The Center for Contemplative Practice
A Lay Cistercian Looks at Spiritual Reality
Month: September 2023
SYNCRONICITY WITH GOD
I agree with St. Thomas Aquinas that the human mind cannot know who God is with human concepts. Divinity and Humanity are separated not only by concepts but also by the tools needed for humans to process and make sense of what they receive.… Continue Reading “SYNCRONICITY WITH GOD”
THE ART OF WAITING FOR CHRIST: The God whisperer
As early as last year, I can remember my Lectio Divina experiences as deepening into something over which I do not control. Before that time, I selected a set time for Lectio (which I still do) and followed the four (five) step method of… Continue Reading “THE ART OF WAITING FOR CHRIST: The God whisperer”
FIVE THINGS THAT WILL KILL YOU…AND YOU WON’T EVEN SEE IT COMING
I have always been intrigued by the statement, “The wages of sin are death.” For some reason, I think about this topic whenever political or societal news comes online through my YouTube streaming. I offer you my thoughts about the topic of why society… Continue Reading “FIVE THINGS THAT WILL KILL YOU…AND YOU WON’T EVEN SEE IT COMING”
TRANSFORMING TIME
I can’t think of a more esoteric subject to write about than time. It seems we have all of it there is but don’t really know how it fits into the physical universe, much less how it impacts the spiritual reality. Time is invisible,… Continue Reading “TRANSFORMING TIME”
SPIRITUAL APES: The struggle to be spiritual.
What follows below is an excerpt from my book, Spiritual Apes: The Struggle to be Spiritual. Ever wonder why being spiritual is such a chore? I did. The results of my thought are contained in the following reflections. uiodg If you want to go… Continue Reading “SPIRITUAL APES: The struggle to be spiritual.”
A LAY CISTERCIAN REFLECTS ON HIS RENEWAL OF LAY CISTERCIAN FINAL PROMISES
My Lectio Divina today (Phil 2:5) was on how blessed I am to be blessed by Christ in what I do. St. Benedict says that in all things, we should glorify God. I asked myself, what things? The list is too long to recount… Continue Reading “A LAY CISTERCIAN REFLECTS ON HIS RENEWAL OF LAY CISTERCIAN FINAL PROMISES”
THREE DIVORCES YOU WON’T BELIEVE HAPPENED
Posted on July 9, 2018 by thecenterforcontemplativepractice Like the boy who called wolf, many of the values we hold today are so commonplace that we don’t even realize they have special significance. Divorce is one of those happenings that has become so routine that it does… Continue Reading “THREE DIVORCES YOU WON’T BELIEVE HAPPENED”
FRACTURED FABLES: The winemaker
In so many ways, my life is like making a fine wine. Let me count the ways. uiodg
BEING A LAY CISTERCIAN: A PENITENTIAL PERSON
Over the past twenty years, I have had the practice of doing penance for my sins. Doing penance for my past sins goes way back in the Old Testament. It is the Yom Kippur of Jewish festivals. Once forgiven in the Sacrament of Reconciliation,… Continue Reading “BEING A LAY CISTERCIAN: A PENITENTIAL PERSON”
PRAYERS EVERY CATHOLIC SHOULD SAY, IF NOT MEMORIZE.
Prayer is focusing the mind and heart on God and abandoning self-interests as much as possible. Thanks to this website, https://saintlawrencemartyr.org/basic-catholic-prayers, they have arranged what I wanted to share with you, so I will use them as a resource. If you want to practice… Continue Reading “PRAYERS EVERY CATHOLIC SHOULD SAY, IF NOT MEMORIZE.”
THIS IS YOUR HERITAGE: Be careful not to discount it.
There is no more unlikely pick as the first Pope than St. Peter. Flawed to a degree that we can only imagine, Christ picked the lowest of the low to be the highest of the high. Here are some opinions of writers around the… Continue Reading “THIS IS YOUR HERITAGE: Be careful not to discount it.”
MY SIX STEPS TO ETERNITY
As in Scientific thought, there are two basic approaches I can take when looking at a systematic way to view reality. My tools are The six questions and answers of The Divine Equation, The Church as a mother who guides and nourishes me with… Continue Reading “MY SIX STEPS TO ETERNITY”
ALL REALITY, BLESS THE LORD.
Just as the Holy Spirit is not hostage to one Church or even nationality, the world’s wisdom is also more than that contained in the Scriptures. The wisdom that is authentic comes from God through people of various faiths and dispositions. Humans who are… Continue Reading “ALL REALITY, BLESS THE LORD.”
THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT: Private Revelation
Although I am insignificant to the world, in terms of changing or converting anything to something else, as an adopted son (daughter) of the Father, I have access to the power of the Holy Spirit in my Lectio Divina and other Cistercian practices. Each… Continue Reading “THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT: Private Revelation”
DON’T FORGET TO USE YOUR GUARDIAN ANGEL TO KEEP AWAY THE EVIL ONE
In Catholicism, we use the presence of angels to help us battle the forces of evil. One idea about angels is, that if you don’t think you have one, you probably are not using the gifts that Christ gave us to help us move… Continue Reading “DON’T FORGET TO USE YOUR GUARDIAN ANGEL TO KEEP AWAY THE EVIL ONE”
THE LORD OF THE DANCE: Taking dancing lessons from the Holy Spirit
I would never have believed that the Holy Spirit would be giving dancing lessons, but that is what happened in my latest Lectio Divina, one which I share with you now. You form your own conclusions. Here are some dancing steps that have been… Continue Reading “THE LORD OF THE DANCE: Taking dancing lessons from the Holy Spirit”
WHEN ALL WORDS FAIL: YOU MUST BE JEWISH TO APPRECIATE THIS MELODY
The theme from Shindler’s List, the movie, stirs my soul as a haunting piece of melody that transports me to a place in my life where I think of the people of the Holocaust and how far we have strayed from being the human… Continue Reading “WHEN ALL WORDS FAIL: YOU MUST BE JEWISH TO APPRECIATE THIS MELODY”
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