The Center for contemplative practice
A Lay Cistercian Looks at Spiritual Reality
ARE YOU LISTLESS?
If you read this title you might be fooled by the actual purpose of this blog. Listless means being lifeless and without enthusiasm. It reminds me of those who seem to decry the state of imperfection in the World or the Church (or both) yet have no clue as to what to do about it.
The importance of lists is that they are a sequence of events or people that link us with the past, or help us to explore the future, as in using the list of four steps in the Lectio Divina (lectio, oratio, meditatio, and comtemplatio {Latin}). Links connect the NOW with either the past or the future. They may be conduits of continuity with the apostolic past which may be difficult to visualize or otherwise experience.
The question all of us must ask ourselves and be confident of the answer is “Am I on the final list?” What list? Lists are an important part of my life. There are lots of different lists in which I participate and some I only wish I was included. Here are some famous lists, ones you may not have thought about since Grade School. Please forgive my bias. The question for each of us should be, “Am I on the List that gets me to Heaven? (Baptism)
LIST OF ROMAN PONTIFFS http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12272b.htm
Why is a list of the Roman Pontiffs so important for continuity with the time of the Apostles?
THE LIST OF SEVEN SACRAMENTS
http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/sacraments-and-sacramentals/ritual-books/index.cfm
What makes seven sacraments so special for the community of faith?
THE LIST OF SEVEN LITURGICAL PRAYERS OF THE LITURGY OF THE HOURS
http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/liturgy-of-the-hours/index.cfm
When did these prayers become the official prayer of the Church? What role did St. Benedict play in promoting recitation of the Hours?
THE ROMAN CALENDAR OF SAINTS
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Roman_Calendar
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09128a.htm
Having such a list of people we venerate as having in them the mind of Christ Jesus (Philippians 2:5) tells us of the continuity of the Church from our time to apostolic times.
THE LIST OF MARTYRS
https://www.ecatholic2000.com/martyr/untitled-19.shtml
BUTLER’S LIVES OF THE SAINTS
https://www.ecatholic2000.com/martyr/untitled-19.shtml
LIST OF BOOKS OF THE BIBLE
http://www.usccb.org/bible/books-of-the-bible/
Who made up these lists in the first place?
LISTS OF THE DESERT FATHERS AND THEIR STORIES AND SAYINGS https://christdesert.org/prayer/desert-fathers-stories/
LIST OF THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a8.htm https://fathersofmercy.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Seven-Capital-Sins-Opposite-Corresponding-Virtues-and-Extremes.pdf
LIST OF THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
https://www.stjmod.com/7-gifts-of-the-holy-spirit.html
LIST OF STEPS FOR LECTIO DIVINA https://www.thereligionteacher.com/lectio-divina-steps/
LISTED IN THE BOOK OF LIFE
LIST OF TRADITIONS WITHIN THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSAL CHURCH
http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/rite/
LIST OF DIOCESES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD
http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/la.html
LIST OF ALL BISHOPS OF THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSAL CHURCH
http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/la.html
LIST OF THE ROMAN CURIA (governance and structure) http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/country/xcur.html
LIST OF ALL THE CARDINALS OF THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSAL CHURCH http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/scardc3.html
LIST OF ALL LAY CISTERCIANS (International) https://cistercianfamily.org/lay-groups/
CISTERCIAN MONASTERIES (Not strict observance, Regular Order) https://www.cistercian.org/abbey/history/the-cistercian-order/beginnings.html
CISTERCIAN MONASTERIES (Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance– Trappist) https://www.ocso.org/monasteries/alphabetical-list/
LIST OF LAY INSTITUTES
https://secularinstitutes.org/ https://www.cmis-int.org/en/institutes/alphabetical-order/
LIST OF MUST READ CATHOLIC AUTHORS https://www.luc.edu/ccih/CatholicClassicsReadingList.shtml
LIST OF CORPORAL AND SPIRITUAL WORKS OF MERCY http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10198d.htm
If you are listless, check out one of these lists.
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The Center for contemplative practice 