How does spiritual reading become prayer?

[mdgspencer]

I have heard much about mediation, as a form of prayer. I have often wondered though how we would made our reading of spiritual books into prayer, since there seems a difference between the two.

 

[InLight247]

Prayer is communion with God.

When the spiritual reading lifts up your heart, brings you into the presence of God and the communion with God, that’s when the spiritual reading may turn into a prayer.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

Spiritual reading done with Scripture becomes lectio divina, a form of prayer. More info is available at valyermo.com/ld-art.html

 

[Marycruz]

Spiritual reading done with Scripture becomes lectio divina, a form of prayer. More info is available at valyermo.com/ld-art.html

That’s a great link, thanks for posting it!

 

[LilyM]

Spiritual reading done with Scripture becomes lectio divina, a form of prayer. More info is available at valyermo.com/ld-art.html

You can pray using the same method with spiritual writings other than scripture too, of course. For safety, stick to recognised and orthodox Catholic classics though.

 

[PhilotheaZ]

For safety, stick to recognised and orthodox Catholic classics though.

My previous spiritual director suggested sticking to spiritual writers whose name begins with “S” (as in “Saint”).

A bit of an exaggeration, but there’s so much unreliable stuff out there you can’t be too careful.

 

[fide]

I have heard much about mediation, as a form of prayer. I have often wondered though how we would made our reading of spiritual books into prayer, since there seems a difference between the two.

I think we can say that prayer is covenant communion with God who is Truth. “Prayer is nothing other than union with God” (St. John Vianney).

Meditation is the intentional engagement of the mind with revealed Truth,
in order to know the Truth more fully,
in order to love the Truth more completely,
in order to live the Truth more authentically and personally.

We need to develop our life of prayer into meditation, if we have not yet done so. Meditation is the next normal development of prayer beyond the beginning, which is vocal prayer. One can move into meditation from vocal prayer very smoothly, seamlessly, by praying vocal prayer well - that is, increasingly with attention and devotion.

Fr. Jordan Aumann’s book Spiritual Theology is on-line, and includes a section on the progressive grades of prayer - the kinds of prayer one moves through in a growing, maturing life of prayer.

fide

 

[brigid12]

Prayer is communion with God.

When the spiritual reading lifts up your heart, brings you into the presence of God and the communion with God, that’s when the spiritual reading may turn into a prayer.

:yup: