I turned the page in my prayer book this morning, and came upon a little slip of paper I had torn out of a magazine. It was titled "Meditation of the Day/How to Think as God Does." The little meditation was about Saint Dominic's Nine Ways of Prayer, written by Pope Benedict XVI. Obviously, I tore this meditation out because I'm a Lay Dominican, and I put it between the pages dedicated to the Feast of Saint Dominic, August 8. All Dominicans know the nine ways of prayer. There's showing reverence by bowing, prostrating, genuflecting, kneeling, doing penance, adoration, standing in orans position and alleluia position, walking while praying, and lectio divina.
B XVI, however, points out that all Dominic's ways of prayer point to Jesus. Naturally! But also, all these physical movements lead into one kind of prayer. That kind of prayer being deep contemplation.
So very true. My prayer eventually leads to quiet meditation. I talk to God and He talks to me. Prayer concludes with my listening.
Happy Feast of Saint Dominic. May all your prayers bring you closer to Jesus.
