The Center for Contemplative Practice
A Lay Cistercian Looks at Spiritual Reality
Month: May 2022
ABANDONMENT: A Lay Cistercian’s quest to love God with his whole mind, his whole heart, his whole strength, and his neighbor as himself.
This rather long and windy title is quite sophisticated as I begin to unwind the various depths contained within the words. First, behind the quote sits the center of the Old Testament, the Shema Yisrael (Deuteronomy 6:5). Not only that, it is the center… Continue Reading “ABANDONMENT: A Lay Cistercian’s quest to love God with his whole mind, his whole heart, his whole strength, and his neighbor as himself.”
CHAPTER 4: DISTRACTIONS AND BAD THOUGHTS DURING CONTEMPLATION
Posted on May 20, 2019, by https://thecenterforcontemplativepractice.org This might seem like an odd topic for Lectio Divina, but I assure you, it is authentic, embarrassingly honest. It is natural because none of us practice prayer and hopefully contemplation without distractions and trying to avoid evil thoughts.… Continue Reading “CHAPTER 4: DISTRACTIONS AND BAD THOUGHTS DURING CONTEMPLATION”
REVERSIO MORAE: Ten habits of highly successful people who regress deeper into their false selves.
There is no free will or the ability to choose anything if there is only one choice. Animal Nature has only one choice, that of being what Nature intended as a part of their natural progression. With the transition from animality to rationality, there… Continue Reading “REVERSIO MORAE: Ten habits of highly successful people who regress deeper into their false selves.”
LEARNING HOW TO LOVE
I just dusted off an excerpt from some of the writings I made about my last retreat at Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Monastery (Trappist) sometime last February. I added some fresh ideas, much like putting new wine in old skins, so I… Continue Reading “LEARNING HOW TO LOVE”
MY TOP TEN FAVORITE: Daily Sins and Failings
Now you have done it, you must be thinking. Here is a topic no one wants to talk about but actually dictates how we behave within ourselves and outside with others. In one of my Lectio Divina sessions (Phil 2:5), while reflecting on Christ… Continue Reading “MY TOP TEN FAVORITE: Daily Sins and Failings”
JUST BECAUSE YOUR ROAD IS ROCKY, DOESN’T MEAN YOU ARE ON THE WRONG ROAD
Homily by Fr. Tom Dillon on the scandals in the Church and our challenge to deal with imperfection and sin. Â President-Rector addresses Church crisis in the opening talk Friday, August 31, 2018 Note:Â Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology began the fall semester… Continue Reading “JUST BECAUSE YOUR ROAD IS ROCKY, DOESN’T MEAN YOU ARE ON THE WRONG ROAD”
SPIRITUAL READING RECOMMENDATIONS
I was fumbling around trying to wrap my mind around the “Nature of God” concept when I decided to look it up. Where would a broken-down, old Lay Cistercian temple of the Holy Spirit look to find out about what our heritage is? The… Continue Reading “SPIRITUAL READING RECOMMENDATIONS”
WHAT DO YOU SEE?
A GATHERING DAY Yesterday (Sunday), the Lay Cistercians of Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Monastery (Trappist) gathered together to meet with the Holy Spirit and share some ideas about our journey in life and how we each have realized that Christ is walking… Continue Reading “WHAT DO YOU SEE?”
Leonardo DaVinci Drawing of Life
To be fully human ourselves, we must make sure everyone has a chance to be Pro-Choice. We are the sum of our choices.
SIMILI EST REGNUM COELORUM
I apologize for brushing off the dust of my old Latin texts of the Scriptures. This means “the kingdom of heaven is like…” Matthew 13. The Old Testament was all about the forecast of the one to come, the Messiah. The New Testament is… Continue Reading “SIMILI EST REGNUM COELORUM”
DO YOU BELONG TO THE CULT OF MARY?
The following blog is what I wrote down in my Lectio Divina Meditation several months ago. I had to swim in the pool at Premier Gym in Tallahassee, Florida. A particularly loquacious former minister was holding court in the pool, telling people what they… Continue Reading “DO YOU BELONG TO THE CULT OF MARY?”
SAINT CHARLES DE FOUCAULD
Without comment, here is the prayer of abandonment recited by Saint Charles de Foucauld. He and ten others were raised to Sainthood to be venerated by the Church Universal as worthy of our imitation.
CONVERSIO MORAE: Ten habits of highly successful people who move deeper into Christ Jesus.
One of the great lessons I have taken away from being exposed to Cistercian spirituality is the sheer simplicity of allowing God to shine on your behavior. This life-giving energy replenishes Faith with grace and conversio morae, growing more like Christ and less like… Continue Reading “CONVERSIO MORAE: Ten habits of highly successful people who move deeper into Christ Jesus.”
THE HUMAN RAMIFICATIONS OF VISIBILITY AND INVISIBILITY
“Why does human life find itself on a planet just far away from the Sun not to burn up, with just the correct mixtures of gases to exist, with just the correct protection from radiation not to be torched?” Added to that seeming statistical… Continue Reading “THE HUMAN RAMIFICATIONS OF VISIBILITY AND INVISIBILITY”
EVIL THOUGHTS
My latest Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5) is a continuation of one that I wrote down nearly six months ago. The general theme of my thinking is The Christ Principle, and stains emanating from that one idea included Genesis 2-3 and its treatment of “What… Continue Reading “EVIL THOUGHTS”
FIRST STEPS AS A LAY CISTERCIAN
There is no doubt about it. When I first began my training as a novice Lay Cistercian, I took baby steps to implement a Lay Cistercian Way that would fit my particular situation in life (a retired, broken-down, old temple of the Holy Spirit).… Continue Reading “FIRST STEPS AS A LAY CISTERCIAN”
MAGISTER NOSTER: God as Magister Noster
In the most recent wandering in my upper room (with doors locked), I wondered about how Jesus was a carpenter with his dad up until his public ministry. In my later years (and at 82 years old, I am about as late as you… Continue Reading “MAGISTER NOSTER: God as Magister Noster”
THREE BATTLES YOU MUST FIGHT TO WIN
In my latest Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5), I was struck by the notion of how difficult it is to live in the world and yet also be a citizen and adopted son in the Kingdom of Heaven. This dual citizenship causes anxiety sometimes and… Continue Reading “THREE BATTLES YOU MUST FIGHT TO WIN”
THE CHRIST PRINCIPLE: WHAT IS YOUR MEASURING STICK?
This title seems like it is innocuous, don’t you think? A couple of days ago, in my Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5), I thought of Christ as my yardstick to measure my behavior, approach to the Sacred, and obligations as a Lay Cistercian (www.trappist.net). I… Continue Reading “THE CHRIST PRINCIPLE: WHAT IS YOUR MEASURING STICK?”
WONDER IF… there is no god, no Jesus Christ, no holy spirit, no resurrection, no afterlife…
Human reasoning is a beautiful attribute that animals don’t share and, as far as we can tell, no one has but our species. I find t interesting that, using what I know of what the purpose of life is, the same reasoning that compels… Continue Reading “WONDER IF… there is no god, no Jesus Christ, no holy spirit, no resurrection, no afterlife…”
BALANCE IN CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER: SLEEPING ON THE EDGE
This morning at 2:30 a.m., I make my pilgrimage to the bathroom. Usually, when I come back to bed, I do a mini-Lectio Divina with my patron Saint, Michael, and ask him to join me as we approach Jesus to give glory and honor… Continue Reading “BALANCE IN CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER: SLEEPING ON THE EDGE”
FIVE contemplative THOUGHTS IN SEARCH OF CLOSURE
You might have some different ideas about this. Five of my thoughts that I still romance after all these years follow. I guess I never will ultimately reach the depth of their significance in my seeking God in my daily living. “That in all… Continue Reading “FIVE contemplative THOUGHTS IN SEARCH OF CLOSURE”
FERTILIZER FOR FAITH: The God of Second Chances
You know the parable of the good seed falling on good ground. There are three fertilizers that Christ told us to use to keep the soil of our Faith from drying up and becoming sterile. It is no accident that God is depicted as… Continue Reading “FERTILIZER FOR FAITH: The God of Second Chances”
ARE YOUR MOM AND DAD OR FAMILY MEMBERS IN HEAVEN?
Those still making our trek to the heavens are fond of saying that those around us who have died are in a better place or are reaping the rewards of a life well-lived. Is this a pious saying, or do we actually believe it?… Continue Reading “ARE YOUR MOM AND DAD OR FAMILY MEMBERS IN HEAVEN?”
BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU READ: Does the Church teach that we should not seek to convert the Jews?
I was involved this last week in a bit of controversy over a statement in the press about how the Church does not have to convert Jews. As with all the reports that try to cast doubt on Christ and the Church, this one… Continue Reading “BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU READ: Does the Church teach that we should not seek to convert the Jews?”
SIX QUESTIONS YOU MUST ANSWER BEFORE YOU DIE, GRASSHOPPER.
Wait! Can you answer these six questions before you die? How do you know these are THE six questions you must answer before you die? How do you know they are not? This is my Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5) for today. In any event,… Continue Reading “SIX QUESTIONS YOU MUST ANSWER BEFORE YOU DIE, GRASSHOPPER.”
MAKE A PRIVATE RETREAT WITH THE SOUL OF THE APOSTOLATE: Ten Aides to Mental Prayer
I can remember reading The Soul of the Apostolate in College. This is the spiritual classic by DOM JEAN-BAPTIST CHAUTARD, O.C.S.O. (Abbot of Notre Dame de Sept Fons). This morning, the Holy Spirit tickled my neurons to bring up my previous encounters with this… Continue Reading “MAKE A PRIVATE RETREAT WITH THE SOUL OF THE APOSTOLATE: Ten Aides to Mental Prayer”
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