King David said to the Lord, “I treasure your word in my heart, so that I may not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11).
As Catholics, we must also treasure the Word of God in our hearts. In order to live in a way that is pleasing to Our Lord, and to gain the graces He wants to give us through meditating on His Eternal Word, which formed our very being, St. Paul admonished us to, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Colossians 3:16).
“There are as many and varied methods of meditation as there are spiritual masters. Christians owe it to themselves to develop the desire to meditate regularly, lest they come to resemble the three first kinds of soil in the parable of the sower. But a method is only a guide; the important thing is to advance, with the Holy Spirit, along the one way of prayer: Christ Jesus.
Meditation engages thought, imagination, emotion, and desire. . . . Christian prayer tries above all to meditate on the mysteries of Christ, as in lectio divina or the rosary. This form of prayerful reflection is of great value, but Christian prayer should go further: to the knowledge of the love of the Lord Jesus, to union with him.” Catechism of the Catholic Church, nos. 2707-2708
The Church encourages various wonderful ways in which to pray. One very special method was first introduced centuries ago by the Church Fathers. This holy reading, meditating, and praying with scripture is called lectio divina, or “divine reading.”
Pope Benedict XVI referred to the ancient tradition of lectio divina as a “prayerful listening to the Word of God.”
It is from this prayerful reading of Sacred Scripture
Spiritual reading of Sacred Scripture, especially the Gospels, is an important form of meditation. This spiritual reading is traditionally called lectio divina or divine reading. Lectio divina is prayer over the Scriptures.
Lectio Divina is simple, not to be rushed or skimmed through. It is meant to take time, slow down and listen. Hush the world, delve into holy words and hear what God had to say.
- The first element of this type of prayer is reading (lectio): you take a short passage from the Bible, preferably a Gospel passage and read it carefully, perhaps three or more times. Let it really soak-in.
- The second element is meditation (meditatio). By using your imagination enter into the Biblical scene in order to “see” the setting, the people, and the unfolding action. It is through this meditation that you encounter the text and discover its meaning for your life.
- The next element is prayer (oratio) or your personal response to the text: asking for graces, offering praise or thanksgiving, seeking healing or forgiveness. In this prayerful engagement with the text, you open yourself up to the possibility of contemplation.
- Contemplation (contemplatio) is a gaze turned toward Christ and the things of God. By God’s action of grace, you may be raised above meditation to a state of seeing or experiencing the text as mystery and reality. In contemplation, you come into an experiential contact with the One behind and beyond the text.
It is meant to do with the Bible, preferring the Gospels but I’ve found it effective with the writings of the saints as well. For me, especially St. Faustina’s diary. But, I once took a full year to read a book on God’s grace and have read and re-read Divine Mercy in My Soul – keeping it as a reference on my IPhone favorites.
“Holy Scripture is the Word of God addressed to every human being. Therefore, it is relevant in every time and every place.” Catechism of the Ukrainian Catholic Church