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By Douglas J. Leonhardt, SJ
Lectio Divina and Gospel Contemplation are two ways to pray with Scripture. Fr. Leonhardt explains these two forms of prayer for those new to the practices.
My Seventh Day Adventist paternal grandmother was very faithful to reading the Bible every day until cataracts dimmed her eyes so she could no longer read. My Catholic maternal grandparents faithfully prayed the rosary every evening. Up until Vatican II these prayer forms were often the practices which designated people as Protestants or Catholics. But the Council urged all Catholics to return to Scripture as a way of "learning the surpassing knowledge of Jesus Christ." (Phil 3:8)

Over the past forty years some Catholics have hesitated to read Scripture privately because they did not feel they knew enough about the Bible. But this reason for avoiding the reading of Scripture is a temptation because it puts the focus on the individual and not on Christ. The truth is that we have a teacher in the Holy Spirit whom Christ promised and we received at Baptism. "I have said these things to you while still with you; but the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all I have said to you." (John 14:25-26)

There are two easy ways to pray with Scripture. One is called in Latin, Lectio Divina, (Holy Reading) and the other is Gospel Contemplation.

Lectio Divina

This method of prayer goes back to the early monastic tradition. There were not bibles for everyone and not everyone knew how to read. So the monks gathered in chapel to hear a member of the community reading from the scripture. In this exercise they were taught and encouraged to listen with their hearts because it was the Word of God that they were hearing.

When a person wants to use Lectio Divina as a prayer form today, the method is very simple. When one is a beginner, it is better to choose a passage from one of the Gospels or epistles, usually ten or fifteen verses. Some people who regularly engage in this method of prayer choose the epistle or the Gospel for the Mass of the day as suggested by the Catholic Church.

First one goes to a quiet place and recalls that one is about to listen to the Word of God. Then one reads the scripture passage aloud to let oneself hear with his or her own ears the words. When one finishes reading, pause and recall if some word or phrase stood out or something touched one's heart. If so, pause and savor the insight, feeling, or understanding. Then go back and read the passage again because it will have a fuller meaning. Pause again and note what happened. If one wants to dialogue with God or Jesus in response to the word, one should follow the prompting of one's heart. This kind of reflective listening allows the Holy Spirit to deepen awareness of God's taking the initiative to speak with us.

Lectio Divina can also be an effective form for group prayer. After a passage is read, there can be some extended silence for each person to savor what he or she has heard, particularly noting whether any word or phrase became a special focus of attention. Sometimes groups invite members, if they so desire, to share out loud the word or phrase that struck them. This is done without discussion. Then a different person from the group would read the passage again with a pause for silence. Different emphases might be suggested after each reading: What gift does this passage lead me to ask from the Lord? What does this passage call me to do? The prayer can be concluded with an Our Father.

Whether one prays individually or in a group, Lectio Divina is a flexible and easy way to pray. One first listens, notes what is given and responds in a way one is directed by the Holy Spirit.

Gospel Contemplation

The early Christians did not waste a lot of energy looking back and wishing they had been born a hundred years earlier so they could have walked with Jesus. Instead they focused on coming to know Christ in three powerful ways: through the sacraments, especially the Eucharist; the stories and emerging writings about Jesus; and his powerful presence when they gathered in his name.

Saint Ignatius Loyola invited a person when an individual made a retreat in the pattern of his Spiritual Exercises to pray to come to know Christ so that one may love him in a more real way and following from this knowledge and love become a more faithful disciple.

In order to grow in this faith knowledge, Ignatius invited the retreatant to engage in a prayer method called contemplation. This is not some kind of mystical prayer but a prayer form in which one uses his or her senses in an imaginative way to reflect on a Gospel passage. One uses the senses, seeing, hearing, tasting, touching, and smelling to make the Gospel scene real and alive.

Here is a way of engaging in this prayer form which is relaxing and rather easy.

1. Select a passage from one of the Gospels in which Jesus is interacting with others.

2. Recall what one is doing in engaging with the Word of God and what one desires from this encounter. God is present and because God is present one relies on God.

3. Read the Gospel passage twice so that the story and the details of the story become familiar.

4. Close one's eyes and reconstruct the scene in one's imagination. See what is going on and watch the men and women in the scene. What does Jesus look like? How do the others react to him? What are the people saying to one another? What emotions fill their words? Is Jesus touching someone? As one enters into the scene, sometimes there is the desire to be there. So a person can place oneself in the scene, perhaps as an observer, as one lining up for healing, or as one helping others to Jesus.

5. Some people's imaginations are very active so they construct a movie-like scenario with a Gospel passage. Others will enter the scene with verbal imagination, reflecting on the scene and mulling over the actions. Vividness is not a criteria for the effectiveness of this kind of prayer. Engagement is and the result is a more interior knowledge of Jesus.

6. As one finishes this time of prayer, one should take a moment to speak person to person with Christ saying what comes from the heart.

From Finding God in All Things: A Marquette Prayer Book © 2009 Marquette University Press. Used with permission.
Related Links
Ignatian Contemplation dotMagis blog post with video

Pray with Your Imagination by David L. Fleming, SJ

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Praying with Scripture - Lectio Divina & Gospel Contemplation - IgnatianSpirituality.com

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By Douglas J. Leonhardt, SJ Lectio Divina and Gospel Contemplation are two ways to pray with Scripture. Fr. Leonhardt explains these two forms of prayer for those new to the practices. My Seventh Day Adventist paternal grandmother was very faithful to reading the Bible every day until cataracts dimmed her eyes so she could no longer read.

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Staff devotions provide a special time where staff come together to share, celebrate, engage with God's word and pray about the joys and challenges of community life. It is an informal time that may occur in the staffroom or classrooms usually at the beginning of a day. 

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Staff devotions may involve reading a Bible verse or story, viewing a video, reflection, praying and sharing.

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Richard Rohr's Daily Meditations are free email reflections sent every day of the year. Each meditation features Richard Rohr and guest authors reflecting on a yearly theme, with each week building on previous topics-but you can join at any time!

This year Father Richard is helping us to learn the dance of Action and Contemplation. You can learn more about the 2020 theme and watch a short video or explore recent reflections. Scroll down to read the most recent post.

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Interspiritual Mysticism
Today, I introduce you to my friend Adam Bucko, who is a devoted Christian contemplative, Episcopal priest, activist, and friend to the poor. He collaborates with spiritual leaders across religious traditions and mentors young people, helping them discover a spiritual life for the 21st century and live in the service of compassion and justice. Here he reflects on what he sees as a spiritual awakening in younger generations.
For younger people, many of us, it's very clear we see God as present in all of the traditions. . . . Not only do they believe that there is one underlying reality at the foundation of all major world religions but they are also convinced that different traditions and their unique approaches to God complement each other. . . .

But it's also important to say, a lot of young people don't actually identify with a tradition any more. . . . Many of our churches, synagogues and mosques are freaking out when they hear this, thinking that young people are no longer interested in the sacred. But to me it is clear that young people are not necessarily rejecting God, they simply feel that many religious organizations lost touch with reality and are too concerned with money, power, self-preservation, maintaining the status quo, and 'having right beliefs'. As a result, they tend to view them . . . as organizations that are spiritually bankrupt, that are no longer able to speak to and address some of the big questions of our time. And it takes deep insight and spiritual courage to see that. It is for this reason and many others that I don't think of the rise of the 'spiritual but not religious' among our youth as a sign of spiritual decline but rather a new kind of spiritual awakening. . . .

We have to acknowledge that when people hear about spiritual and not religious people, they often immediately think that these are people who are just shopping around and not really that committed. . . . But when we look at some of the people who come from that group, we realize that actually many of them spend more time [in spiritual practices] than regular churchgoers.
Richard: I can honestly say that I have observed many of these same things in my work with young people at the CAC. I do not see a lack of spirituality and good faith in many seekers of the next generation, but an abundance of it and a deep desire to live with integrity and in alignment with their values. Such people are not satisfied with a faith simply handed to them by an institution or the previous generation. They insist on investigating what is truly important for transformation and a more just and compassionate world.
Reference:
Adam Bucko, "Follow Your Heartbreak," in Generation Y, Spirituality and Social Change, ed. Justine Afra Huxley (Jessica Kingsley Publishers: 2019), 67‒68.

Image credit: Spärlich Belaubt (detail), Paul Klee, 1934.

Inspiration for this week's banner image: I had long been familiar with the mystical tradition of the West, but I felt the need of something more which the East alone could give; above all the sense of the presence of God in nature and the soul. -Bede Griffiths

" Engaged Love

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Daily Meditations Archives - Center for Action and Contemplation

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Richard Rohr's Daily Meditations Richard Rohr's Daily Meditations are free email reflections sent every day of the year. Each meditation features Richard Rohr and guest authors reflecting on a yearly theme, with each week building on previous topics-but you can join at any time!

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Daily devotions from the Lutheran church

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Daily devotions from the Lutheran church

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Start or finish each day in God's word, with devotions written by LCA/NZ members specifically for these challenging times. Sign up to receive Daily Devotion in your inbox every morning.

Permission is granted to reproduce these devotions with this acknowledgement: 'Reproduced with permission: Lutheran Church of Australia 2020'. If possible, please provide a link to the Daily Devotion archive page www.lca.org.au/daily-devotion
Read previous Daily Devotions.

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Start or finish each day in God's word, with devotions written by LCA/NZ members specifically for these challenging times. Sign up to receive Daily Devotion in your inbox every morning. Permission is granted to reproduce these devotions with this acknowledgement: 'Reproduced with permission: Lutheran Church of Australia 2020'.

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The Skit Guys Blog

Skit Guys are making a movie! That's right! Tommy and Eddie are realizing a lifelong dream and are making a feature-length film called Family Camp! We need all the prayers we can get as we launch into this adventure.

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The Skit Guys | Church Videos, Scripts and Worship Media

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View All Videos View All Scripts View All Worship Media Skit Guys are making a movie! That's right! Tommy and Eddie are realizing a lifelong dream and are making a feature-length film called Family Camp! We need all the prayers we can get as we launch into this adventure.

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Search for prayers by Bible verse or themes

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Here's a possible opening prayer based on Matthew : 1- 9, the parable of the Sower and the Seed. Feel free to revise it to suit your context.

We gather together in Your presence with expectation,

hungry for an encounter with You,

eager to hear Your Word.

Open our eyes and ears to the presence of Your Holy Spirit.

May the seeds of Your Word scattered among us this morning

fall on fertile soil.

May they take root in our hearts and lives,

and produce an abundant harvest

of good words and deeds.

We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ,

our teacher and our Lord.

~ Christine Longhurst, re:Worship

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Here's a possible opening prayer based on Matthew : 1- 9, the parable of the Sower and the Seed. Feel free to revise it to suit your context. We gather together in Your presence with expectation, hungry for an encounter with You, eager to hear Your Word.

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Why Pray in Color?

1) You want to pray but words escape you. 2) Sitting still and staying focused in prayer are a challenge. 3) Your body wants to be part of your prayer. 4) You want to just hang out with God but don't know how. 5) Listening to God feels like an impossible task . 6) Your mind wanders and your body complains. 7) You want a visual, concrete way to pray.
8) You Need a new way to pray.

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lectio divina -- reading the bible for spiritual growth

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creating a personal advent or lenten calendar

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kindergarten and children's prayer training

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Praying in Color | Sybil MacBeth - Drawing a New Path to God

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1) You want to pray but words escape you. 2) Sitting still and staying focused in prayer are a challenge. 3) Your body wants to be part of your prayer. 4) You want to just hang out with God but don't know how. 5) Listening to God feels like an impossible task .

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Despite our best intentions, setting aside time for our own spiritual nurture can easily fall down the list of priorities amidst the day-to-day pressures and curve balls of leading a school or early childhood community. Yet this is something that we must not allow to be permanently consigned to the too hard basket.

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I've always wanted to be a "good" Christian. I've read stacks of books about God and the Christian life, but I only occasionally felt closer to Him. That all changed when I read Trappist Monk Fr. Thomas Keating's "Open Mind, Open Heart" and learned about the prayer practice of Lectio Divina.

Lectio Divina (literally divine reading ) is a way of becoming immersed in the Scriptures very personally. It draws on the way Jews read the , a text read during Passover that retells the Exodus story. Haggadah means "telling" and along with being a physical text, the word captures the practice of telling and retelling a story.

The Christian form of Lectio Divina was first introduced by St. Gregory of Nyssa (c 330- 395), and also encouraged by St. Benedict of Nursia (c 480-547), the founder of the Benedictine order. It's a way of developing a closer relationship with God by reflecting prayerfully on His words. In Lectio Divina, the chosen spiritual text is read four times in total, giving an opportunity to think deeply about it and respond thoughtfully. When we practice Lectio Divina, we can imagine we're actually involved in the events of Scripture - for example, hearing God's words to the Israelites in the desert. It's an intensely personal experience.

describes the four stages of Lectio Divina as compass points around a circle, with the Holy Spirit moving seamlessly between them. As a beginner, I've found it helpful to follow the stages in order. Like learning an instrument, once I've learned the basics, I'll be able to improvise! Here's how to get started:

Prepare

I'd suggest 30 minutes to read, reflect, and respond to the Holy Spirit's promptings in Lectio Divina. To tune in, I like to light a candle, not because it's necessary, but because the flame and fragrance serve as gentle reminders when collecting my thoughts and calming my mind. I pray a prayer of invitation, saying something like, "God, let me hear from you," and spend a few moments sitting quietly so my mind is open to hearing from God.

Lectio (Read)

My first reading is an opportunity to get to know the Scripture passage. I listen carefully for any words or phrases that seem to jump out. It's important not to force things, but wait patiently for God to give gentle guidance. One day when reading Jeremiah 31, I felt my mind drawn to the strength of God's commitment to His covenant:

"[I will make a new covenant] not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband." (Jeremiah 31:32 English Standard Version)

I was struck by the image of God leading His people by the hand as an act of love - they weren't left to begin their momentous journey alone.

Meditatio (Reflect)

The second reading of the same passage focuses further on the points I become aware of during the first reading. Often I'll just re-read a few verses so I can reflect carefully on where God has nudged me.

Then I'll reflect on what I believe God is saying. I try not to analyze the passage. It's easy to slip into "study mode" and think about interesting points rather than listening to what God might be saying. It helps to ask God to make His focus clear.

Oratio (Respond)

After a third reading, it's time to respond. I like to record my thoughts by journaling because I know I'm very prone to forgetting what I've learned, even by the next day! We can respond in prayer too, which gives us the opportunity for a conversation with God.

When reading Jeremiah, I journaled my wonderings. If God is so powerfully committed to keeping His covenant with me, why do I sometimes lack the commitment to stay close to God? Often the events of the day crowd in, and I don't always make time to listen to God. I prayed that God would help me to prioritize spending time with Him.

Contemplatio (Rest)

After the final reading, I spend around 10 minutes in silent contemplation. This isn't a time of prayer or meditation - I just sit quietly and allow God to work. When my mind starts to wander and dart here and there, I bring it gently back to stillness again.

There are many sources of inspiration to help develop the practice of Lectio Divina. Soul Shepherding has a collection of downloadable guides, and LectioDivina.org also has some helpful examples of journaling. It's important to remember that Lectio Divina is not an end in itself or another spiritual practice to tick off our to-do list. It helps us hear specifically and individually from God through Scripture, guided by the Holy Spirit, and deepens our relationship with Him.
Originally published January 18, 2017

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Lectio Divina: A Beginner's Guide | Busted Halo

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I've always wanted to be a "good" Christian. I've read stacks of books about God and the Christian life, but I only occasionally felt closer to Him. That all changed when I read Trappist Monk Fr. Thomas Keating's "Open Mind, Open Heart" and learned about the prayer practice of Lectio Divina.

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We should be consciously trying to change our lives all the time (unless we are already sinless!) We should be aiming to die to sin and live to righteousness every day; to escape the power of the lies of our past or the lies of Satan; to live in the truth, love, and freedom of God; to stop being controlled by our sinful flesh; and to see the fruit of the Spirit in our lives.

The means God has provided to enable this to happen is the Bible: for God's words are powerful to change us, because they were written by God the Holy Spirit-and the same Spirit applies them to our hearts and lives today.

But this is unlikely to be effective with a 'read, run, and forget' approach to reading the Bible. Our lives are so full of activity, information, responsibilities, worries, information, input and people, that we quickly forget our morning Bible reading, and quickly forget our weekly sermon, even if we preach it!

Meditation!

That's why God has told us not just to read or hear his words, but meditate on them. To meditate is to reflect on, to ponder, to mull over, to talk about, to re-read, to re-hear, to say to others, and to hear from the lips of others.

We learn in Psalm 1 that God blesses those who: 'do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers' (1:1).

Our meditations or self-talk or self-reflection often express worry, unbelief, criticism of others or ourselves, busyness, activities, complaints, or tension. We should replace worldly meditation with godly meditation. Good meditation should replace bad meditation: healthy meditation should replace unhealthy meditation. As Psalm 1 tells us, God blesses those who both delight in and meditate on God's teaching: 'but their delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law they meditate day and night' (1:2).

It is only delighting in and meditating on God's teaching, which will fill our minds, hearts and lives with God's truth, rather than the rubbish found all around us. If garbage goes into our minds, garbage will come out. If God's words go into our minds, then God's words will come out in our life, speech, and actions. And we will become fertile and fruitful, as Psalm 1 tells us:
They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper (1:3).
True Mind-full-ness

In Biblical meditation, our aim is not to empty our minds and consciousness, but to fill them with the words and works of God. For meditation on the words of God see Psalm 119:15,23,27,48,78,97,99,148; for meditation on the works of God see Psalms 77:12, 119:27, 143:5, and 145:5. And we can only meditate on the works of God as we read of them in the words of God.

And what did Biblical meditation mean in practice?

Deuteronomy tells us:
You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, ⁹and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates (6:5-9).
Notice this all-day, private and public meditation, in which God's people are to keep his words in their hearts, in their minds on their lips, in their ears, and in their eyes, 24/7! This is a long way from 'read, run, and forget'!

Meditation Today

How might we do Biblical meditation today? Here are some suggestions.
God's words: In your mind and heart

Use the same passage of the Bible for your reading every day for a week. Soak yourself in it!

Memorise a key verse from this reading, and repeat it to yourself as often as you can each day.

Turn the words of the Bible reading and the Bible verse into a prayer. When we pray them, we own, them, and when we pray them we reinforce them in our hearts and wills.

Reduce the amount of time each day you spend listening to or watching the news. For our daily news is sadly full of the words of the wicked, the sinners, and the scoffers. It is good to know what is happening, but not good to be overwhelmed and infiltrated with gossip, scandal, triviality, and spectacularised bad news.

In your eyes

Put the Bible passage or verse as your screen saver.

Print out a copies of it, and put them on the doors of your bedroom, bathroom, study, office, kitchen, fridge, sink, dining table and in your car or on your bike.

Put a copy at the front of your calendar.

Send yourself a daily email or text message with the verse on it.

On your lips-t o yourself

Say the Bible verse aloud to yourself as often as you think of it, so it is on your lips and in your ears as well as in your mind.

Put the Bible verse to music, and sing it to yourself.

Whenever you take exercise, or travel, meditate on the Bible verse. Say it out loud.

In your ears, from the lips of others

Tell family and friends, and anyone you meet about the Bible words which you are meditating on, and encourage them with its message. There is a good chance that whatever you need to meditate on will help others, and it will be a ministry to them. [Colossians 3:16]. In this way you will have the words on your lips and in your ears. And as you say them to others and encourage them to receive them, you will reinforce them to yourself.

Ask family and friends to remind you of the Bible truth you want to absorb [Colossians 3:16]. Have the words in your ears.

Get a whiteboard in your kitchen, write the Bible verse on it, and talk about it with your family each meal for seven days. Do corporate Biblical meditation, just like in Deuteronomy!

And ask others to pray for you, that God would change you by these words.

Luxuriating in God's words

So surround yourself, immerse yourself, immerse yourself, and luxuriate in God's words. Meditate on them every way you can.
The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul;
the decrees of the LORD are sure, making wise the simple;
the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the LORD is clear, enlightening the eyes (Psalm 19:7,8).
We will find the power of God's words as we meditate on them:

To meditate on God's words, you should make them a vital and constant part of your daily life. They should be in your mind, in your heart, in your eyes, in your ears, on our lips, and on the lips of others.
These books, therefore, ought to be much in our hands, in our eyes, in our ears, in our mouths, but most of all in our hearts. The words of Holy Scripture be called words of everlasting life (John 6): for they be God's instrument, ordained for the same purpose ... They have power to turn through God's promise, and they are effectual through God's assistance; and being received in a faithful heart, they have a heavenly spiritual working in them... And there is nothing that so much strengthens our faith and trust in God, that so much preserves pureness of the heart and also of outward godly life and conversation, as continual reading and recording of God's word. For that thing which, by continual reading of Holy Scripture, and diligent searching of the same, is deeply printed and graven in the heart, at length turns almost into nature....

Read these wonderful words from Thomas Cranmer's Homily on the Holy Scriptures and see that he bring the same message for the same reason!

Some Suggested Places to Start

Not sure where to start? Here is a selection of verses for meditation. Make sure that you study the verse in its context, so as to get its full meaning, impact, and power. Combine depth of study with constancy and range of meditation!

'The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: fools despise wisdom and instruction....Get wisdom!' (Proverbs 1:7, 4:7)

'Teach us to number our days that we may gain a wise heart.' (Psalm 90)

'See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are'. (1 John 3:1)

'Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort'. (2 Corinthians 1:3)

'Count it all joy when you meet trials of various kinds'. (James 1:2)

'You must consider yourself dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus'. (Romans 6:11)

'We make it our aim to please him ... for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ'. (2 Corinthians 5:10)

'We look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal'. (2 Corinthians 4:18)

'I know your works'. (Revelation 3:8)

'Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer' (Psalm 19:14)

God's words should be our daily food, for, 'Humans do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God' (Matthew 4:4).

Photos: Unsplash.com
Keeping eating, and stay alive! Let God's words change you!

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Meditation on the Scriptures: The Key to Personal Transformation - The Gospel Coalition | Australia

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We should be consciously trying to change our lives all the time (unless we are already sinless!) We should be aiming to die to sin and live to righteousness every day; to escape the power of the lies of our past or the lies of Satan; to live in the truth, love, and freedom of God; to stop being controlled by our sinful flesh; and to see the fruit of the Spirit in our lives.

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Rachel Held Evans, Henri Nouwen, Eugene Peterson,  Rob Bell, Richard Rohr, Nadia Bolz Weber,

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Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

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On this page you will find

online resources for a variety of prayer styles and prayer rituals

resources for prayerful music and images

suggestions of how to use video creation and viewing​

Please note that some of these websites will not work on iPads where Adobe Flash is required. eg Wordle

Online sites for creating visual images of writing can provide opportunities for students to reflect on themselves, their abilities, their values, their feelings and especially their life's purpose. They may also assist students bundle their prayer into visual clusters.

Using online resources for writing can assist students express emotions and thoughts. The online drawing sites for prayer below were originally blogged by Richard Byrne, the developer of Free Technology for Teachers.

Taggalaxy.de
Taggalaxy.de is a tool which creates a planetary collection of images as a result of key words entered. When you click on the word in the centre, a globe populates with pictures from flickr. If you click on an image twice it will bring up information about the photographer and provide a link to their flickr page. An image can not be uploaded du copyright restrictions.

Engage students & adults:
There are many and varied video resources that can assist in the teaching and learning about, and engagement with prayer and spirituality discussions.
Popular, religious, classical and instrumental music videos are just some genres that can help introduce a prayer ritual, provide reflective background music or offer helpful conclusions to prayer .
provide an array of short talks covering a variety of topics that can be searched on their site. These may provide promptings for conversations and questions about topics such as Catholic Social Teaching, Gratitude, Perspectives on God and Suffering, the role of Hope etc.

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On this page you will find online resources for a variety of prayer styles and prayer rituals resources for prayerful music and images suggestions of how to use video creation and viewing​ Please note that some of these websites will not work on iPads where Adobe Flash is required.

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I am thankful to have grown up in a church tradition that emphasized the importance of nurturing a "personal relationship" with God. From an early age, I had a deep and active prayer life, comfortable shootin' the breeze with Jesus about whatever was on my mind-my friends, my sins, my hopes, my questions, my fears, my obsession with that boy. Jesus heard it all.
But as precious and important as it was to march before the throne of grace with such confidence each day, my prayer life became much richer when I discovered structured prayer and incorporated it into my devotional practices.
By structured prayer I just mean prayers drawn from Scripture or written by other people, words that are not my own. These prayers have helped carry me beyond a merely personal relationship with God to one that is more communal. I found these prayers in the Psalms, in the Book of Common Prayer, from church history, through the Daily Office, and in the writings of other followers of Jesus from a variety of church traditions.

A single blog post could never do justice to the impact structured prayer has had on my life.

In times of profound sadness, the prayers of fellow travellers, often worked out over decades of trials and faithfulness, have put words to the aches I could not fully name.
As the deer pants for streams of water, so I long for you, O God.
In times of doubt, when I don't feel like praying, my brothers and sisters provide the prayers for me.
Come, my Light, my Feast, my Strength!
Where my imagination is limited, prayers old and new bring fresh images and ideas to mind.
Dear Jesus, help us to spread Your fragrance everywhere we go. Flood our souls with Your spirit and life. Penetrate and possess our whole being, so utterly that our lives may only be a radiance of Yours...
When I am in need of higher thoughts and ambitions, I learn from what great Fathers and Mothers in the faith prayed.
I am no longer my own, but thine. Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt. Put me to doing, put me to suffering. Let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee, exalted for thee or brought low for thee. Let me be full, let me be empty. Let me have all things, let me have nothing. I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal...Thou art mine, and I am Thine.
And just when I start to buy the lie that my schedule is the most sacred thing on the planet, I am interrupted by a reminder to stop, acknowledge the time, and read the appointed prayer for this appointed day on this appointed hour.
Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to the beginning of this day: Preserve in us your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purposes; through Jesus Christ.
But most of all, structured prayer reminds me that faith isn't just about me. These prayers, written down ahead of time, often first spoken long before my birth, remind me to turn my thoughts toward the people I love, to forgive and ask forgiveness, to pray for my enemies, to plead for mercy for "the things I have done and the things I have left undone," to remember the hungry and the suffering, to "bless the congregation of the poor," to worship, to thank, to intercede, and to join with the whole community of saints who-this very hour, all around the world, and for centuries past and to come-are praying these prayers with me today.
Glory be to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now And ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
It's been nice sinking back into the habit of praying the Hours now that I'm home for a few months after a long season of travel. But even when I can't, the one prayer I try conjure up at least once a day-no matter how depressed or doubt-riddled or frantic I may be-is the one Jesus taught his disciples to pray: the Lord's Prayer.

Every day I am surprised by its simplicity.

Every day I am surprised by its depth.

Every day I am surprised by its holiness.
Every day I am surprised by its stubborn defiance to the individualism that creeps into my thoughts and prayers each day. Our Father, Who art in heaven,Hallowed by Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.Give us this day our daily bread.And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation,

But deliver us from evil. Thy name. Thy kingdom. Thy will. Our Father. Our daily bread. O ur trespasses.
It can feel a bit strange praying this prayer outside of church, alone on my back porch in the morning or rushed and frustrated as I get ready for another busy day. But maybe that's how it's supposed to be. Maybe it's supposed to jolt me out of the selfishness with which I would pray were it not for the guidance of these words.

I pray not only for my own bread, but for ours. I ask forgiveness not only for my own sins, but for o ur sins. I ask not merely for my own protection and guidance, but for the protection and guidance of the whole Church.
You can't be a Christian alone. And this most basic and universal prayer of the faith, the one Jesus taught us to pray, reminds me every day that I'm never in this alone, even when I want to be.
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If you're interested in incorporating structured prayer into your devotional life, I recommend starting with The Book of Common Prayer, a Psalter, and Phyllis Tickle's The Divine Hours (there is one for each season). You might also like C ommon Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals by our friends Shane Claiborne, Enuma Okoro, and Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove. Lately I've also been enjoying the prayers found in A Book of Hours by Thomas Merton and the devotional readings and blessings written by Jan Richardson in In the Sanctuary of Women.

You can also find some beautiful prayers at Everyday Liturgy.

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"Give us this day" (some thoughts on structured prayer)

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I am thankful to have grown up in a church tradition that emphasized the importance of nurturing a "personal relationship" with God.

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Hi friends,

These are unusual days and anxious times. Smarter people than your girl here are offering wise and learned information; please pay attention to them. Be wise. Wash your hands. Make decisions not out of selfishness but out of care for the common good, particularly the good of the most vulnerable around us all. Look for ways to share rather than hoard. Remember who you are - a person of mercy and grace, love and peace: even in these anxious times.

Given the heightened levels of anxiousness in many of us, I wanted to share a quick practice with you all that has been very helpful to me personally over the past few years.

I offer this to you as a friend alongside of you, in hopes that it will be of some value to you; not because it will magically make all of this go away or serve as some cure or as a substitute for talking to a medical professional or spiritual guide. It is my hope that this ancient form of meditation or prayer will simply quiet us for a moment, giving us a respite and recentering us.

And also: keep washing your hands.

How to Practice Breath Prayers
Breath Prayer is an ancient form of prayer and it is easily adaptable. Simply choose one or two lines to meditate on and inhale and then exhale through them. The most common form of breath prayer is known as The Jesus Prayer. So with that as an example, you would do this: Inhale. Fill your whole self with breath. Feel air in your lungs. And then say: Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, Exhale slowly and fully. Have mercy on me, a sinner. And simply repeat this practice. Start with ten good breaths in and out, with the words. (Consider switching the word "sinner" for "your beloved child" and notice how your body and soul responds to the change.) Try to breathe through this prayer for five quiet minutes. Now let's begin.
A Centering Practice to Begin

Become aware of your body. Sit in a way that is comfortable for you, a position that will allow you to take a deep breath in and out. Close your eyes.

Then imagine a room or a place where you feel safe, your own sanctuar y: it can be a real place or one that exists in your imagination. Imagine yourself in that sanctuary. Imagine the way the air smells and the way the light feels.

Breathe slowly and deeply while holding that place in your mind for a few moments, until you have all the details of it around your soul.

You'll enter into your time of prayer or meditation from within that sanctuary.

This is where you are now, you and Mother-God, gathering you to Herself as a hen gathers her chicks under her warm, kind, capable wing.

Breath Prayers for Anxious Times
Within that sanctuary, begin to breathe through a prayer you've chosen as we discussed above.
These are a few lines from Scripture that I have prayed over the years. You could also use your own words or lines from a poem or a song. Feel free to share your own with us in the comment section, too.

(From Matthew 11:28-30) Inhale: Exhale: (From John 15) Inhale: (From Romans 8:38-39) Inhale: Exhale: (From Psalm 46:10) Exhale: (From Matt. 6:10) Exhale:(From 2 Cor. 12:9) (From Psalm 23) Inhale: Exhale:(From Psalm 46:1) Inhale: Exhale: (From Psalm 74:16) Inhale: (From Psalm 91:1) (From Psalm 103: 4-5) Inhale: Exhale: Exhale: (From Philippians 4:7) Exhale: Start with ten good breaths in and out, with the words that are most meaningful or steadying to your soul. guard my heart and mind. When you are finished, imagine yourself slowly leaving that sanctuary. Transition slowly from prayer to rising. with good things. and tender mercies. You surround me with love Both day and night and our strength. You are our refuge for You are with me. I will not be afraid Photo by Sharalee Prang. as it is in heaven. and know you are God. from the love of God. Nothing can separate me, True Vine and Gardener, you are rest for my soul. Humble and gentle One,
And then:

May the peace of God give you renewed hope and wisdom,

May you find the strength you already carry within you to be enough,

May the grace of God be sufficient,

May you find a deep breath when the air around you is thin,

May you grow in compassion in these days,

May you love well, not in spite of these anxious times but because of them.

Love S.

P.S. If you have your own Breath Prayer you want to offer up to others as a gift, please just click through to the comments and share with us.

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Hi friends, These are unusual days and anxious times. Smarter people than your girl here are offering wise and learned information; please pay attention to them. Be wise. Wash your hands. Make decisions not out of selfishness but out of care for the common good, particularly the good of the most vulnerable around us all.

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Last year for my sixtieth birthday, someone gave me a finger labyrinth. I put it in my draw and promptly forgot about it. However, as I started to research various methods of prayer to incorporate in my new book Return to Our Senses: Reimagining How We Pray, I pulled it out again. To be honest this seemed a very strange way to pray especially when most of the articles I read suggested that the best way to trace out a finger labyrinth is with a finger from your non-dominant hand. Evidently, research suggests that our non-dominant hand has better access to our intuition.

Much to my surprise, when I experimented with my finger labyrinth, I found that it really did help me focus and often brought intuitive inspiration when I was grappling with challenging issues. This morning it inspired this prayer:

Walk with us Lord through all the twists and turns of life,
Walk with us when the clouds obscure the way,
when what seemed close is now so far away.
Walk with us Lord until we trust in you,
Lead us to the centre of your love.

Interestingly, some of the earliest labyrinths found in Christian churches are finger labyrinths, their circuits well worn over the centuries by the passage of innumerable fingers "walking" to the center and then out again.

In view of that you may like to try your own finger labyrinth experiment. Try this exercise from United Christ Church Ministries

Before you start any finger labyrinth "walk," take time to breathe and relax. If you keep a journal, have it ready for recording any insights after your walk. Set an intention or question for the walk. Without an intention a finger labyrinth walk can become an exercise in hastily and mindlessly moving your finger along the circuits and wondering why at the end of the walk you even bothered. Say a prayer, if you like, for support, healing, and guidance.

Place a finger from your non-dominant hand at the entrance to the labyrinth. As you trace the circuit, stay open to whatever presents itself: feelings, sensations, memories, images, or just "knowings." Pause at any time to breathe, be with a memory, work with an image, or simply relax into the labyrinth. At the center of the labyrinth, feel its connection to your own center. The center is a wonderful place to relax, pray, or sing. When you are ready, trace your way out, staying open to whatever comes up for you. When your walk is done, place both hands on the labyrinth and give thanks for whatever you learned and experienced.

Experiment and play with your labyrinth. Try using a favorite word or phrase that evokes the sacred for you. Repeat the mantra slowly in your heart as you "walk." You may also walk with questions such as, "In what way do I most need to grow spiritually right now?" or "What most blocks me from fully receiving and living God's love?" You can also walk the labyrinth in intercessory prayer for someone else, sending them the fruits of your walk.

If you are experiencing a difficult feeling-anger, grief, bitterness-have as your intention its healing and release (knowing, of course, that many deeper feelings may take more time than a walk).

If you are struggling with a problem, ask for insight and guidance: What must I release in order to allow healing? What am I not feeling or acknowledging that I must let into my conscious awareness to allow healing? Whom do I most need to forgive, and for what?

If you are working with an illness, either serious or insignificant, you may walk into the labyrinth simply asking to return to balance with yourself and life, no matter what the circumstances of your illness. You can also walk with the question: What part of my life (or me) am I neglecting that needs attention?

Illness may also be a teacher or an ally. If you are interested in exploring your illness as a teacher, you may walk asking, "How may I open to my illness as a teacher and ally?" or "What does my illness have to teach me at this point in my life?"

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Last year for my sixtieth birthday, someone gave me a finger labyrinth. I put it in my draw and promptly forgot about it. However, as I started to research various methods of prayer to incorporate in my new book Return to Our Senses: Reimagining How We Pray, I pulled it out again.

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Art Index

Welcome to The Text This Week's new artwork concordance. So far you will find links to artwork indexed according to Biblical/Liturgical subjects. As the work progresses I would like to add links to artwork which may not portray strictly Biblical subjects, but which expresses Biblical/spiritual themes. (See the Movie Concordance.) I would appreciate any/all suggestions for these lists! Even if you don't know if a link exists, send the name of the work and artist, and I'll search for a link.

Please check the copyright pages at the linked sites for copyright information should you decide to reproduce any of these images in any form.

Themes are listed alphabetically on the following pages:

Index by Scriptural text: (UNDER CONSTRUCTION)

Index by Lectionary Date can be found on weekly lectionary pages for:

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Art Index Welcome to The Text This Week's new artwork concordance. So far you will find links to artwork indexed according to Biblical/Liturgical subjects. As the work progresses I would like to add links to artwork which may not portray strictly Biblical subjects, but which expresses Biblical/spiritual themes. (See the Movie Concordance.)

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Buy Christian Paintings on Canvas at Ivan Guaderrama Art Gallery

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At Ivan Guaderrama Art Gallery you can buy the unique Christian Paintings on canvas for your wall decor. Visit us today to order Christian Paintings.

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Currently a California resident (USA), He Qi Studied at Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing Art Institute in China and Hamburg Art Institute in Germany. Now He is currently an Artist-in-Residence at Fuller Theological Seminary (CA)
and a Distinguished Visiting Professor at the Art Institute of RUC (Renmin University of China,Beijing)

He was the first among Mainland Chinese to earn a Ph.D. in Religious art after the Revolution(1992). He also received his Honorary Doctor Degree from Australia Catholic University in Melbourne (May, 2011). He is also a member of the China Art Association and a former council member of the Asian Christian Art Association(1998-2006). He received 20th Century Award for Achievement in recognition of outstanding achievements in the field of Religious Art Theory and Christian Art Creation of IBC in Cambridge UK. His art works have been displayed in museums, galleries, universities and churches, in New York, San Francisco, Berkeley, Chicago, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, St.Paul, Birmingham, Pittsburgh, St.Louis, Hartford, Elizabethton, Richmond,Tokyo, Kyoto, Hong Kong, Nanjing, London, Oxford, Gevena, Aachen, St.Petersburg , etc.

His art works have been introduced on numerous news paper and magazines, such as: Washington Post, Christianity Today, Far Eastern Economic Review, Hong Kong Cable TV, BBC-UK, ABC-Australia, Copenhagen Daily (Denmark), Bet Binnenhof Daily in the Netherlands, China " Fine Art ", Xinhua News Paper, Princeton Post, Minnesota Monthly, Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Star Tribune, WCCO TV, etc.He has been invited by universities and seminaries to be a visiting professor and artist-in-residence to do lectures and art exhibits such as: Yale Divinity School, Princeton Theological Seminary, New College and Regent's Park College of Oxford (UK), Toronto University(Canada), Wheaton College (IL), Luther Seminary (MN), Theological Seminary in San Francisco (CA), St.Olaf College (MN), Drew University (NJ), Samford University (AL), Millgan College(TN), Nanjing University,Renmin University of China, Alliance Bible Seminary (Hong Kong), etc.

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Currently a California resident (USA), He Qi Studied at Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing Art Institute in China and Hamburg Art Institute in Germany. Now He is currently an Artist-in-Residence at Fuller Theological Seminary (CA)and a Distinguished Visiting Professor at the Art Institute of RUC (Renmin University of China,Beijing) He was the first among Mainland Chinese to earn a Ph.D.

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Do you use music in your prayer? Have you tried singing prayers or using a song as prayer? Praying with music can be a powerful way to pray.

Let's look at three ways you can use music in your prayers - maybe even one you haven't thought to try before.

Music as Prayer in the Bible

Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. ( Psalm 96:1)

In my childhood church, we always sang "amen" at the end of every hymn. I didn't think much about it then, but that word signified the prayerfulness of the song. We were indeed praying as we sang. Although many churches have phased out the "amen," songs are still a form of prayer.

We see numerous examples in the Bible of music as prayer. The book of Psalms were originally songs, though now we most often use them as prayer. In Acts, we see Paul and Silas praying and singing as they were locked in the prison.

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. ( Acts 16:25)

Music has always been used to connect people more deeply to Scripture and prayer.

Why Pray Through Music?

Music has an amazing ability to speak to our hearts and minds like no other communication. It has been shown to help create new pathways in the brain for communication for those left without speech after illness or injury. It becomes deeply linked to memory and emotion.

Music can speak what our minds cannot.

I've come to love this form of prayer. I find that music speaks deeply to my soul. I've found songs that become my heart's cry - putting words to feelings, dreams, questions, doubts, sorrows.

The songs come and go for me, depending on the season and needs of my heart. Recently I found a song that put words to what I didn't even know was weighing on my heart. As I Iistened to the song, my heart felt lighter as I prayed along. I put the song on repeat and took the dog on little bit longer of a walk - and was able to have a conversation with God that I'd needed to have, but hadn't been able to articulate until now.

I wish to see all art, principally music, in the service of Him who gave and created them. Music is a fair and glorious gift of God. I would not for the world forego my humble share of music. Singers are never sorrowful, but are merry, and smile through their troubles in song. Music makes people kinder, gentler, more staid and reasonable. I am strongly persuaded that after theology there is no art that can be placed on a level with music; for besides theology, music is the only art capable of affording peace and joy of the heart... the devil flees before the sound of music almost as much as before the Word of God. ~ Martin Luther

3 Forms of Praying with Music

Just as we've talked about praying from scripture, so can we pray from songs. Songs connect with our emotions and hearts. The language of the lyrics is rhythmic and poetic. Songs work their way into our souls and help us express what's on our hearts.

Let's look at three ways you can experience praying with music.

Idea #1: Let the Song Be Your Prayer

Sing along and allow the words of the song to be your prayer. Sing it. Listen to it. Let the song permeate your heart.

Allow the song to open your heart and mind to conversations with God. If a verse or a few words tug at your heart, enter the conversation with God.

I'll put a single song on repeat so I can fully immerse myself in the song. Starting off by listening to the words and allowing the music to move my soul. Then, I'll begin to sing along, singing heartfelt words of prayer to God. As I feel prompted, I may take my prayers further with God as I let the song play in the background.

This is a song I've been praying with lately:

Idea #2: Pray the Lyrics

How often do you sing songs in church or along with the radio, but don't take time to really consider the words? Hymns and worship songs are based on prayer and Scripture. Try using just the lyrics for your prayer.

Don't sing along. Instead, simply read the words, taking time to consider what they mean and how they can be your prayer.

I like to use traditional hymns for this method. Too often, I've sung along in church, not really thinking about the words. Slowing down and reading the words brings a deeper understanding to these beautiful hymns.

Give it a try with something Amazing Grace or How Great Thou Art. Try not to sing along, but just read and pray the words.

How Great Thou Art
O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds thy hands have made,
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed:

Refrain:
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to thee:
How great thou art! How great thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to thee:
How great thou art! How great thou art!

When through the woods and forest glades I wander
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees,
When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur,
And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze:

Refrain

And when I think that God, his Son not sparing,
Sent him to die, I scarce can take it in,
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.

Refrain

When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow in humble adoration,
And then proclaim: "My God, how great Thou art!"

Refrain

Idea #3: Use Music to Help You Focus

Do you listen to music when you study or work? I do. In fact, I have different playlists, depending on how much I need to focus.

I've found that music has a profound ability to drown out the distractions in my mind and help me become laser-focused on the task at hand.

Music can do the same for your prayers. Try putting some soft music on in the background for your prayers to help you focus.

I've been loving the Ambient Radio station on Pandora. The Insight Timer app is also great - you can set a timer so you're not tempted to check the clock while you're praying and choose from a variety of background music options.

Resources for Praying with Music

If you're looking for a song that references a specific passage or wondering what verses a particular song uses, WordToWorship.com is a great resource. You can look up Scripture and lyrics here and find a song to pray.

Click here for a playlist of some of my favorite songs for prayer. These are the songs I'm praying now and songs that have ministered deeply to my heart in other seasons.

PRAY DEEP CHALLENGE: Pray the song "How Great Thou Art". Read the words and pay attention to how they relate to your life. Try to keep yourself from singing; instead focus on the words and what they mean to you.

Like this post? Explore this and other forms of prayer through the Pray Deep prayer journals. Each book will lead you through a variety of prayer methods through 21 days of focused prayers. Get started with one today!

{These are affiliate links - and my own books - so any purchases help grow and sustain this blog.}

This post is part of the "Pray Deep" series. For more information on the series or to download a complete set of printable prayer cards, click HERE.

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Praying With Music - How to Use Music as Prayer

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Do you use music in your prayer? Have you tried singing prayers or using a song as prayer? Praying with music can be a powerful way to pray. Let's look at three ways you can use music in your prayers - maybe even one you haven't thought to try before.

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Please add your favourite songs: contemporary songs and songs that may have been sung by Christians through the years.

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Please add your favourite songs: contemporary songs and songs that may have been sung by Christians through the years.

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Blessing 祝福 ברכה Bendición بركة Bênção 축복

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The WORLD BLESSING 2023 ♥ 154 nations proclaim God's blessing in 257 languages ♥ Share H I S hope

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Pentatonix - Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone) (Official Video)

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Oceans (Where Feet May Fail) - Hillsong United lyrics