open your heart.
Read a short passage from the Bible. The gospels are a great place to start. If you’re like me, you’ll want to pick a concrete episode rather than a long discourse. You may find it helpful to pick out the reading the night before.
Reflect on the passage. Who is pictured here? What are they doing? How would they be feeling? What would I do if I were there? What does all of this mean to me?
Start talking to Jesus about the passage. Turn it into a prayer, pausing for silence. Talk to Him about the story you’ve been reflecting on. Ask Him questions. Listen for His answers.
Just sit in the silence. If nothing is happening after a while, you might return to the passage or even read on a little further. The point is not to get through the chapter; a few verses may suffice.
Thank Him for the time you’ve had together and for any particular gifts you’ve received.

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