Any person could meditate on religious topics and issues. Most people generally believe that meditation is something only for people who are advanced in the spiritual life e.g. nuns, monks and a few very holy people.  Most ordinary people think all they can do is to say a prayer they have been taught all their lives such as the Our Father or Hail Mary.

People already meditate about all kinds of things in their ordinary lives. Wives and mothers often meditate about what they are going to fix for supper and even imagine the preparation and the family enjoying and appreciating a tasty meal. Men may reflect and think about their upcoming sporting activities or projects. Students may reflect and think about their forthcoming examinations etc. So the fact is people meditate often during the day without even realizing it.

HOW TO GO ABOUT MEDITATIVE PRAYER?

Meditation begins with making the thoughts and reflections about something concerned with Jesus life in the Gospels. There are just three simple steps involved in this kind of religious prayer that we call meditation.

Step 1: Read something or recall something from a Gospel scene. You probably know more stories and incidents than you give yourself credit for. Take for instance any of the following Gospel stories:

a) The story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15), especially when the father runs down the hill and embraces the returning son.

b) The woman caught in the adultery (John 8), who was dragged before Jesus and threatened with being stoned to death for her sins.

c) The scene of Jesus on the cross with Mary, his mother, Mary Magdalene and John holding each other in terrible pain and sorrow (John 19).

d) Mary and Joseph making their way to Bethlehem (Luke 2) for the birth of Jesus.

 Remember the story in some detail. It is the story that is giving you material for reflection and meditation.

Step 2: Now that you have the story in your mind, quietly begin to examine it closely and try to become part of the scene in your mind. You are standing by the father as he embraces his son; the Prodigal Son is in tears of repentance. Or you look closely at the poor woman before Jesus. In your imagination can you touch her to assure her that Jesus will help her?

Stand right next to Mary by the cross; hear the sounds around that terrible scene. See the faces of those who hate Jesus; the faces of the soldiers, who could not care less if the three on the cross suffer.

Let your heart, mind, and emotion get involved in any one of these scenes, and enter into the very image you bring to mind.

Step 3: Once you have placed your heart and mind in the scene as an observer, the time comes for you to talk to the Lord in relation with the scene. Have you ever been the Prodigal Son or Daughter? Have you ever been the father or mother who has gratefully welcomed back a son or a daughter? Thank the Lord for his compassion for the woman and the times he has been compassionate to you when you felt down and out.

Tell Jesus on the cross for your sorrow for your sins. Talk to Mary, and tell her how much you love her for all she has borne because of our sins.

When you follow these three simple steps you can truly meditate. A few minutes may be the way to start, as you do this regularly you will find yourself spending more and more time thinking, imagining and praying in this meditative way.