MENTAL PRAYER METHODS (First two weeks 10 min/day, Second two weeks 20/day, and after a month 30 min/day which is the goal)
Discovery prayer: simple version of Lectio Divina (from Into the Deep by Dan Burke) Quick Reference Guide to Discovery Prayer
Reading: performing an attentive, slow, leisurely, a repetitiousness reading of a short passage of the Bible.
Reflecting: making an effort to prayerfully engage with the meaning of the passage and to consider how it may apply to your life circumstances.
Responding: conversing with God about the passage.
Resting: allowing yourself to rest and remain absorbed in the words of God; allowing or inviting the Holy Spirit to draw you more deeply into his presence through what you've read.
Resolving: allowing the encounter with God to permeate your day, causing you to draw near to him through his self-revelation and unique called to you to participate with him in the redemption of the world.
Lectio Divina: There are five simple steps (a very easy way to do this is by signing up for carpeverbum.org):
Pregame: Ask the Holy Spirit to fill your heart and mind with His Presence and grace. Ex. “Holy Spirit, I know you are present to me in this moment, please help me to be more aware of your presence. Draw me into your presence.”
1. Lectio / Read: “What does the biblical text say in itself?”
Find a Gospel passage that you want to pray with. The easiest way to do this is to pray with the Gospel of the day, usccb.org/bible/readings. You can also spend a few of the days each week praying through the Sunday readings, especially the Gospel.
2. Meditatio / Meditate: “What does this biblical text say to me in the context of the faith?”
We must let ourselves be moved or challenged by the “living and active” Word of God (Heb 4:12). God will move our hearts and inform our intellects through this pondering. A deeper prayer will lead us to an encounter with God as He speaks to us where we are and draws us closer to Himself.
3. Oratio / Prayer: “What do I want to say to the Lord in my response to His Word?” Have a conversation.
St. Augustine says: “Your prayer is the word you speak to God. When you read the Bible, God speaks to you; when you pray, you speak to God.” Now speak to God what has arisen in your heart. What are the fears or doubts that arose? What are the insights and joys that arose? What was challenging for you about the text?
4. Contemplatio / Contemplate: “What conversion of mind, heart, and life is the Lord asking of me?” In this conversation what is the Lord speaking to you in the silence of your heart?
St. Francis of Assisi was inspired to begin his mendicant lifestyle, and eventually the Franciscan Order, after hearing a homily on Matthew 10:7-19. Likewise, St. Augustine recounted the radical conversion he underwent after reading Romans 13:13-14, while St. Anthony was converted after reading Matthew 19:21. When we encounter the Lord, He never leaves us unchanged. He calls us to live out a deeper faith, hope, and charity in our lives.
5. Actio / Act: “Living out the Lectio Divina.”
We do well also to remember that the process of lectio divina is not concluded until it arrives at action (actio), which moves the believer to make his or her life a gift for others in charity. Once we have encountered God in prayer and recognize His specific call for us it is a matter of doing it.
Postgame: Reviewing how our prayer time went will help growth in prayer. It can be done briefly as the prayer is concluding or after the prayer. It helps deepen our awareness of the gift of prayer.
Questions that may assist: As I prayed with Scripture, what was I thinking? What drew my attention, what struck me? What was I feeling as I prayed? What stirred in my heart? Did I feel joy? Did I experience peace? Was I anxious? Did I struggle in any way?
Another Way of Mental Prayer:
Preparation: place oneself in the presence of Christ. Make some of the acts of faith, confidence, etc. from above.
Selection of material: read or study a spiritual book reflection on a particular aspect of the life of Christ. Or some perfection of Christ - humility, mercy, etc. Or on the Passion of Christ, His suffering for our sins. Or on the life of the Blessed Virgin or one of her virtues. Or the life of a Saint. Or gaze upon the Crucifix or some devout picture of Christ, Our Lady, or a Saint.
Consideration: reflect upon the material in the light of faith. This type of reflection on the faith is able to instruct us infallibly in the things which are important and necessary for our salvation. The light of faith acts on our mind, will, and heart alike. In making the consideration, one may ask oneself the questions: who, what, where, for what reason, how, when? Applying some or all of the questions to the material considered can help us ponder it and enter more deeply into the truths it holds. We should also have in mind how this meditation helps us to know ourselves in its light and to draw from it practical conclusions for my life. We can ask ourselves how we have failed to live up to the truth considered and ask the Lord to enter into that place with us. He will show us why we went astray and begin to heal the wounds caused by these sins. A few dangers to avoid in the consideration: do not make it a study but a prayer; enter into the practical not just the theological or sublime; watch out for idleness due to discouragement, disgust, fatigue, etc.
Conversation (core of the meditation): converse with Our Lord about the material. Employ the affections of love, adoration, thanksgiving, sorrow, petition. This is the core of the meditation because the whole of reflecting and pondering a truth of the faith or a mystery of Christ is to enter into dialogue with the One who loves us. To ask Him to meet us here. We should pay attention to the movements of our heart — where do I find joy, sorrow, gratitude? where do I feel shame or fear? where am I moved to contrition? Whatever arises speak to the Lord like a friend about it. He wants you to tell Him what you are thinking, feeling, and desiring. Then allow some attentive silence to listen to Him speak to your heart (not normally audible). Continue this conversation for as long as you can.
Resolutions: Gratitude to Christ for the gifts received — self-knowledge, consolation, even dryness, love, joy, sorrow for our sins, sorrow for His suffering, etc. Resolution to put into practice what we have meditated upon. Examination of faults during meditation — willed distractions (some distractions are unavoidable due to our weak human nature), lack of effort, acedia, and resolution of further effort in succeeding meditations — promise the Lord greater attentiveness and effort with the help of His grace, the intercession of the Blessed Virgin and our Guardian Angel.
Discovery prayer: simple version of Lectio Divina (from Into the Deep by Dan Burke) Quick Reference Guide to Discovery Prayer
Reading: performing an attentive, slow, leisurely, a repetitiousness reading of a short passage of the Bible.
Reflecting: making an effort to prayerfully engage with the meaning of the passage and to consider how it may apply to your life circumstances.
Responding: conversing with God about the passage.
Resting: allowing yourself to rest and remain absorbed in the words of God; allowing or inviting the Holy Spirit to draw you more deeply into his presence through what you've read.
Resolving: allowing the encounter with God to permeate your day, causing you to draw near to him through his self-revelation and unique called to you to participate with him in the redemption of the world.
Lectio Divina: There are five simple steps (a very easy way to do this is by signing up for carpeverbum.org):
Pregame: Ask the Holy Spirit to fill your heart and mind with His Presence and grace. Ex. “Holy Spirit, I know you are present to me in this moment, please help me to be more aware of your presence. Draw me into your presence.”
1. Lectio / Read: “What does the biblical text say in itself?”
Find a Gospel passage that you want to pray with. The easiest way to do this is to pray with the Gospel of the day, usccb.org/bible/readings. You can also spend a few of the days each week praying through the Sunday readings, especially the Gospel.
2. Meditatio / Meditate: “What does this biblical text say to me in the context of the faith?”
We must let ourselves be moved or challenged by the “living and active” Word of God (Heb 4:12). God will move our hearts and inform our intellects through this pondering. A deeper prayer will lead us to an encounter with God as He speaks to us where we are and draws us closer to Himself.
3. Oratio / Prayer: “What do I want to say to the Lord in my response to His Word?” Have a conversation.
St. Augustine says: “Your prayer is the word you speak to God. When you read the Bible, God speaks to you; when you pray, you speak to God.” Now speak to God what has arisen in your heart. What are the fears or doubts that arose? What are the insights and joys that arose? What was challenging for you about the text?
4. Contemplatio / Contemplate: “What conversion of mind, heart, and life is the Lord asking of me?” In this conversation what is the Lord speaking to you in the silence of your heart?
St. Francis of Assisi was inspired to begin his mendicant lifestyle, and eventually the Franciscan Order, after hearing a homily on Matthew 10:7-19. Likewise, St. Augustine recounted the radical conversion he underwent after reading Romans 13:13-14, while St. Anthony was converted after reading Matthew 19:21. When we encounter the Lord, He never leaves us unchanged. He calls us to live out a deeper faith, hope, and charity in our lives.
5. Actio / Act: “Living out the Lectio Divina.”
We do well also to remember that the process of lectio divina is not concluded until it arrives at action (actio), which moves the believer to make his or her life a gift for others in charity. Once we have encountered God in prayer and recognize His specific call for us it is a matter of doing it.
Postgame: Reviewing how our prayer time went will help growth in prayer. It can be done briefly as the prayer is concluding or after the prayer. It helps deepen our awareness of the gift of prayer.
Questions that may assist: As I prayed with Scripture, what was I thinking? What drew my attention, what struck me? What was I feeling as I prayed? What stirred in my heart? Did I feel joy? Did I experience peace? Was I anxious? Did I struggle in any way?
Another Way of Mental Prayer:
Preparation: place oneself in the presence of Christ. Make some of the acts of faith, confidence, etc. from above.
Selection of material: read or study a spiritual book reflection on a particular aspect of the life of Christ. Or some perfection of Christ - humility, mercy, etc. Or on the Passion of Christ, His suffering for our sins. Or on the life of the Blessed Virgin or one of her virtues. Or the life of a Saint. Or gaze upon the Crucifix or some devout picture of Christ, Our Lady, or a Saint.
Consideration: reflect upon the material in the light of faith. This type of reflection on the faith is able to instruct us infallibly in the things which are important and necessary for our salvation. The light of faith acts on our mind, will, and heart alike. In making the consideration, one may ask oneself the questions: who, what, where, for what reason, how, when? Applying some or all of the questions to the material considered can help us ponder it and enter more deeply into the truths it holds. We should also have in mind how this meditation helps us to know ourselves in its light and to draw from it practical conclusions for my life. We can ask ourselves how we have failed to live up to the truth considered and ask the Lord to enter into that place with us. He will show us why we went astray and begin to heal the wounds caused by these sins. A few dangers to avoid in the consideration: do not make it a study but a prayer; enter into the practical not just the theological or sublime; watch out for idleness due to discouragement, disgust, fatigue, etc.
Conversation (core of the meditation): converse with Our Lord about the material. Employ the affections of love, adoration, thanksgiving, sorrow, petition. This is the core of the meditation because the whole of reflecting and pondering a truth of the faith or a mystery of Christ is to enter into dialogue with the One who loves us. To ask Him to meet us here. We should pay attention to the movements of our heart — where do I find joy, sorrow, gratitude? where do I feel shame or fear? where am I moved to contrition? Whatever arises speak to the Lord like a friend about it. He wants you to tell Him what you are thinking, feeling, and desiring. Then allow some attentive silence to listen to Him speak to your heart (not normally audible). Continue this conversation for as long as you can.
Resolutions: Gratitude to Christ for the gifts received — self-knowledge, consolation, even dryness, love, joy, sorrow for our sins, sorrow for His suffering, etc. Resolution to put into practice what we have meditated upon. Examination of faults during meditation — willed distractions (some distractions are unavoidable due to our weak human nature), lack of effort, acedia, and resolution of further effort in succeeding meditations — promise the Lord greater attentiveness and effort with the help of His grace, the intercession of the Blessed Virgin and our Guardian Angel.