The Center for contemplative practice
A Lay Cistercian Looks at Spiritual Reality
Month: March 2021
THE JOY IN THE RESURRECTION
May the Peace of Christ be with you. This is not the peace that the world gives but the presence of Christ’s love in us and through us to our unique world. Here are a few of my reflections as a result of my… Continue Reading “THE JOY IN THE RESURRECTION”
LENTEN CONVERSION: Scariest scripture passage
My picture of Scripture is one of a series of love letters to humans, telling how much God wants us to be with Him in Heaven as our terminal state of being. Sometimes, I think of Scriptures are presenting a frightening picture of the… Continue Reading “LENTEN CONVERSION: Scariest scripture passage”
THE HERESY OF THE INDIVIDUAL
Heresies are not something I write about very often, in fact, I would not be writing about this topic at all except that it presented itself to be at 2:30 a.m. this morning as part of my Lectio Divina. My Lectio Divina has always… Continue Reading “THE HERESY OF THE INDIVIDUAL”
LENTEN CONVERSION: IS YOUR JESUS PARANOID?
During this intense time of introspection before the celebration of our delivery from death to life with Christ, it is important to ask the question, What does your Jesus look like? I have never seen the face of Jesus, nor have I seen the… Continue Reading “LENTEN CONVERSION: IS YOUR JESUS PARANOID?”
LENTEN CONVERSION: Beware of the default of original sin
Original sin affects everything we do as a human. Baptism takes away Original Sin, the Sin of the World, but we still must live out the consequences of living in a condition where everything has a beginning and an end. I reflected on this… Continue Reading “LENTEN CONVERSION: Beware of the default of original sin”
LENTEN CONVERSION: FROM FACTIONS TO ONE LORD
In this time of slowing down to catch up to the Christ within us, Lent provides each person with their own unique way of sorting out those false narratives that drag us down from seeking the true Christ to ones that fit our emotional… Continue Reading “LENTEN CONVERSION: FROM FACTIONS TO ONE LORD”
HERE ARE TEN TEMPTATIONS FROM SATAN I BET YOU NEVER SAW COMING.
The Devil loves to seduce humans into going against God, then laughs heartily at the offender as being so gullible and weak that he missed out on the purpose of life. I thought about how the Devil might dissuade me from having in me… Continue Reading “HERE ARE TEN TEMPTATIONS FROM SATAN I BET YOU NEVER SAW COMING.”
A LAY CISTERCIAN REFLECTS ON: MAKING AN EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE BEFORE RECEIVING THE SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION
Jesus left us several stories and activities that we should do to make him present to us. Clearly, Eucharist, the Real Presence of Christ, the fulfilment of the Last Supper, is paramount among ways to seek forgiveness and ask for God’s mercy. Additional ways… Continue Reading “A LAY CISTERCIAN REFLECTS ON: MAKING AN EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE BEFORE RECEIVING THE SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION”
LENTEN CONVERSION: THE PLACE WE CALL HELL IS LIKE…
What is hell like? This is not a topic that raises to the level that I would think about but it did come up in this week’s Lectio Divina meditation (Philippians 2:5). I have not experienced Hell because I have never been there (nor… Continue Reading “LENTEN CONVERSION: THE PLACE WE CALL HELL IS LIKE…”
LENTEN CONVERSION: FEAR OF THE LORD
I can still remember driving US 41 south of Vincennes, Indiana as I traveled to Evansville, Indiana. There was one spot in the road where I had seen an abandoned two-story house, one like I saw in horror films with large windows perched hill… Continue Reading “LENTEN CONVERSION: FEAR OF THE LORD”
LENTEN CONVERSION: WHO IS YOUR JESUS? AN END USER PAUSES TO REVIEW THE CONSEQUENCES OF BELIEVING OR NOT BELIEVING IN JESUS THE CHRIST.
In my Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5) today, I wondered about who Jesus is. I think this is part of the mystery of Faith, that probing of the human heart to try to love God with all of our heart, all of our mind, and… Continue Reading “LENTEN CONVERSION: WHO IS YOUR JESUS? AN END USER PAUSES TO REVIEW THE CONSEQUENCES OF BELIEVING OR NOT BELIEVING IN JESUS THE CHRIST.”
LENTEN CONVERSION: HOW LOVELY IS YOUR DWELLING PLACE, O LORD OF HOSTS
Today in a few hours, the Lay Cistercian community of Our Lady of the Holy Spirit (Trappist) http://www.trappist.net, will meet for their monthly Zoom Gathering Day meeting. I would like to share with you some of my preparations for that meeting. In Lectio Divina… Continue Reading “LENTEN CONVERSION: HOW LOVELY IS YOUR DWELLING PLACE, O LORD OF HOSTS”
WHISPERS FROM A CAVE
One of my favorite Scripture passages is the one where God tells a frightened Elijah the Prophet to go to a cave and He will pass by. This passage has great importance for contemplative practice. We listen to God with the ear of our… Continue Reading “WHISPERS FROM A CAVE”
LENTEN CONVERSION: iF TODAY YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, HARDEN NOT YOUR HEART
Lent is a time for profound reflection. Lent is a time for profound listening. St. Benedict tells us to “listen with the ear of the heart.” Here is a not-so-simple idea on which you should ponder. Go to http://www.divineoffice.org. Read the Invitatory prayer. Reflect… Continue Reading “LENTEN CONVERSION: iF TODAY YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, HARDEN NOT YOUR HEART”
LENTEN CONVERSION: IF YOU ARE NOT DILIGENT, YOU MAY LOSE YOUR FAITH
Faith is like a blanket that overshadows us to allow us to call God “Abba”. This gift from God provides us with the indelible sign on our souls that we are marked as adopted sons and daughters of the Father. We are saved from… Continue Reading “LENTEN CONVERSION: IF YOU ARE NOT DILIGENT, YOU MAY LOSE YOUR FAITH”
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