Contemplative Bible Reading

Philippians 4:8 (New Living Translation)

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

This is not an admonition to “think nice thoughts and the world will be a brighter place.”

Not the title of this blog has the word “contemplative” in it. I am a contemplative person in that I think about things more than most people (often a curse not a blessing).

The past few weeks, however, I have changed how I think of things. I stumbled upon a practice called Examen. The practice is 500 years old. I don’t understand everything there is to it and I don’t agree with everything in it. Nevertheless, it has helped me to fix my thoughts on the things listed in the letter to the Philippians. For that, I am thankful to God for directing me to find it.