Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:16-17)
The LORD is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack. In green pastures you let me graze; to safe waters you lead me; you restore my strength. You guide me along the right path for the sake of your name.
Even when I walk through a dark valley, I fear no harm for you are at my side; your rod and staff give me courage. You set a table before me as my enemies watch; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Only goodness and love will pursue me all the days of my life; I will dwell in the house of the LORD for years to come. (Psalm 23)
There is an ancient tradition in the church that is well known for its ability to open us up to revelation from the Lord. The method is called lectio divina, which means, "inspired reading." This method, which evolved in the monasteries of Europe, is composed of four steps: Reading the word, meditating on the word, praying through the word, and contemplating the word. At its foundation, lectio divina assumes that God has given the words of Scripture a special grace. While it is helpful to meditate and pray on the words of a saint or great doctor of the church, Scripture surpasses all of these writings in its ability to bring us to new and deeper levels of understanding and experience of the Lord. While we can receive great insights from reading someone like St. Teresa of Avila or St. Thomas Aquinas, only Scripture can act as a doorway into the very heart and mind of the Father.
"Just as reading and studying give way to meditation, so too does meditation give way to prayer — to a heartfelt conversation with the One who reigns supreme over all the earth. In this kind of prayer, we offer to the Lord our words of praise, we thank him for his unlimited mercy, and we recount his many blessings."
These words from the article, "From the Page to the Heart, Exploring an Ancient Way of Praying the Scriptures," in the January 2007 issue of The Word Among Us devotional magazine remind us of the importance the Church places on reading and praying Scriptures. The idea of praying Scriptures may seem daunting to us as Catholic men. This Catholic Man Channel article provides a specific example of ‘praying through the word," in particular, the 23rd Psalm that all of us are familiar with. If you've never tried praying the Scriptures, try it with one of your favorite Scriptures, or use one of the readings from daily or Sunday Mass. I believe if you try it you will be surprised at how it impacts your day and how God responds to your prayers.
The Lord is my shepherd. Lord, you know my name, you know my voice. You know my thoughts, my needs, and my desires. You know when I'm tired; when the kids, the meetings, the bills, and the work deadlines become too much for me. You know I love you, even though my words and actions don't always show it. Moved with pity, you search for me when I stray, and rescue me when I am in danger. You strengthen me in my weakness, and watch over me in my strength. You, Lord Jesus, are my shepherd.
You restore my strength. Lord Jesus, you energize my tired spirit when I ponder your great love for me and all my family. In you are peace, composure, and freedom from stress. You wait for me in the green pasture of prayer, ready to lead me to the water of life, to refresh my soul with your Spirit. You offer me rest from trying to figure it all out myself. You teach me and give me wisdom to be husband, father, boss, student, and seeker of God. I will rest in your presence.
There is reason to trust. My God, you are with me, you who raised Jesus from the dead by your own power. Jesus, you died and rose so that I might live with you forever. My sin doesn't drive you away, or make you love me less. Rather, you free me from the grip of anger, lying, alcohol, lust. You forgive endlessly, and bestow mercy and grace without measure. Jesus, the blood you shed on the cross allows me to stand pure and blameless before your Father's throne. My Redeemer lives, and I can stand, uncondemned.
There is goodness and kindness. You, Lord, wipe away every tear. You comfort me, and heal my heart when it's broken. You know when I am discouraged, lonely, mourning, or frightened. You know my weakness, and deal gently with me. You draw me to yourself with your kindness; yes, even when you rebuke me, it is a kindness that leads me to life with you forever. You feed me with the bread of life, your own divine life. You fill me with your Spirit, who gives me wisdom and understanding, fortitude and might, joy and patience, gentleness and faithfulness.
Jesus, you are my shepherd. May I find rest in you today and always. Give me courage and confidence in your forgiveness and kindness, in your power and love for me.
Many thanks to The Word Among Us for allowing us to adapt material from daily meditations in their monthly devotional magazine. Used with permission.
Questions for Reflection/Discussion by Catholic Men
1. Have you ever tried praying the Scriptures? What happened?
2. How important are personal prayer and Scripture reading in your life? How important should they be? What steps can you take to make it a more important part of your life?
3. Based on the prayer using the 23rd Psalm, do you think you can do something similar as part of a regular prayer time? Why or why not?
4. If you are in a men's group, over the next few days try praying a favorite Psalm or Scripture passage and share the results with the men at your next meeting. End your meeting by praying together the 23rd Psalm prayer in the article.
