Prayer Before Reading the Bible

This is a traditional Catholic prayer before reading the Bible. It asks God our Father to send His Holy Spirit to make us ready to hear Him.

The Bible is not a dusty old book. It is alive and God will speak to us through it if we quiet our minds and are open to hearing from Him.

If you are new to reading Scripture, you might find it helpful to have a structure to the way you pray with it. Consider trying the method of Lectio Divina when reading a Scripture passage. You can also pray with Scripture using your imagination, by placing yourself in the scene. Either of these methods can make you more receptive to the Word of God.

Father, anoint me with your Holy Spirit,
so that as I read your eternal word,
your word may penetrate my whole being and transform me.

Grant me the blessing to be a faithful disciple
in believing the Word of God and that
I may be a light shining upon all who are in darkness.

Amen.

Lectio Divina

Lectio Divina means “divine reading”. It is a prayer practice which trusts that God speaks to us through scripture.

Pray By Putting Yourself in a Gospel Scene

Another method of praying with Scripture is by putting yourself in a gospel scene and to see where that leads you.

Lectio Divina Video

Fr Josh goes through an example of praying through Scripture using Lectio Divina.

Ignatian Contemplation Video

Fr. James Martin explains how to use your imagination when praying with Scripture, which is often called Ignatian Contemplation.