The Center for contemplative practice
A Lay Cistercian Looks at Spiritual Reality
Month: May 2020
HERE IS A TEMPTATION FROM SATAN YOU MAY NOT SEE COMING
My Lectio Divina never happens in a vacuum. In the process of seeking God in my daily life, where I am and as I am, certain events impact my consciousness and I takes those experiences with me as I try to focus on my… Continue Reading “HERE IS A TEMPTATION FROM SATAN YOU MAY NOT SEE COMING”
THE HAPPINESS OF DOING NOTHING
What follows is a series of thoughts that are the result of one of my recent Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5) meditations.I experienced these thoughts while sitting on a park bench in the density of winter, waiting for Christ to come and share His Real… Continue Reading “THE HAPPINESS OF DOING NOTHING”
TEN MISCONCEPTIONS PEOPLE HAVE ABOUT BEING A CATHOLIC
Recently, a rash of people have commented on some of my writing by saying “That is just your opinion.” Of course, it is who else’s opinion would it be? One of my assumptions in writing these types of reflections is that they do not… Continue Reading “TEN MISCONCEPTIONS PEOPLE HAVE ABOUT BEING A CATHOLIC”
MY new END TIME
Everything has a beginning and an end in the physical and mental universes. We don’t think about that idea much in the midst of a Covid 19 Pandemic. I only bring this up because that was the main thought of my Lectio Divina meditation… Continue Reading “MY new END TIME”
COSMIC RESONANCE: WHY JESUS IS THE MESSIAH?
My latest Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5) has taken me to a place that I would never have thought possible, linking Christ as the Messiah and the fulfillment of the Old and New Testaments. The way my thinking progressed, as I sat in silence and… Continue Reading “COSMIC RESONANCE: WHY JESUS IS THE MESSIAH?”
THE CONSEQUENCES OF SEEKING GOD DAILY
Philippians 2:5 is my Lectio Divina mantra. Today, I thought about the consequences of a simple YES or NO to seeking God in daily living. YES is usually seen as an enabling word while NO is usually, but not always, blocking (e.g. NO to… Continue Reading “THE CONSEQUENCES OF SEEKING GOD DAILY”
FOCUS: AT THE NEXUS OF THE STRUGGLE BETWEEN SPIRIT AND FLESH
What follows are some reflections about one of the most difficult expressions of contemplative prayer, one that I never get rid of, one that is with me as long as I traverse the halls of silence and solitude in search of God wherever I… Continue Reading “FOCUS: AT THE NEXUS OF THE STRUGGLE BETWEEN SPIRIT AND FLESH”
WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR US TO LOVE OTHERS AS CHRIST LOVES US?
THE CHRIST IMPERATIVES LISTEN TO ME, FOR I AM MEEK AND HUMBLE OF HEART. Matthew 11:28-30 Thirsty? Drink of the living waters! John 7:37. Hungry? Eat the food that gives eternal life! John 6:33-38. Bewildered? Believe in the Master! John 3:11-21. Without hope? Be… Continue Reading “WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR US TO LOVE OTHERS AS CHRIST LOVES US?”
RELAX!
What follows are my reflections on some ideas that came up during my Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5). Here are ten things you don’t need to worry about as you live out your spiritual life. The Church Universal is going to disappear and collapse. If… Continue Reading “RELAX!”
MONOS
What I am experiencing, as I move through the stages of the Coronavirus 19 effects on my personal space, my environment, my relationships, is isolation and the failure of those human structures I have built up to sustain my life on a daily basis.… Continue Reading “MONOS”
THE MARTYRDOM OF seeking god every day
When you read this title, you may find it a bit discombobulating. Isn’t martyrdom shedding your blood for Christ? Isn’t that reserved only for the Saints? What can any of this have to do with Lay Cistercian spirituality and contemplation? I found the answer… Continue Reading “THE MARTYRDOM OF seeking god every day”
WHAT I WILL PACK FOR THE TRIP TO HEAVEN: SPIRITUAL READING
In a recent Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5), the thought of how lucky we are to have Sacred Scriptures presented itself to me. You can’t make this stuff up, with so many people writing about God. One thought, in particular, stood out for me: God… Continue Reading “WHAT I WILL PACK FOR THE TRIP TO HEAVEN: SPIRITUAL READING”
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