The Center for contemplative practice
A Lay Cistercian Looks at Spiritual Reality
Month: December 2021
THE DIVINE EQUATION: Mapping the parameters of sacred space.
You will never guess where I received my last Lectio Divina inspiration. I was sitting in my bathtub with a towel over my head, just concentrating on The Christ Principle. (Philippians 2:5) The thought came to mind that when Christ emptied himself of divine… Continue Reading “THE DIVINE EQUATION: Mapping the parameters of sacred space.”
WHAT IS THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE?
I purposefully stumbled on a YouTube about one of my five favorite subjects to watch (Korean Walking Tours in the Snow, Science Shows about the universe, Blue Bloods, Cowlin Cowherd on The Herd, FS1, and surgical procedures of total knee or brain tumor removal).… Continue Reading “WHAT IS THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE?”
THE CHRIST PRINCIPLE: How deep is your prayer life?
My life has been a curious combination of private and public prayer, sometimes created by me spontaneously (Lectio Divina), while other times praying rituals that seek routine consistency as a way to praise God. All prayer, no matter the kind or type, is simply… Continue Reading “THE CHRIST PRINCIPLE: How deep is your prayer life?”
PENANCE AND THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS
In this season of reflection and penance, the Church calls Advent, where we prepare for the coming of Christ in our hearts rather than just have the same old, meaningless merchant’s Santa Claus, I try to remind myself that my adoption as a son… Continue Reading “PENANCE AND THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS”
THE DIVINE EQUATION: How deep is your love?
Remember the tune, “How deep is your love?” It is one of my favorite tunes from the Bee Gees. I can’t say I remember all of the words, except the refrain and the melody. This song resurrects some old thoughts from a Lectio Divina… Continue Reading “THE DIVINE EQUATION: How deep is your love?”
TEN MOST IMPORTANT MOMENTS WITH MICHAEL LAST YEAR
Like any good examination of conscience (Chapter 4 of St. Benedict’s Rule, https://christdesert.org/rule-of-st-benedict/chapter-4-the-tools-for-good-works/), it is my custom to review my life achievements and frequent faults and failings at the end of each year with the resolve to “prefer nothing to the love of Christ,” with… Continue Reading “TEN MOST IMPORTANT MOMENTS WITH MICHAEL LAST YEAR”
CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICES: LINKING LECTIOS
After trying to live a habit of Lectio Divina for many years, the steps of Guibo II (oratio, meditatio, oratio, and comtemplatio) become like blinking (an autonomic response we do but don’t think about doing it). So does the idea of conversatio morae, conversion… Continue Reading “CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICES: LINKING LECTIOS”
GOD’S DNA
One of those traits humans have is to judge the many by the one. There is a pedophile priest, so therefore all priests must be bad. There is a corrupt cop, so we should defund the police. We humans are creatures of the moment.… Continue Reading “GOD’S DNA”
IS MARTIN LUTHER IN HEAVEN?
Usually, I don’t play God games (My God can beat your God), and I still don’t intend to do so. Still, this week’s incident of an Orthodox Priest calling the Pope a heretic raised an interesting issue for me, one that is not on… Continue Reading “IS MARTIN LUTHER IN HEAVEN?”
GOD’S DNA: Six times God gave birth
Woah! As they say in Indiana, “Thems might big words for a pipsqueak.” About two years ago, at a Gathering Day presentation by one of the monks to Lay Cistercians at Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Monastery (Trappist), he told us God was… Continue Reading “GOD’S DNA: Six times God gave birth”
A WORLD WITHOUT GOD
One of the most interesting YouTube programs I have watched is one with the hypothesis, What would it be like if, all of a sudden, all humans would disappear? The video is worth watching for its profound implications for Original Sin and the natural… Continue Reading “A WORLD WITHOUT GOD”
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