(Adapted from St. Ignatius’ Contemplative Prayer)

St. Ignatius believed that God intended for the human imagination to draw us closer to him. He was well aware that the imagination can just as easily separate us from God, of course. But imaginative prayer is different from idle daydreaming in two ways:

It is powered not just by our imagination, but by the Holy Spirit working through our imagination.

It is rooted in a sacred text, usually the Gospels.

In imaginative prayer, the same Holy Spirit who inspired the authors of the Gospels also “inspires” (literally “breathes into”) our imaginations in a way that draws us closer to Christ. Prayer is a conversation with God; imaginative prayer creates a space for that encounter.

The heart of imaginative prayer, then, is to “meet” God, usually in the person of Jesus, in a personal way.

With all this in mind, let’s go over the basic method of imaginative prayer.

1. Choose a Scripture passage

First, choose a suitable Scripture text. While imaginative prayer can be used with any sacred text, scenes from the Gospels are the best texts in which we encounter the Son of God “in the flesh.”

2. Prepare with prayer

Rather than diving right into the Scripture or other sacred reading, it is helpful if we first prepare ourselves. Find a quiet and comfortable place to pray and take a few moments to settle in. Then, take a few moments to pray along these lines:

1. Begin by becoming aware that God is already here waiting for you. Rest in his loving presence.
2. Then, respond to God’s loving presence by giving yourself over to him. Pray that you might love and serve him in all your thoughts, words, and actions.

Prayer is fundamentally an expression of our relationship with God. When we begin by acknowledging God’s availability to us, and by making ourselves available to God in return, we situate everything that happens next within that relationship.

3. Read the scripture

Next, read the Scripture passage at least once.

You may wish to ask the Holy Spirit to help you to read the text prayerfully. Given the amount of reading most of us do online, you may be in the habit of skimming the text rather than ruminating on the words. Try to slow down (I always read them aloud); the Gospels were written slowly and intentionally. Each word and phrase, and each omission, was chosen for a reason. Stay with the words and see what they serve up.

4. Set the scene

After you have read the story at least once, use your imagination to set the scene. Be as specific about the details as possible, engaging all your senses: touch, smell, sound, sight…even taste, if the opportunity arises. Make the Gospel story come vividly to life, almost as if you were directing a movie. The Son of God chose to save us not merely with a word from heaven, but by becoming the Word-made flesh at a specific time and place in human history. In imagining the Gospel in its physical setting, we honor the reality of Jesus’ incarnation and set the stage for encountering him “in the flesh” ourselves.

Here are some things to consider as you set the stage for your imaginative prayer experience:

• Who are you in this story?
• What time of day is it? What is the weather like?
• What do you see around you?
• Who is present? What do they look like, and what are they doing?
• What ambient sounds do you hear?
• How do you feel? Hot? Hungry? Tired?
• What do you smell?
• Above all, be sure to pay attention to Jesus. What does he do? What does he look and sound like?

5. Walk with Jesus

Once you have “composed” the setting of the story, put aside the text and let yourself enter into it. This is the body of your imaginative prayer, so take as much time here as you need.

Before stepping into the Gospel, consider what you most desire from this encounter with Jesus.

Next, enter the Gospel, letting the action of the story unfold by itself under the direction of the Holy Spirit; do not actively direct or force the actions of the main characters. Your role is to participate in the action of the story in whatever way seems natural.

Finally, as you step out of the Gospel story, speak to God directly. Have an intimate conversation with God. This is often called a “colloquy, “or a spiritual conversation. This is where we share our thoughts, feelings, and desires with God much as one friend would speak to another. What is his invitation to you?

I invite you to close your time of prayer with the Lord’s Prayer; you might substitute another formal prayer that you like, such as praying the twenty-third Psalm. The point is to punctuate the end of this special time with Jesus.

6. Reflect on the Journey

After you are finished praying, spend some time reflecting on your encounter with Jesus. You can do this immediately after your prayer, or as you go about the rest of your day. You might record your reflection in a journal or notebook or share and discuss your experience with your prayer group or a spiritual director.