Praying With the Scriptures

Homily for Sunday, December 7, 2025
The Second Sunday of Advent
Romans 15:4-13

We don’t normally do baptisms in Advent, but because for visa purposes Frank returns to China soon, next week we will baptize Frank.

This morning I want to focus on a line in Romans that will be important not only to Frank as he heads to China where it might be hard to find fellow Christians with whom to pray, but that is important also for us who seek to deepen our relationship with Jesus.  In this morning’s reading from Romans, Paul writes:

Whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and the encouragement of the scriptures, we might have hope.

From this reading I want to focus on two things:  hope, and the scriptures.

First, hope.  It can be tempting to lose hope when we see all that is happening in our world:  when we see the lack of dignity with which many of our fellow human beings are treated; when we see increasing droughts, fires and floods; when we see worsening pollution of our air and water; when we see the rich becoming richer and the poor falling further behind; when political divisions seem to be becoming more stark; when we see the many areas of conflict in our world, what Pope Francis called a third world war being fought piecemeal; when we see generosity being replaced with greed or care for our neighbor with indifference…  When we see all that is happening in our world, it can be tempting to lose hope.

Second, the scriptures.  In his recent Apostolic Exhortation, Dilexi Te (“I have loved you”), Pope Leo spoke of the attraction of “secular ideologies” and how easy it is even for Christians to succumb to “political and economic approaches that lead to… mistaken conclusions.”  He urged Christians to “go back and re-read the Gospel, lest we risk replacing it with the wisdom of this world.”  Paul writes that the scriptures were written “for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by their encouragement, we might have hope.”  Pope Leo writes, “Go back and re-read the Gospel, lest we risk replacing it with the wisdom of this world.”  Reading and re-reading the Gospels – reading the scriptures – gives us hope, a hope that the “wisdom” of this world cannot replace.

Frank, as you prepare to return to China where it might be difficult to find fellow Christians with whom to pray –  and all of us who live in a world in which it can be tempting to lose hope – I urge us to “go back and re-read the Gospels,” to go spend time with the scriptures, “so that by steadfastness and the encouragement of the scriptures, we might have hope.”

For those who desire this hope, here is a brief primer on how you might go about praying with the scriptures…  

One classic way to pray with the scriptures is called lectio divina, or “holy reading.”  Lectio divina involves selecting a brief passage – brief tends to work better than long with this method – and then allowing ourselves simply to be with the words.  The classic image associated with lectio divina is a cow chewing the cud:  the cow chews, then swallows, then regurgitates and chews some more.  Read the passage slowly, let it digest, and then go back and re-read, noticing what is going on inside of you as you do.  I have simple guidelines for this method of prayer if you follow this link.

Another classic method of praying with the scriptures is called the “imaginative” or “Ignatian” method(after St. Ignatius of Loyola).  Select a passage – with this method a Gospel story with Jesus tends to work well – and imagine yourself into the story.  What do you see, hear, smell and feel?  What do you notice about Jesus, how he looks, what his voice sounds like, the expression on his face?  What feelings arise within as you are with him?  I also have guidelines for this method of prayer if you follow this link.

If you’re looking for a scripture passage with which to pray, check the inside back cover of the order of service.  Every Sunday is printed there the scriptures for the forthcoming Sunday. (Those online can go to www.lectionarypage.net to find next Sunday’s passages.)

However you might pray with the scriptures, key is 1) to set aside the time, maybe even putting in your calendar; it need not be long, even ten minutes; 2) find a place where you won’t be disturbed and turn off your phone; and 3) ask Jesus to be with you and for a grace (or gift) as you pray.

We live in a world with many messages – with many stories, or “myths,” if you will.  It is important for us as Christians not to let this so-called “wisdom” of the world replace the Gospel.  The Gospel has the capacity to heal and salve us – the Gospel is our “salvation.”  So if you find yourself losing hope, whether by a sense of isolation or by what you see happening the world or both, I encourage you to go read, or to go back and re-read, the Gospel.  The scriptures were written for our instruction, so that by our steadfastness in reading them and praying with them, by their encouragement we might have hope.  And the truth we find there, the hope that is within them, is a “wisdom” the world will never replace.