For the first time in many years, our parish is holding a weekly Bible study. Although the children get plenty of opportunities to learn about their faith with their peers, adults are often forgotten. The Catholic faith is deep and wide, and we could all use an opportunity to grow.

The series is on prayerful reading of Scripture. Instead of picking up the Bible and reading it like a good book, we approach portions of Scripture as a starting point of prayer. In the series, the lecturer offered that prayer should begin with listening.

It was a profound insight, and one that I had not considered. To my mind, I have a set amount of time to pray, a full agenda, and I need to get right to the point.

The lecture focused on Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well. Through the framework of this well-known story, he demonstrated that the events of the story and the words that Jesus used communicated this deep truth. It was Jesus who spoke first, and then invited the woman into conversation.

Though the dialogue, they had a shared experience. Jesus was able to communicate deeply with the woman, and she heard the particular message of hope and healing that Jesus had for her.

Prayer takes many forms, but perhaps it would be wise for us to slow down, take a moment, begin with Scripture, and then listen.

Tags: Prayer