"The most fundamental form of Christian meditation is bound to Scripture and also to the great devotional writings. This is the most basic approach to Meditative Prayer. …We must first have our minds filled with and disciplined by Scripture before we can, with genuine profit, enter into the presence of the Holy in unmediated communion.

In Meditative Prayer the Bible ceases to be a quotation dictionary and becomes instead "wonderful words of life" that lead us to the Word of Life. It differs even from the study of Scripture which centers on exegesis, and centers on internalizing and personalizing the passage. The written Word becomes a living word addressed to us. This is a time not for technical studies or analysis or even the gathering of material to share with others. We are to set aside all tendencies toward arrogance and with humble hearts receive the word addressed to us. Often I find kneeling especially appropriate for this particular time. Accept the Word of Scripture and ponder it in your heart, as Mary did. That is all. That is meditation.

It is important for us to resist the temptation to pass over many passages superficially. Our rushing reflects our internal state, and our internal state is what needs to be transformed."