In Part 1, we explored the seven principles of Vox Divini Meditation, which guide you to meditate on the Gospels in a way that transforms you to be more like Jesus. These principles, summed up in the word WALKING, help you focus on Christ’s character and live out His love, kindness, and humility. Now, let’s dive into how to practice Vox Divini Meditation. This method is simple, structured, and easy for anyone to learn in a few weeks. In this article, we will break down the five steps of Vox Divini Meditation.

The Five Steps of Vox Divini Meditation

Vox Divini Meditation has five steps: Presence, Offer, Word, Engage, and Response with Resolution (POWER). For a 30-minute meditation, you can split the time like this: Presence (2 minutes), Offer (2 minutes), Word (1 minute), Engage (15 minutes), and Response with Resolution (10 minutes). This isn’t a strict rule, but it shows that Engage and Response need the most time, as they drive transformation. You can do Presence and Offer as quick mental prayers before sitting down—maybe while waking up or getting ready. This way, when you sit with your Bible and notebook, you can jump straight into Word, Engage, and Response, making your meditation focused and effective.

1. Presence

The Presence step is about turning your heart and mind to God, recognizing He’s with you. It’s a brief moment to quiet your thoughts, express your love, and invite God’s closeness, setting the stage for focused meditation. For example: “Dear Jesus, thank You for this new day. I love You, my Lord, and I’m grateful for Your care. Holy Spirit, fill me with Your peace as I come to be with You.” You can do this as a mental prayer before sitting down—like while lying in bed or walking to your meditation spot. This mental preparation helps you enter meditation with a heart open to Jesus, ready to dive into His Word.
If you skip Presence, you might start meditating distracted, thinking about school or chores. This can make it hard to connect with Jesus, leaving your meditation unfocused and less fruitful, as you struggle to feel His presence or hear His voice.

2. Offer

In the Offer step, you surrender yourself to God, opening your heart to hear His voice. It’s a moment to let go of distractions and offer your thoughts, worries, and desires to the Holy Spirit. For example: “Lord Jesus, I give You my heart and mind. Speak to me today. Holy Spirit, take control of my thoughts and guide me closer to You.” Like Presence, you can do this as a mental prayer before sitting down—perhaps while getting your notebook or sipping water. By offering yourself mentally beforehand, you can start writing and engaging with the Word as soon as you begin, saving time for deeper reflection.
Without offering yourself, you might hold onto distractions or try to control the meditation, limiting your connection with God. This can make your time feel rushed or shallow, preventing the Word from sinking into your heart and sparking change.

3. Word

The Word step is where you choose a specific word, phrase, or verse from the Gospels to focus on. Pick your verse the night before and write it in your meditation notebook. For example, you might choose “You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14). In the morning, repeat the verse in your mind, talking to Jesus about it, like, “Lord, why did You say ‘light’?” This step is quick—just write the verse when you sit to meditate—but it sets up the deeper work. Since Presence and Offer can be done mentally earlier, you can start here with your Bible and notebook, ready to reflect on the Word.

If you are choosing the word or verse during meditation, you need to go through the whole passage one or twice and pick a verse that catches your attention. You can can your closed and repeate it meditatively allowing the purifying and sanctifying power of the Word to be poured into our hearts.

4. Engage

The Engage step, the third and core part of  Vox Divini Meditation, helps beginners connect deeply with Jesus by focusing on His character. After choosing a verse or phrase in the second step, you use your memory of Gospel stories to picture the scene vividly—its sights, sounds, and setting—while keeping yourself out of it, watching like a quiet observer. Then, ask Jesus simple questions in your mind: “Why did You do this?” or “Why did You say this?” to understand His emotions and motives. Use your intellect to explore the scene’s context and figure out what drives His actions. Stay focused on Jesus’ qualities, like His love or patience, without thinking about yourself or adding phrases like “Lord, You’re my Savior.” or “Lord, I see you telling me ….” Then we identify a quality or motive of Jesus and two incidents from the life of Jesus where we see the same quality. 

Structure of Engage had Three Parts:

1. Look at the phrase or verse and ask Jesus, “Lord, why did You say this?” or “Lord, why did You do this?” Address Jesus directly, reflect on the verse, and ask a “why” question to uncover the reason behind His words or actions. This question digs into His heart and motives.
2. Write a positive quality or motive of Jesus seen in the verse, state it clearly, and underline it. Identify a specific quality (like kindness, compassion, or encouragement) or motive (like concern for others or doing the will of God) that shines through. Underline this quality or motive to highlight it, showing how it defines Jesus’ character in this moment.
3. Find two incidents from the life of Jesus in the Gospels where the same quality or motive is seen. List two other moments from the Gospels where Jesus displays this quality or motive, connecting the verse to His broader life. This reinforces how it’s central to who He is.

Simple Example (Matthew 5:14 – “You are the light of the world”):

E1 – Lord Jesus, today I see You telling the disciples they are the light of the world. My loving Lord, why did You say this? I see You called them light, even though they had weaknesses. Lord, You are a person who loves to encourage others. I see You encouraging the woman who touched Your cloak, saying her faith made her well (Mark 5:34). I also see You encouraging Peter to walk on water, calling him to come (Matthew 14:29). What an encouraging Lord You are!
E2 – Again, my Lord, why did You call them the light of the world? Light shines and helps others see. Lord, You are a person who loves to help others. I see You helping the blind man see by healing him (John 9:6-7). I also see You helping the hungry crowd by feeding them with loaves and fish (John 6:11). You are such a helpful Jesus!

If you don’t follow the Engage structure or focus on your weaknesses, your meditation can become unfocused or self-centered. You might miss Jesus’ qualities, ending up with vague thoughts that don’t inspire action, slowing your growth into His likeness as you fail to see His heart clearly.

5. Response with Resolution

The Response with Resolution step is where transformation happens, as you turn insights into actions. It has a clear structure: for each Engage, focus on the quality you identified, admire it, and express your desire to be like Jesus in that quality. Then, write two concrete situations where you can practice that quality today or soon. With two Engages, you’ll write four actions, but you’ll choose one of the four as your SMART resolution to act on that day, ensuring your meditation leads to practical change. Its in this stage our will gets involved.

Structure of Response too has Three Parts:

1. Look at the positive quality of Jesus and admire it. Reflect on the quality or motive you identified in the Engage step and express admiration for how Jesus embodies it.
2. Express your desire to be like Jesus in that quality. State your longing to grow in this quality, showing your commitment to imitate Jesus.
3. Write two concrete situations in which you can be like Jesus on that day or in the coming days. List two specific, practical ways you can practice this quality in your life, either today or soon, to make your meditation actionable.

Simple Example (Continuing from Matthew 5:14):
Lord Jesus, I see You as a person who loves to encourage others. I admire how You lifted people up with Your words. I want to be like You and encourage those around me. To be like You today:
– I will tell my friend Sam he did a great job on his school project at lunch.
– I will cheer on my sister when she practices soccer this evening.
Again, my Lord, I see You as a person who loves to help others. I admire how You cared for people’s needs. I want to be like You and help those around me. To be like You today:
– I will help my mom set the table for dinner at 6 PM.
– I will help my classmate Tim with his math homework during study hall.

If you skip Response or don’t write specific actions, your meditation might stay in your head, with insights fading without changing your life. This can make meditation feel like a routine rather than a transformative walk with Jesus, as you miss the chance to live out His qualities in practical ways.

Choosing a SMART Resolution

If you have two Engages, you’ll have two Responses with four actions total, but you choose just one of these as your SMART resolution to act on that day. A SMART resolution is Specific (clear, not vague, like “I’ll thank my friend” instead of “I’ll be nice”), Measurable (you can track it, like “I did it at lunch”), Attainable (realistic for your day, like helping with a chore), Repeatable (could be done again to build a habit, like encouraging someone), and Time-bound (has a set time, like “at 6 PM”). This ensures your action is practical and impactful. For example, from the four actions above: Resolution: I will tell my friend Sam he did a great job on his school project at lunch. Choosing one SMART resolution keeps you focused, making it easier to act and grow in Jesus’ likeness without feeling overwhelmed by trying to do all four.
If you don’t choose a SMART resolution, you might feel pressured to do all four actions and fail, or pick vague goals that don’t lead to change. This can make your meditation feel unproductive, as you miss the opportunity to practice Jesus’ qualities in a clear, manageable way, slowing your transformation.

Why These Steps Transform You

The five steps of Vox Divini Meditation—Presence, Offer, Word, Engage, and Response with Resolution—create a clear path to grow closer to Jesus. By preparing with mental prayers for Presence and Offer, you can focus your meditation time on engaging deeply with the Word and responding with actions that make you more Christlike. The structured Engage step, with its three parts—asking “why,” identifying and underlining a quality or motive, and finding Gospel incidents—helps you see Jesus’ heart clearly. The Response with Resolution step, with its three-part structure and SMART resolution, ensures insights become real changes. Whether you’re new to meditation or deepening your practice, Vox Divini Meditation offers a simple, powerful way to transform your heart, making you more loving, kind, and like Jesus every day. Follow these steps, and let the Word leap into your life, as Wisdom 18:14-16 promises, bringing healing and new life!