The Bible and Prayer

by Fred Vilbig

When St. Augustine was in Milan at the time of his conversion, he heard someone say, “Tolle, lege,” or in English, “Take, read.” He went to his room, opened his Bible, and read, “It is the hour for you to awake from sleep …. [P]ut on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.” Rom. 13:14-15. And he never turned back.

Early in his ministry, St. Francis asked a priest to randomly open the Gospels three times and read the first verses that he saw. They were Matthew 19:21, Luke 9:3, and Matthew 16:24, basically telling him to sell what he had, give everything to the poor, and follow Jesus. And that’s what he did … for the rest of his life.

Many saints have had similar experiences where God has spoken to them through the Bible.

The Bible is not a dead book. It is the living Word of God. God speaks to us through the Bible, but always in connection with the Tradition of the Church of which the Bible itself is a part. That is why at every Mass, every day, throughout the world, sections of the Bible are read, and the priest or deacon explains how we should apply those verses to our daily lives.

God speaks to us in private as well such as what happened to St. Augustine and St. Francis. God speaks to us through his Word. He will console us during times of trial or suffering; He will help us to see what he is calling us to do; He will just fill us with joy for no reason whatsoever. But He speaks to us through the Bible.

Our world is full of useless noise: the TV, the radio, computers, iPads, and the list goes on. As I have said before, God speaks to us in a still, quiet voice. To hear what God is saying to us in the Bible, we need to go to a quiet place, still our minds from all our worldly cares and distractions, and slowly read a short section of the Bible. What section you choose doesn’t really matter; just trust in God, and listen in your heart. Something will certainly pop out at you as if the Holy Spirit were using a highlighter. Stop reading more, and just read that … over and over. See what it is that God is trying to say to you.

This is what is called “lectio devina.” This is a Benedictine tradition where the monks did not so much look at the Bible as something to be studied (which, of course, it can be), but rather as something to be read, meditated on, lived, and loved. It is a way of approaching the Bible as the Word of God made real to us each and every day.

“Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10. He’ll be waiting for you. And He’s got something to say.