The Center for contemplative practice
A Lay Cistercian Looks at Spiritual Reality
Month: September 2018
THE SIXTY SECOND CATHOLIC: HOW TO UNLOCK THE MYSTERY OF FAITH
A common misconception about Faith is that it is unknowable. It is, if all we use is human knowledge. There is a caveat, we can only approach it and what we do know we know because Jesus came to show us the puzzle. and… Continue Reading “THE SIXTY SECOND CATHOLIC: HOW TO UNLOCK THE MYSTERY OF FAITH”
CONTEMPLATIVE THOUGHTS ABOUT LIFE AND LOVE FROM SAINTS AND SINNERS
Here are some inspirational thoughts about life generated by great thinkers that help inspire me as I meditated on Phil 2:5, during my Lectio Divina exercise. They are in no order of importance and do not reflect any theme or agenda. Just enjoy them… Continue Reading “CONTEMPLATIVE THOUGHTS ABOUT LIFE AND LOVE FROM SAINTS AND SINNERS”
WHAT DO YOU SEE
In one of my Lectio Divina meditations (Phil 2:5), I thought of all that Christ has done for us by becoming one of us. I then asked myself, what have you done in your lifetime that is worth what you did in your lifetime?… Continue Reading “WHAT DO YOU SEE”
PANGE LINGUA GLORIOSI
If you know what that means, it means you are a Catholic with some tread worn off. When I was a boy, I thought that Latin prayers were so cool. Sure, I didn’t know what they meant, but I quickly picked up the meaning… Continue Reading “PANGE LINGUA GLORIOSI”
DOES GOD HAVE LIMITATIONS?
One the surface, a statement that states that God is not the All Powerful, Supreme Being seems like heresy and perversion of what we know of God. When I was thinking about what it took for God to leave the Supreme Power of God… Continue Reading “DOES GOD HAVE LIMITATIONS?”
SEVEN LESSONS WE NEED TO LIVE IN THREE UNIVERSES
When I meditated on the words of Philippians 2:5, I came up with these seven lessons we humans need to live in three universes (physical, mental, spiritual). I quote this from my book, The Woman Who Changed Time: Spirituality and Time. They are expanded… Continue Reading “SEVEN LESSONS WE NEED TO LIVE IN THREE UNIVERSES”
DO WHAT HE TELLS YOU
The following reflection is exerpted from my book, The Woman Who Changed Time: Spirituality and Time, available on this blog under the Store section. DO WHAT HE TELLS YOU “Pure energy, came into physical time in the only way consistent with human nature–as a… Continue Reading “DO WHAT HE TELLS YOU”
JUST BECAUSE YOUR PATH IS ROCKY, DOESN’T MEAN YOU ARE ON THE WRONG ROAD
Many years ago, I was sitting in my bathtub (that was before I became too old to sit anymore) thinking about Philippians 2:5, my only Lectio Divina reading, when I had a thought about all of this as being just too overwhelming. I had… Continue Reading “JUST BECAUSE YOUR PATH IS ROCKY, DOESN’T MEAN YOU ARE ON THE WRONG ROAD”
THINKING OF LEAVING THE CATHOLIC CHURCH?
All the controversy about the Catholic Church gives me pause to think about why I should not quit the Church. I persisted in my resolve and was granted dispensation by Pope Benedict XVI. I found out soon after that Saint Pope John Paul II… Continue Reading “THINKING OF LEAVING THE CATHOLIC CHURCH?”
TOP TEN PLAINSONG AND CHANT FAVORITES
I have always loved plainsong, sometimes refered to as Gergorian Chant, plus other sacred music that has permeated my spirit from my youth. I wanted to collect what I consider to be my favorite chants because they mean so much to me, but also… Continue Reading “TOP TEN PLAINSONG AND CHANT FAVORITES”
A CONTEMPORARY LITANY OF THE SAINTS BEFORE THE THRONE OF THE LAMB
A litany is usually a group of statements someone says for a specified purpose. The traditional litany of the Saints of the Church Universal invokes those who are standing before the throne of the Lamb to intercede along with us to the Father for… Continue Reading “A CONTEMPORARY LITANY OF THE SAINTS BEFORE THE THRONE OF THE LAMB”
CONFESSIONS OF A RANDOM WONDERER
REFLECTIONS FROM A RANDOM WONDERER It is not often that I get a chance to experience Lectio Divina without knowing where it is going to lead me. I always begin with Philippians 2:5, the eight words that have fueled both my spirit and my… Continue Reading “CONFESSIONS OF A RANDOM WONDERER”
CONVERSATIONS ON A PARK BENCH: TIME AND THE MYSTERY OF FAITH
Time seems to be the fabric of all that we know and can observe. We can observe the physical universe with its energy, matter, and time. Time exists on this level with a beginning to all that we can observe and also an end… Continue Reading “CONVERSATIONS ON A PARK BENCH: TIME AND THE MYSTERY OF FAITH”
THE SIXTY SECOND CATHOLIC: The complexity of the Church Universal
I would like to share this article and this site with you. I thought article, when someone asked me what it means to be Catholic. https://www.osv.com/OSVNewsweekly/ByIssue/Article/TabId/735/ArtMID/13636/ArticleID/9720/The-richness-of-Catholic-rites.aspx THREE OBSERVATIONS/QUESTIONS There is great diversity in the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. This Church universal is… Continue Reading “THE SIXTY SECOND CATHOLIC: The complexity of the Church Universal”
BOOKS AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE INFLUENCED MY THINKING
BOOKS AND THINKERS THAT HAVE SHAPED MY SPIRITUAL AWARENESS Many books have been assimilated into this brain and may still be in there, rattling around somewhere. Here are ten books that have helped me develop a hypothesis about what is real and how it… Continue Reading “BOOKS AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE INFLUENCED MY THINKING”
A TALE OF NO
Here is what I can remember of a Lectio Divina (Phil2:5) I had a few months ago. Things tend to fade for me as I reach the North side of 77 years old. This is what I do remember. I was thinking of the… Continue Reading “A TALE OF NO”
LECTIO DIVINA: DON’T KICK THE HABIT
One of the greatest lessons I have learned from being a Lay Cistercian is the value of consistency. Doing something over and over might seem boring to some, but to those seeking transformation, it is the practice of seeking God where you are. In… Continue Reading “LECTIO DIVINA: DON’T KICK THE HABIT”
DISCERNMENT: Seeking God as a Lay Cistercian
The Lay Cistercians of Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Monastery (Trappist) in Conyers, Georgia are currently inviting practicing Universal Catholics to join them in a process called discernment. Discernment is an ongoing process because it doesn’t stop throughout your entire lifetime. Discernment has… Continue Reading “DISCERNMENT: Seeking God as a Lay Cistercian”
THE SIXTY SECOND CATHOLIC: Looking at Reality with Three Universes
You may, or may not, have heard of the book, The One Minutes Manager by Ken Blanchard. It was popular in my day, but, like all fads, it vanished. I thought of it once again as I was trying to come up with a… Continue Reading “THE SIXTY SECOND CATHOLIC: Looking at Reality with Three Universes”
THE SIXTY SECOND CATHOLIC: What does reality look like?
You may, or may not, have heard of the book, The One Minutes Manager by Ken Blanchard. It was popular in my day, but, like all fads, it vanished. I thought of it once again as I was trying to come up with a… Continue Reading “THE SIXTY SECOND CATHOLIC: What does reality look like?”
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