A short list of “uses” of the Bible to enrich one’s spiritual life
by Mauricio Montoya
I think we have all wondered sometimes how to read the Bible, but also how to use Scripture more in our daily life, both to acquire a greater knowledge of it and to increase our biblical spirituality. Some common forms are the lectio divina or reading the Gospel of the day …
Today I would like to share with you a small list of uses that you could implement in your daily life and that can be of great help in strengthening us spiritually and making us love God’s Word more and more.
1. Prayer
As I read the Bible, I believe this is a very important use and should not be taken for granted. We all have a great need for prayer, to strengthen intimate dialogue with the Lord. What if in this conversation with him we use Scripture to hear what he has already said to us and what he wants for our life?
Reading an attention-grabbing passage from the Bible and using that biblical text as a way of prayer, meditating on it throughout the day, asking questions about that text and what it can mean for our lives, are various ways of promoting a healthy biblical spirituality.
2. Psalms
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There are many people who have become increasingly passionate about the study of the psalms. How interesting it would be to analyze one a day! Being able to go into the psalm, investigate it, understand what the Fathers of the Church said about it, what questions it arouses in me …
This becomes a source to acquire a greater knowledge of Scripture, but also to walk with the psalms, learning what is the way of the blessed and just man (Psalm 1), to reach the praise that all creation addresses to God (Psalm 150 ).
3. The ejaculations
I was always struck by a phrase from Psalm 1 that says “Blessed is the man whose delight is in the law of the Lord”. It would be commendable to take certain phrases, words or biblical passages and transform them into our prayer, into the words that we pronounce during our days and help us to turn our hearts to the Lord.
Some monastic communities use this exercise in order not to lose the spirit of constant prayer, to keep the heart and mind focused on the Lord.
4. Meditate on prayers
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The most common example in which we can use Scripture is the meditation of the mysteries of the Holy Rosary, but also the liturgy of the hours, the recitation of the various litanies, the chanting …
Looking for the biblical sources of the various prayers, the mysteries of the Rosary, the sorrows of the Virgin… will always be of great help for understanding and promoting devotion to the various acts of piety.
5. Make decisions
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In moments when something needs to be decided, it is commendable to read the Bible and ask for the help of the Holy Spirit, to let oneself be guided by the wisdom of the Lord. The exercise of making use of Scripture helps to feel that the decision or solution of a certain problem or difficulty is not taken alone, but in communion with God.
Tell us in the comments what other uses you know and have implemented in your spiritual!
If you want to learn more about the Bible, we recommend our course “Los 4 Evangelios: El mejor camino de encuentro con Jesús”which will allow you to better understand the life and teachings of Christ in order to apply them to your life.