The Center for contemplative practice
A Lay Cistercian Looks at Spiritual Reality
Month: July 2022
WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN I SAY THAT CHRIST IS THE CHRIST PRINCIPLE?
Each of us, in the short time we find ourselves in this existence, uses the totality of our human experiences to probe the depth of what it means to be human. We may not even be conscious of it, but we want to ensure… Continue Reading “WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN I SAY THAT CHRIST IS THE CHRIST PRINCIPLE?”
CORE RESOURCES: Contemplative Prayer
I asked one of the monks about contemplative prayer and what it meant. He told me, “if you have to ask for a definition, you need to do more contemplation.” Although I am still not sure what he meant, I do know that my… Continue Reading “CORE RESOURCES: Contemplative Prayer”
THE MARTYRDOM OF THE ORDINARY: Paco’s Prayer
Francisco Paco Ambrosetti, God rest his soul, is a Lay Cistercian now standing before the Throne of the Lamb and proclaiming the glory of the Father. Here is his prayer. May his soul, and the soul of all Lay Cistercians rest in the peace… Continue Reading “THE MARTYRDOM OF THE ORDINARY: Paco’s Prayer”
THE PHENOMENON OF MAN: Background for The Christ Principle as Intelligent Progression.
If you have not done so, I recommend reading (and reflecting) on the late Teilhard de Chardin’s book, The Phenomenon of Man. I do so because it is at the heart of my Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5) meditations about The Christ Principle. My thoughts… Continue Reading “THE PHENOMENON OF MAN: Background for The Christ Principle as Intelligent Progression.”
THE STARFISH THROWER
THE STARFISH THROWER Almost every time I pray Lectio Divina (Phil 2:5), I invariably think about how Christ’s act of love, to save us from death and give us a chance at life everlasting, relates to those circumstances and experiences of my life. This… Continue Reading “THE STARFISH THROWER”
FIVE LIFE-CRITICAL SKILLS MOMS AND DADS MUST SHOW THEIR CHILDREN
There is one shortcoming, I stop short of calling it a failure, of the Church Universal in teaching the Faith to those who are growing in their faith (youngsters or the newly professed Catholics): sustainability. RCIA is an excellent greenhouse in which those who… Continue Reading “FIVE LIFE-CRITICAL SKILLS MOMS AND DADS MUST SHOW THEIR CHILDREN”
SWITCHING POLES I: Using The Christ Principle to row upstream in life
My Catholic Faith is not a philosophy where I have a set of goals I meet or not. It is not a way of life that is easy. Taking up the cross daily means being more human than I ever thought possible. I keep… Continue Reading “SWITCHING POLES I: Using The Christ Principle to row upstream in life”
INTELLIGENT DESIGN IV: Words that contain the power of transformation
Contemplation is a process of what happened before. In the case of just one word, if that word is the Word that is made flesh and dwells among us in the Eucharist, these words are not just human in origin but contain the energy… Continue Reading “INTELLIGENT DESIGN IV: Words that contain the power of transformation”
INTELLIGENT PROGRESSION V: Choices of God that have conquences
We are made in the image and likeness of God. For as long as I can remember, I have struggled with what that phrase could mean. Somehow, I think it is at the very core of what it means for me to be human,… Continue Reading “INTELLIGENT PROGRESSION V: Choices of God that have conquences”
INTELLIGENT PROGRESSION III: Peering deeper into the mist of the human condition
My mind is a computer of unimaginable complexity and wonder. With the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI), my capabilities and capacities have increased, but only because I create my World from those assumptions and trials and errors that my reason tells me are good… Continue Reading “INTELLIGENT PROGRESSION III: Peering deeper into the mist of the human condition”
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