The Center for Contemplative Practice
A Lay Cistercian Looks at Spiritual Reality
Category: contemplative prayer
DIGGING FOR HEAVENLY GOLD: THE CHOICE OF GOOD OR EVIL.
This fourth penetration into the depths of the Mystery of Faith does not come without digging and work. At the heart of the Genesis Principle, the first of three Principles, yet one reality, is the most fundamental of human characteristics: What is good and… Continue Reading “DIGGING FOR HEAVENLY GOLD: THE CHOICE OF GOOD OR EVIL.”
DIGGING FOR HEAVENLY: THE REALITY OF MYSTERY IN THREE UNIVERSES.
The third constant that permeates all three universes is that of mystery. Mystery, as I define it, is the unknown yet knowable part of reality in the physical universe, the mental universe, and the spiritual universe. It is the unknown part of reality just… Continue Reading “DIGGING FOR HEAVENLY: THE REALITY OF MYSTERY IN THREE UNIVERSES.”
DIGGING FOR HEAVENLY GOLD: THE PRESENCE OF ENERGY IN THREE UNIVERSES AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR MY CATHOLIC CHURCH.
Just when I think I have done something good with my human reasoning by constantly digging ever deeper and deeper into the three constants in my previous blog, I had another one of those moments, when I place myself in the presence of Christ… Continue Reading “DIGGING FOR HEAVENLY GOLD: THE PRESENCE OF ENERGY IN THREE UNIVERSES AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR MY CATHOLIC CHURCH.”
THE TWELVE PORTALS OF MY NEW CATHOLIC CHURCH, THE NEW JERUSALEM.
MY NEW JERUSALEM AND MY NEW CATHOLIC CHURCH. I havecome to believe that Jesus is Lord, the Messiah, and that I must convert my inner self from false values to those which allow me to sustain myself as I continue to probe the depths… Continue Reading “THE TWELVE PORTALS OF MY NEW CATHOLIC CHURCH, THE NEW JERUSALEM.”
DIGGING FOR SPIRITUAL GOLD: Four constants that cut across the Twelve Pillars of My New Catholic Faith.
In building my Catholic Church or making new wine skills to hold the Real Presence of Christ in the upper room of my inner self, I use the following Psalm 127 to give me the proper perspective. If I build a new Catholic Church… Continue Reading “DIGGING FOR SPIRITUAL GOLD: Four constants that cut across the Twelve Pillars of My New Catholic Faith.”
DIGGING FOR SPIRITUAL GOLD: THE MOTHERLOAD
What are the results of my digging for gold over the past twenty years? During that time, I had to put the gold I had discovered into new wineskins, so the fresh energy of the Holy Spirit would not spoil. I wanted to share… Continue Reading “DIGGING FOR SPIRITUAL GOLD: THE MOTHERLOAD”
DIGGING FOR HEAVENLY GOLD ON EARTH: HOW I MOVE FROM MY FALSE SELF TO MY TRUE SELF EACH DAY.
This blog is a long one because I plan to put it as part of a book. Read it in snippits. THAT IN ALL THINGS, GOD BE GLORIFIED. –St. Benedict. In my first blog, I explained the longings in my heart, that emptiness that… Continue Reading “DIGGING FOR HEAVENLY GOLD ON EARTH: HOW I MOVE FROM MY FALSE SELF TO MY TRUE SELF EACH DAY.”
TESTAMONIES OF THE CHURCH FATHERS– Your heritage.
I recommend this site for your spiritual relaxation and to refresh your soul from the weariness of watching national and world events on cable. uiodg
TRENDS AND TRANSFORMATIONS OF THE AUTHENTIC CHURCH OF CHRIST
Because the Church Universal is not a building but the living Body of Christ, whose scope is those in Heaven enjoying the Beatific Vision. Those on earth must convert their lives daily (conversio morae) so that Jesus might increase and they decrease (capacitas dei).… Continue Reading “TRENDS AND TRANSFORMATIONS OF THE AUTHENTIC CHURCH OF CHRIST”
DIGGING FOR HEAVENLY GOLD ON EARTH: THE THREE LONGINGS OF THE HUMAN HEART
I have noticed that my penchant for digging, bordering on an obsession, has not waned with age, unlike many of my New Year’s Resolutions. Like those early settlers of the West who were seduced by gold fever, I packed up everything and began the… Continue Reading “DIGGING FOR HEAVENLY GOLD ON EARTH: THE THREE LONGINGS OF THE HUMAN HEART”
DIGGING FOR HEAVENLY GOLD ON EARTH: REALIZING WHAT IT MEANS TO BE HUMAN AT THE NEXT LEVEL OF OUR EVOLUTION.
WARNING: This blog is long and requires reading once or twice to dig out its gold. Don’t blame me, I only type it. Erich Fromm, an existential psychologist and author of The Art of Loving, is one of the great influencers in how I view… Continue Reading “DIGGING FOR HEAVENLY GOLD ON EARTH: REALIZING WHAT IT MEANS TO BE HUMAN AT THE NEXT LEVEL OF OUR EVOLUTION.”
MY NEW APPROACH TO AN OLD WAY TO PLACE MYSELF IN THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST, AND WAIT.
One of the phenomena of urban life in big cities is that they simply run out of room. No space anywhere. The only solution is to tear down the old and replace it with multi-storey buildings. That got me thinking about my situation at… Continue Reading “MY NEW APPROACH TO AN OLD WAY TO PLACE MYSELF IN THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST, AND WAIT.”
RETIREMENT: Learning how to make all things new again.
In one of my more memorable Lectio Divina sessions (Phil 2:5), my thoughts went to Jesus having to begin the human race’s relationship with the Father once more. His mission was to give glory to the Father by the Son through the Holy Spirit.… Continue Reading “RETIREMENT: Learning how to make all things new again.”
THE PRINCIPLE OF SUBSIDIARITY AND MY CATHOLIC FAITH
https://www.catholic.com/qa/what-is-subsidiarity The Principle of Subsidiarity, as applied to My Catholicism, says that the most effective use of religion, the Christ Principle, happens at the lowest level possible (me, you, the parish, Lay Cistercians, etc.) I know this is true because, whenever I see a… Continue Reading “THE PRINCIPLE OF SUBSIDIARITY AND MY CATHOLIC FAITH”
THE ENERGY FROM GOD: THE AUTHENTIC CHURCH IS APOSTOLIC.
This is the fourth in an in-depth look at what I consider to be often overlooked and underutilized helps that I can use to anchor myself in the presence of Christ and wait. I say that because when I am aligned with the way,… Continue Reading “THE ENERGY FROM GOD: THE AUTHENTIC CHURCH IS APOSTOLIC.”
THE GREAT ENIGMA: How can a Church that claims to be Holy be populated by corruptible people?
This is indeed a crisis of faith as well as one of justice and mercy. You know what I am talking about. It is the latest crisis of the Catholic Church, the failure of some clergy and laity to protect the innocence of children… Continue Reading “THE GREAT ENIGMA: How can a Church that claims to be Holy be populated by corruptible people?”
THE STARFISH THROWER
THE STARFISH THROWER This blog is from 1922 and has been republished once more for your information 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… Continue Reading “THE STARFISH THROWER”
TEILHARD DE CHARDIN HELPED GROUND ME IN THE CHANGE OF COMPLEXITY AND CONSCIOUSNESS
I use the work and ideas of Teilhard de Chardin so much in my approach to Lay Cistercian spirituality that I thought it would be a good idea to give you some ideas about the source of my inspiration. I am no expert on… Continue Reading “TEILHARD DE CHARDIN HELPED GROUND ME IN THE CHANGE OF COMPLEXITY AND CONSCIOUSNESS”
SPIRITUAL ENTANGLEMENTS FROM HEAVEN TO EARTH (and beyond)
WHAT REALITY LOOKS LIKE USING EVERYTHING I HAVE LEARNED UP TO THIS POINT As I keep stressing over and over, my Catholic Faith depends not on my adhering to a set of rules, as if doing the activities themselves (ala good works for its… Continue Reading “SPIRITUAL ENTANGLEMENTS FROM HEAVEN TO EARTH (and beyond)”
ENERGY FROM GOD: THE AUTHENTIC CHURCH IS HOLY.
Here is a quick review of where I am in terms of exploring how God’s energy flows from the Divinity (Trinity) through the Catholic Church forward in time, through to the present day. The Church is both a repository and a depository of all… Continue Reading “ENERGY FROM GOD: THE AUTHENTIC CHURCH IS HOLY.”
THE ENERGY FROM GOD: THE AUTHENTIC CHURCH IS CATHOLIC.
THE MEANINGS OF CATHOLIC AS A MARK OF THE CHURCH One thing to remember about quantum energy is that it comes from God through Christ. It is empowered trough the Holy Spirit, passed on in each generation of the Baptized to the various communities… Continue Reading “THE ENERGY FROM GOD: THE AUTHENTIC CHURCH IS CATHOLIC.”
YOUR CATHOLIC HERITAGE: The word, “CATHOLIC”
I prefer to be called Catholic rather than Christian, although both are true. Catholic is one of the four marks of the authentic Church to handed down for us to do the way, the truth, and the life, within the lifetime of each of… Continue Reading “YOUR CATHOLIC HERITAGE: The word, “CATHOLIC””
A TALE OF SECOND CHANCES
I came across this question while strolling through the website called Quora. Quora.https://wisdomdiaries.quora.com/In-what-ways-has-our-increased-technological-knowledge-changed-our-image-of-God What follows is my response to that question. God has no image, which is the problem for humans who rely solely on matter as the only way through which we look… Continue Reading “A TALE OF SECOND CHANCES”
HOW MOMS AND DADS CAN ENGAGE THEIR CHILDREN AND RELATIVES IN GROWING DEEPER IN CHRIST JESUS.
In thinking about this topic, as I always do when trying to grow deeper in my humanity using my Faith informed by reason and free choice, I must begin with myself and share what I am doing now or did in the past. I… Continue Reading “HOW MOMS AND DADS CAN ENGAGE THEIR CHILDREN AND RELATIVES IN GROWING DEEPER IN CHRIST JESUS.”
KNOW YOUR HERITAGE: Early hymns that are part of your Catholic heritage.
One aspect of the authentic Catholic Church is found in the hymns sung by those early disciples and communities of believers. I offer these hymns not just for your edification but also to show you examples of how the Church evolves forward in time,… Continue Reading “KNOW YOUR HERITAGE: Early hymns that are part of your Catholic heritage.”
QUANTUM CATHOLICISM: Five stories of My Catholic Church and the four quantum threads of energy that directly link God with me.
I attempt to provide a theoretical and conceptual, rather than scientific, view of what I believe reality is and how my Catholic Faith uniquely prepares me to be in the presence of Christ. For me, this is what Church looks like at my stage… Continue Reading “QUANTUM CATHOLICISM: Five stories of My Catholic Church and the four quantum threads of energy that directly link God with me.”
THE ENERGY FROM GOD: THE AUTHENTIC CHURCH IS ONE.
To long to be present to Christ in the upper room of my inner self (Matthew 6:5) is to have anticipation of just being in the presence of the one you love, and waiting. To accompany me at all times in that highest form… Continue Reading “THE ENERGY FROM GOD: THE AUTHENTIC CHURCH IS ONE.”
THE IMPORTANCE OF BOUNDARIES FOR ALL HUMANS
My hope is to explore the notion of boundaries or parameters about how I view communicating with God. My thinking, as of right now, is to use the Teilhard map (unattributed) against which I show that the notion of boundaries is an integral part… Continue Reading “THE IMPORTANCE OF BOUNDARIES FOR ALL HUMANS”
WHAT GOD DOES OR DOES NOT LOOK LIKE AT 84.11.
This might seem to be underwhelming or redundant when talking about who God is NOT. I have a few ideas, gleaned from decades of trying to discover who God is when what I should have been doing is to discover who I am, and,… Continue Reading “WHAT GOD DOES OR DOES NOT LOOK LIKE AT 84.11.”
WHAT GOD DOES OR DOES NOT LOOK LIKE AT 84.11.
Don’t get me wrong, my understanding of who God is or is not depends entirely on me. If I am like a big sponge (like those from Tarpon Springs, Florida), then I have filtered many lessons through my cells and learned many valuable lessons,… Continue Reading “WHAT GOD DOES OR DOES NOT LOOK LIKE AT 84.11.”
THE GRAND ARCHETYPE: An innocuous variable that no one considered for space travel.
Humans strain to break free of this landlocked, rocky ball of gas and chemicals by reaching out for the stars. I don’t recall who said this (but I did not), but during one of my Lectio Divina meditations, someone asked me why humans would… Continue Reading “THE GRAND ARCHETYPE: An innocuous variable that no one considered for space travel.”
HOW I MADE NEW WINESKINS USING QUANTUM ECCLISIOLOGY
A bed in the rehab section of a local nursing home (adult care) is an unlikely place to do my Lectio Divina. Still, there I was, pen in hand, belting out a deeper meaning for the four marks of the Church (one, holy, catholic,… Continue Reading “HOW I MADE NEW WINESKINS USING QUANTUM ECCLISIOLOGY”
TEN OBSERVATIONS ABOUT CATHOLICISM FOR THOSE NEW TO CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICE (10 of 10)Â
Each moment, I must consciously place myself in the presence of Jesus through Cistercian practices and charism. Most often, I fail, but I rise up only to try again and again. That process is mine. The energy I use to move to a deeper… Continue Reading “TEN OBSERVATIONS ABOUT CATHOLICISM FOR THOSE NEW TO CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICE (10 of 10)Â “
TEN OBSERVATIONS ABOUT CATHOLICISM FOR THOSE NEW TO CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICE (9 of 10)Â
Sometimes, I confess, I hate this about other humans. Notice, I did not say that I hate people. The behavior of each one of us comes from the assumptions and priorities we assume as meaningful. I doubt that anyone does anything that they think… Continue Reading “TEN OBSERVATIONS ABOUT CATHOLICISM FOR THOSE NEW TO CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICE (9 of 10)Â “
TEN OBSERVATIONS ABOUT CATHOLICISM FOR THOSE NEW TO CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICE (8 of 10)Â
Brother Michael Lauteri, O.C.S.O., our Junior Lay Cistercian Moderator at Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Monastery (Trappist), taught us many valuable lessons about the contemplative way of life. In particular, I recall him saying, ‘Pray as you can.’ PRAY AS YOU CAN, NOT… Continue Reading “TEN OBSERVATIONS ABOUT CATHOLICISM FOR THOSE NEW TO CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICE (8 of 10)Â “
TEN OBSERVATIONS ABOUT CATHOLICISM FOR THOSE NEW TO CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICE (7 of 10)Â
Some time ago (I used to remember when), I struck up a conversation with a young lady while getting a Starbucks Grande. I asked her what her religion was, because she had on a Notre Dame jacket. She replied to me, “I don’t belong… Continue Reading “TEN OBSERVATIONS ABOUT CATHOLICISM FOR THOSE NEW TO CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICE (7 of 10)Â “
TEN OBSERVATIONS ABOUT CATHOLICISM FOR THOSE NEW TO CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICE (6 of 10)Â
The Catholic Church is not for everyone. Here are some reasons you don’t want to become a Catholic. Find another system of belief. The Catholic Church asks you to abandon all for Christ. uiodg
TEN OBSERVATIONS ABOUT CATHOLICISM FOR THOSE NEW TO CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICE (5 of 10)Â
The language of God is silence; the language of contemplative practice (Trappist) is silence, solitude, work, prayer, and community. My energy for the silence I need to wait for God to respond comes from God. I must learn to speak God’s language (not any… Continue Reading “TEN OBSERVATIONS ABOUT CATHOLICISM FOR THOSE NEW TO CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICE (5 of 10)Â “
TEN OBSERVATIONS ABOUT CATHOLICISM FOR THOSE NEW TO CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICE (4 of 10)
My Catholic Faith is a way of life that stresses my constant need to be vigilant in the face of the false promises of fulfillment. From the time of my Baptism (September 29, 1940) at the Old Cathedral in Vincennes, Indiana, God accepted me… Continue Reading “TEN OBSERVATIONS ABOUT CATHOLICISM FOR THOSE NEW TO CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICE (4 of 10)”
TEN OBSERVATIONS ABOUT CATHOLICISM FOR THOSE NEW TO CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICE (3 of 10)
A “Catholic” way to look at reality is the template Jesus left those of us between the Ascension (Pentecost) up to, and including me and you as individuals. I am flabbergasted to think that all of this creation, all the complexity and consciousness, exists… Continue Reading “TEN OBSERVATIONS ABOUT CATHOLICISM FOR THOSE NEW TO CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICE (3 of 10)”
GOD GIVES US BOUNDARIES TO OUR HUMAN BEHAVIOR: Confronting the noise of original sin.
The subject of the existence of God has always intrigued me. Scientific inquiry demands proof that it exists. My own thinking is that God exists, and it is up to me to use the tools Christ gave me to listen with “the ear of… Continue Reading “GOD GIVES US BOUNDARIES TO OUR HUMAN BEHAVIOR: Confronting the noise of original sin.”
A COMMENTARY ON A PITHY SAYING
For those following my disjointed ruminations about my results from practicing Lectio Divina each day, I offer the following advice. I never know what comes from being in the presence of Jesus and asking the Holy Spirit to overshadow me with whatever. I can… Continue Reading “A COMMENTARY ON A PITHY SAYING”
THE PENITENTIAL LAY CISTERCIAN
One of the challenges of getting older is replacing work or routine with another one, a contemplative one, in my case. I have taken upon myself the spiritual practices of what I have made for myself as it relates to reparation for my past… Continue Reading “THE PENITENTIAL LAY CISTERCIAN”
THE HORSE’S MOUTH
There is so much fake news, false news, no news, opinions instead of facts, downright deception when using the Internet, that I keep reminding myself that anything is subject to others making a false viewpoint and selling it as the truth. Here are some… Continue Reading “THE HORSE’S MOUTH”
TEN OBSERVATIONS ABOUT CATHOLICISM FOR THOSE NEW TO CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICE (2 of 10)
The map above is the unattributed view of the makeup of all reality by Teilhard de Chardin. His overview is paramount in any discussion of contemplative practices. By beginning with his meta overview of reality and how contemlative practice has allowed me to begin… Continue Reading “TEN OBSERVATIONS ABOUT CATHOLICISM FOR THOSE NEW TO CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICE (2 of 10)”
TEN OBSERVATIONS ABOUT CATHOLICISM FOR THOSE NEW TO CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICE
I admit it. I am a reformed Catholic of the Roman Rite who, over ten years ago, wanted to grow deeper in my spirituality, inherited and, I might add, taken for granted for most of my lifetime. It’s like being on an iceberg and… Continue Reading “TEN OBSERVATIONS ABOUT CATHOLICISM FOR THOSE NEW TO CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICE”
ORIGINAL SIN: TWO WAYS TO OPEN HEAVEN’S GATE.
I have discovered two ways to peer through a glass darkly and attempt to reach a deeper level of my humanity, and thus, my spirituality. Scriptures tell us that, “The kingdom of heaven is within you.” (Luke 17:21) If this is true, then Hell… Continue Reading “ORIGINAL SIN: TWO WAYS TO OPEN HEAVEN’S GATE.”
A LAY CISTERCIAN’S LIFE OF REPENTANCE AND REPARATION
Before I attempt to lay out my latest project, read this: https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/message-from-our-lady–akita-japan-5167 This concept of repentance for the sins of others, and mostly my own, is my new challenge until I die. Repentance for sin is about making up for those sins that have… Continue Reading “A LAY CISTERCIAN’S LIFE OF REPENTANCE AND REPARATION”
OUTSIDE THE CHURCH THERE IS NO SALVATION`
This statement sounds heartless and without mercy for those not Catholic Universal. Actually, its roots are deeply embedded in early history. I have copied the following quotes (source unattributed) so you could make up your own mind as to what it means. Notice the… Continue Reading “OUTSIDE THE CHURCH THERE IS NO SALVATION`”
JUST THREE HAIL MARY’S
Back when I was stationed in Evansville, Indiana, as a high school teacher of religion, one of my students raised an important query, which, at the time, I dismissed as the mutterings of a disenchanted youth. Now, as I can throw a stone and… Continue Reading “JUST THREE HAIL MARY’S”
ONE-A-DAY CONTEMPLATIVE VITAMIN
Try this practice once a day for seven days. Sit alone in the upper room of your inner self and think about this saying: One thing I seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life. Just let… Continue Reading “ONE-A-DAY CONTEMPLATIVE VITAMIN”
NOTES ON HOW I MUST ABANDON MYSELF TO MOVE TO THE NEXT LEVEL OF MY HUMANITY
Father,I abandon myself into your hands;Do with me what you will.Whatever you may do, I thank you:I am ready for all, I accept all. Let only your will be done in me,and in all your creatures –I wish no more than this, O Lord.… Continue Reading “NOTES ON HOW I MUST ABANDON MYSELF TO MOVE TO THE NEXT LEVEL OF MY HUMANITY”
WHY HUMAN SEXUALITY NEEDS DIVINE BOUNDARIES
Sexuality is one of those topics that I grew up with but never understood in terms of how and why it is so crucial to who I am and how it helps me grow into the deepest part of what it means to be… Continue Reading “WHY HUMAN SEXUALITY NEEDS DIVINE BOUNDARIES”
ONE-A-DAY SPIRITUAL VITAMINE
Try this on for ten days. Read Chapter 4 of St. Benedict’s Rule. Just read it without any delay or thinking too much about it. https://christdesert.org/rule-of-st-benedict/chapter-4-the-tools-for-good-works/ Take your time with this next vitamin. Read Chapter 4 for 30 days, unbroken, any time during the… Continue Reading “ONE-A-DAY SPIRITUAL VITAMINE”
GOD AS “ONE WHO CAN SET THE ULTIMATE BOUNDARY .”
As I sat on my couch in the upper room of my inner self, trying to slough off those tendencies to control the boundaries of who I think God is, and ultimately who I am, the concept of boundaries crept into my consciousness. That… Continue Reading “GOD AS “ONE WHO CAN SET THE ULTIMATE BOUNDARY .””
MAKING NEW WINESKINS: Waiting for Christ without conditions
It is an annoyance to my prayer each day that I must cleanse my way of meditation to prepare myself to meet Christ. Why can’t I just cut to it and move directly, without reservation, to contemplation? I set all kinds of conditions when… Continue Reading “MAKING NEW WINESKINS: Waiting for Christ without conditions”
SKILLS I WISH I HAD WHEN I WAS A YOUNG CATHOLIC
I have been blessed to have been a Catholic (Roman Rite) since I can remember, but I am not the same Catholic I was way back then (1940). I use the analogy of new wine being placed in new skins and not old ones… Continue Reading “SKILLS I WISH I HAD WHEN I WAS A YOUNG CATHOLIC”
THE BOUNDARIES OF MY HUMANITY: God tells us THE WAY.
In the up and down experience of this life (so far), four overarching themes pop out at me, some of which I have commented about in past blogs. But some are still challenges to my thinking. These giant swaths of meaning are like huge,… Continue Reading “THE BOUNDARIES OF MY HUMANITY: God tells us THE WAY.”
VISIO LECTIO: What do you see?
Focus on this photo. Level One: What do you see? Physical characteristics only. See what is there physically. This is the physical universe in which we all live. Level Two: What do you see? Mental characteristics only. The Mental universe takes the physical universe… Continue Reading “VISIO LECTIO: What do you see?”
HOW TO HAVE EUCHARISTIC ADORATION WITHOUT THE EUCHARIST
If, like me, you are confined to your home, you miss the Eucharist at Mass and also Eucharistic adoration before the Blessed Sacrament. There is no substitute for being present at Eucharist. The problem is, I can’t be present. Televised Eucharist is good, but… Continue Reading “HOW TO HAVE EUCHARISTIC ADORATION WITHOUT THE EUCHARIST”
CAPACITAS DEI: My growth in awareness of what it means to be human at my deepest level.
Catholicism, for me, is not something I fit into or must conform my behaviors to, as much as a marvelous set of tools and hints coming down from age to age from Christ as interpreted by those choosing to wear the sign of the… Continue Reading “CAPACITAS DEI: My growth in awareness of what it means to be human at my deepest level.”
ON THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING CONSISTENT AND CONSTANT WHILE SILENT IN PRAYER
I am surprised that some unexpected and unintended products keep cropping up as I get older and simply resign myself to letting go (abandonment) and waiting to hear what Christ has to say to me today, right now. To reach this stage of spirituality,… Continue Reading “ON THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING CONSISTENT AND CONSTANT WHILE SILENT IN PRAYER”
THE GRAND WATCH: Waiting for Christ in the silence of my heart.
I have been exposed to many ideologies and “isms” throughout my lifetime. Some, or even bits, of information I have elected to keep as part of the solution of what it means to be human at the deepest level of my awareness, the amalgam… Continue Reading “THE GRAND WATCH: Waiting for Christ in the silence of my heart.”
THE TEMPTATION TO BELIEVE EVERY YOUTUBE TOPIC
I have discovered an intriguing yet almost imperceptible fact while watching some YouTube clips about Pope Leo XIV. They purport to give facts about what Pope Leo said about being catholic, and even some of the entanglements of political infighting. However, upon closer inspection,… Continue Reading “THE TEMPTATION TO BELIEVE EVERY YOUTUBE TOPIC”
CONVERSIO MORAE: ON BEING BAD; BEING EVIL
I sometimes wake up two or three times a night and hear myself say, “Oh, no!” It is not one of those tepid mumbles but a groaning from the depth of the place I do not like to visit often but need to do… Continue Reading “CONVERSIO MORAE: ON BEING BAD; BEING EVIL”
AN OPEN LETTER TO ALL POLITICIANS FROM ALL COUNTRIES
To solve divisions, factions, hatred, jealousy, envy, pride, try this leadership style to reach the deepest part of what it means to be human, love authentically as a human, and live truths beyond human corruption. Be careful! You may find it works, and then… Continue Reading “AN OPEN LETTER TO ALL POLITICIANS FROM ALL COUNTRIES”
BEING CATHOLIC FOR THOSE WHO THINK THAT THEY CAN’T BE CATHOLIC
I write this blog from the perspective of someone 84.5 years old who has been accepted by the Monastery of Our Lady of the Holy Spirit (Trappist) as a Professed Lay Cistercian. This is not just who I am but where I find myself… Continue Reading “BEING CATHOLIC FOR THOSE WHO THINK THAT THEY CAN’T BE CATHOLIC”
A LAY CISTERCIAN SHARES HIS STRUGGLES WITH THOSE WHO ARE PUSSILANIMOUS
Life is a process, so it stands to reason that, my Lay Cistercian Way is also subject to those same tendencies to live life just a tad before what is happening now. This trend takes much of its direction from the milieu in which… Continue Reading “A LAY CISTERCIAN SHARES HIS STRUGGLES WITH THOSE WHO ARE PUSSILANIMOUS”
MY NEW YEAR’S REVOLUTION (Adapted from my webpage menu)
Lay Cistercian Practices and Charisms I met a man with a very similar appearance and temperament who kept trying to pray as much as possible to become more like Christ and less like himself. The more he prays, he thought, the holier he would become.… Continue Reading “MY NEW YEAR’S REVOLUTION (Adapted from my webpage menu)”
THE INCARNATION MILESTONE: God needs help.
Blessings, Praise, and Honor be unto Him that sits upon the Throne, Forever and Forever. May we all wait in the presence of the Lord until He comes again in glory. We are each different in how we approach our Lay Cistercian lives, but… Continue Reading “THE INCARNATION MILESTONE: God needs help.”
COMMON SENSE CATHOLICISM: Random thoughts from the edge of time.
One thing is for sure: if you get too close to the edge of time, you may fall off. Granted that I am just a bit peculiar and have not lost it (entirely), I would like to share with you some seemingly disjointed ideas… Continue Reading “COMMON SENSE CATHOLICISM: Random thoughts from the edge of time.”
THE ART OF CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICE: It’s about time.
Everything is in motion. Look around you. Use your Catholic Common Sense to see what it is and realize that humanity grows each moment towards something. I don’t mean in a straight line, but more as the fulfillment of what our natures are meant… Continue Reading “THE ART OF CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICE: It’s about time.”
CRUNCHING ON GOD
Often, I receive Lectio Divina meditation thoughts that seem unorganized and not linked to anything I had processed before. Like I did, you must think against these ideas to form your own conclusions and meaning. The photo above is of Martin Buber, Jewish philosopher… Continue Reading “CRUNCHING ON GOD”
WHAT THE F**CK!
I am not in the habit of using foul language, although I have been known to throw out the occasional SH*T to describe some failing of mine. My topic that I feel compelled to share with you is the noticeable increase in the use… Continue Reading “WHAT THE F**CK!”
THE INSTITUTIONAL CHURCH: My New Catholic Church made in my image and likeness. Part III.
MY CHURCH IS LIKE A FIVE-STORY BUILDING, EACH FLOOR HAVING FOUR QUADRANTS OR ROOMS If I build a church in my image and likeness, subject to the whims of my emotional self for self-gratification, the results might not have anything to do with Christ.… Continue Reading “THE INSTITUTIONAL CHURCH: My New Catholic Church made in my image and likeness. Part III.”
THE INSTITUTIONAL CHURCH: My new Catholic Church is created in my image and likeness. Part II.
Building a Catholic Church for me is no easy feat. I must make sure I have solid ground on which to erect a new temple of the Holy Spirit, one which the Lord has made in His Image and Likeness, not mine. That is… Continue Reading “THE INSTITUTIONAL CHURCH: My new Catholic Church is created in my image and likeness. Part II.”
TEN PRINCIPLES THAT ARE CORE TO HOW I VIEW POLITICAL AND LAY CISTERCIAN CHOICE.
In trying to decide which ideology best suits my way of viewing reality, Democratic, Republican, or Independent parties, the notion of my Catholicism comes wafting through the murky party platforms offered to me by existing political parties. For example, I take the bulk of… Continue Reading “TEN PRINCIPLES THAT ARE CORE TO HOW I VIEW POLITICAL AND LAY CISTERCIAN CHOICE.”
I AM THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD THAT I KNOW.
Before you rush to judgment by thinking that I am some form of spiritual Sado-Masochist, let me assure you I am only referring to myself. The harsh statement that seems to be so self-deprecating is, in fact, the result of asking the Holy Spirit… Continue Reading “I AM THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD THAT I KNOW.”
CORE PRACTICES TO BUTTRESS MY CENTER FROM CUMBLING.
The problem with conversio morae (moving forward from old wineskins to new ones) is that it takes work. Some think that Baptism gives you a free pass to Heaven with Christ’s sacrifice on the cross guaranteeing salvation. This approach, while part of me wishes… Continue Reading “CORE PRACTICES TO BUTTRESS MY CENTER FROM CUMBLING.”
A MOSAIC PIECE OF MY LIFE: My lifelong hunt for heavenly gold. Filiments to forever.
Having examined how I view reality (which may or may not be the way you see things), I have almost by chance discovered the door of my life, which contains six locks. Very late in life, when I first romanced the notion of Lectio… Continue Reading “A MOSAIC PIECE OF MY LIFE: My lifelong hunt for heavenly gold. Filiments to forever.”
A LAY CISTERCIAN IS ALL ABOUT DAILY PRACTICE AND NEVER LOSING HOPE THAT I CAN START ALL OVER AGAIN.
Like the practice of medicine, spirituality is all about profound silence, solitude, work, and prayer in the context of a larger community of believers. As of this past three years, I have abandoned my human goal of meeting performance criteria and milestones, such as… Continue Reading “A LAY CISTERCIAN IS ALL ABOUT DAILY PRACTICE AND NEVER LOSING HOPE THAT I CAN START ALL OVER AGAIN.”
THE INSTITUTIONAL CHURCH: My New Catholic Church made in my image and likeness. Three processes I use to build a new reality.
It is one thing to be a Catholic Anarchist and wipe clean all notions of those beliefs that irritate me and those that I find personally objectionable, but quite another to restore my landscape with something better. My image and likeness, what I am… Continue Reading “THE INSTITUTIONAL CHURCH: My New Catholic Church made in my image and likeness. Three processes I use to build a new reality.”
THE INSTITUTIONAL CHURCH: My New Catholic Church made in my image and likeness.
If you have read my other two blogs, you will know I am perusing the notion of an Institutional Church or organized religion. In all candor, I only have two choices, the existing institutional church, which has ties going back to Jesus, or an… Continue Reading “THE INSTITUTIONAL CHURCH: My New Catholic Church made in my image and likeness.”
THE INSTITUTIONAL CHURCH: THE CONFESSIONS OF A CATHOLIC ANARCHIST.
This blog is part of chain-Lectio Divina meditations prompted by my most recent gathering of the Lay Cistercians of Our Lady of the Holy Cross Monastery (Trappist) in Conyers, Georgia. It is the second in a series of three meditations downloaded to me by… Continue Reading “THE INSTITUTIONAL CHURCH: THE CONFESSIONS OF A CATHOLIC ANARCHIST.”
THE INSTITUTIONAL CHURCH: Search its depths rather than throwing it all out.
This blog is from my past Lectio Divina meditations on why the Catholic Church is a mystery and seeming contradiction, but one worth exploring its complexities rather than a cursory abandonment because of one or two issues you may have with it. THE CORRUPTIBILITY… Continue Reading “THE INSTITUTIONAL CHURCH: Search its depths rather than throwing it all out.”
A LECTIO DIVINA FOR ALL SEASONS
I have morphed my approach to Lectio Divina over the years, growing deeper without noticing it. For example, the typical states of Lection I learned as a novice Lay Cistercian (and believe me I am still a Novice Lay Cistercian), were: a. lectio —… Continue Reading “A LECTIO DIVINA FOR ALL SEASONS”
PROVOKE THE HOLY SPIRIT AT THE RISK OF GETTING WHAT YOU ASKED FOR.
I should have known better, but I did it anyway. My latest Lectio Divina was one hour ago, sitting in the dentist’s chair, waiting for her to come in to start drilling. As always, I begin with Philippians 2:5 (“Have in you the mind… Continue Reading “PROVOKE THE HOLY SPIRIT AT THE RISK OF GETTING WHAT YOU ASKED FOR.”
Journeying to Heaven: Symbolism of The Way, The Truth, and The Life Coins
A REVIEW OF MY COIN COLLECTION FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT If you think I have it all together, know that I am reviewing the coin parables mainly because I forget what they were, and it helps me refocus on The Christ Principle. I use… Continue Reading “Journeying to Heaven: Symbolism of The Way, The Truth, and The Life Coins”
FOUR COINS THAT COME WITH ADOPTION AS A SON (DAUGHTER) OF THE FATHER: Coin Two feeds me now and forever.
Again, this blog is about my interpretations of what heaven must be like (for me). Is it really what heaven is like? No. This is the stab in the dark by a grizzly, old, grumpy Lay Cistercian based on a Lectio Divina he had… Continue Reading “FOUR COINS THAT COME WITH ADOPTION AS A SON (DAUGHTER) OF THE FATHER: Coin Two feeds me now and forever.”
DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS NEED TO ASK THEMSELVES THIS ONE QUESTION.
With the advent of the process of electing our next President of the United States, I offer my opinion on the process of election in light of President Joe Biden stepping down as a candidate for the Democratic Party. The Vice President, Kamela Harris,… Continue Reading “DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS NEED TO ASK THEMSELVES THIS ONE QUESTION.”
A MOSAIC PIECE OF MY LIFE: Awareness that my life contains crosscutting themes.
As my life experiences are at the end of their usefulness to my humanity, I have noticed several cross-cutting themes that are always present but not always acted upon. My Lay Cistercian Way has allowed me to possess a profound focus on three of… Continue Reading “A MOSAIC PIECE OF MY LIFE: Awareness that my life contains crosscutting themes.”
A MOSAIC PIECE OF MY LIFE: What key I chose to fit the longing of my hungry heart.
Let’s recap. I have three innate longings that plague my unconsciousness, and I am anxious to resolve them. They are: a. What is that next level of my humanity that keeps pulling me towards a resolution of my next level of evolution? b. How… Continue Reading “A MOSAIC PIECE OF MY LIFE: What key I chose to fit the longing of my hungry heart.”
A MOSAIC PIECE OF MY LIFE: Choosing the correct key to soothe the hungry heart.
In past episodes, I have explained how my reasoning is centered around my ability to reason freely and choose what is best for my three innate yearnings: What does being fully human at that next level mean? How can I love using my next… Continue Reading “A MOSAIC PIECE OF MY LIFE: Choosing the correct key to soothe the hungry heart.”
A MOSAIC PIECE OF MY LIFE: The Primacy of Free Will for Each Individual.
Inexorably linked with the notion of a template through which all reality seems to fit together, at least in a preliminary sense, is the ability of the human species to choose what they think is good for them. What differentiates us from other living… Continue Reading “A MOSAIC PIECE OF MY LIFE: The Primacy of Free Will for Each Individual.”
A MOSAIC PIECE OF MY LIFE: Making sense of three types of dying to reason and my free will.
In my book, The Three Rules of the Spiritual Universe, I try to set down (for myself) what I have observed about spirituality, using my unique set of experiences. “I am not you; you are not me; God is not us; and we, most… Continue Reading “A MOSAIC PIECE OF MY LIFE: Making sense of three types of dying to reason and my free will.”
A MOSAIC PIECE OF MY LIFE: MY CHOICE FOR IT ALL TO MAKE SENSE.
In my last blog, I talked about what I have discovered to place in that lock to open myself to the deepest part of my humanity, one which natural evolution alone can only take me so far. I offer you little mosaic glimpses of… Continue Reading “A MOSAIC PIECE OF MY LIFE: MY CHOICE FOR IT ALL TO MAKE SENSE.”
A MOSAIC PIECE OF MY LIFE: What I use to fill in the blanks.
I find it very disconcerting that, as I come to the end of my human existence, I only now discover some of the missing pieces that would have made all of this so simple had I had them in my wheelhouse forty years ago.… Continue Reading “A MOSAIC PIECE OF MY LIFE: What I use to fill in the blanks.”
A MOSAIC PIECE OF MY LIFE: THE PURPOSEFUL MOVEMENT OF MATTER AND MIND TOWARDS FULFILLMENT.
In the last segment, I related how human reasoning and the ability of each individual to choose what seems best for them differentiates us from all other life forms. Life is the condition that allows organisms to move, noticeably gaining in complexity and consciousness,… Continue Reading “A MOSAIC PIECE OF MY LIFE: THE PURPOSEFUL MOVEMENT OF MATTER AND MIND TOWARDS FULFILLMENT.”
A MOSAIC PIECE OF MY LIFE: What can soothe the dissonance of my humanity using my life lessons and experiences?
Here is the second piece of glass mosaic that takes a lifetime of trial and error to settle on what quells the dissonance of my humanity in finding an answer to the three innate questions imprinted on my being and possibly all humans (not… Continue Reading “A MOSAIC PIECE OF MY LIFE: What can soothe the dissonance of my humanity using my life lessons and experiences?”
PITHY PROVERBS AND SAYINGS
Every now and then (at least once a week), I delve into the whimsical world of clever sayings. In past blogs, I have offered you some sayings from Marcus Aurelius, Stephen Hawking, St. Thomas Aquinas, and St. Bernard of Clairvaux. I will continue to… Continue Reading “PITHY PROVERBS AND SAYINGS”
FOUR COINS THAT COME WITH ADOPTION AS A SON (DAUGHTER) OF THE FATHER: Coin One gets me in the door.
Reality exists independent of my belief, yet I depend on my humanity to probe and discern how IT ALL FITS TOGETHER. It does, I am sure of that, and I even get glimpses of how this cobweb of seemingly unrelated happenings in my life… Continue Reading “FOUR COINS THAT COME WITH ADOPTION AS A SON (DAUGHTER) OF THE FATHER: Coin One gets me in the door.”
MY BOUNDARIES BUMP INTO OTHER BOUNDARIES
Boundaries are taken for granted, so much so that they are often hidden in plain sight. My life is composed of those limitations that I set, plus, to a great degree, those set for me by circumstances over which I have no control. I… Continue Reading “MY BOUNDARIES BUMP INTO OTHER BOUNDARIES”
WHO SETS THE BOUNDARIES FOR HUMAN BEHAVIOR?
As I look out at what is going on in the transactions of human events around me, doing so with my unique set of skills peculiar to me (you have your own set), I can’t help but think that human beings are adrift in… Continue Reading “WHO SETS THE BOUNDARIES FOR HUMAN BEHAVIOR?”
BOUNDARIES TO BEING HUMAN: Exploring tantalizing possibilities of “What If” ideas.
Try as I might, I can’t rid myself of the wish I made to the Holy Spirit about ten years ago when, in a fit of haughtiness and exuberance, I bragged to the same Holy Spirit, whom I had considered a friend and now… Continue Reading “BOUNDARIES TO BEING HUMAN: Exploring tantalizing possibilities of “What If” ideas.”
FUNDAMENTAL QUESTIONS HUMANS ASK ABOUT THE CORE QUESTIONS OF BEING HUMAN– Part I
I know; I am undoubtedly the only one with such esoteric thoughts. I must ask for your indulgence because these questions come from pondering the three innate but unresolved issues each human faces that may or may not be answered. The three innate questions… Continue Reading “FUNDAMENTAL QUESTIONS HUMANS ASK ABOUT THE CORE QUESTIONS OF BEING HUMAN– Part I”
THE TIP OF THE SPEAR OF WHERE MY HUMANITY SLICES THROUGH REALITY– Part II
This blog is part of a series about The Mystic Hero, the absolute cutting edge of my humanity, as it confronts and then slices through each NOW moment to carve out what is meaningful to me or is to be sloughed off and relegated… Continue Reading “THE TIP OF THE SPEAR OF WHERE MY HUMANITY SLICES THROUGH REALITY– Part II”
WHERE DOES GOOD AND EVIL LIVE?
In one of my more esoteric moments, when I try to wiggle past all the experiences and knowledge I have gained in a lifetime of trying to push through the limits of what I think my mental capacity is, like an astrophysicist who strains… Continue Reading “WHERE DOES GOOD AND EVIL LIVE?”
HOW DO I KNOW THAT CHRIST IS REAL AND NOT A FANTASY?
How do I know Christ lives in me and is not some fantasy of my imagination? If I make up my blogs and books about my Lectio Divina experiences of being in the presence of the Holy Spirit and just listen with the “ear… Continue Reading “HOW DO I KNOW THAT CHRIST IS REAL AND NOT A FANTASY?”
TEN WAYS I WON’T BE HELD HOSTAGE TO MY HUMANITY.
Good as humans are, original sin is the condition into which I am born, the imperfection of having to figure out what is right and wrong (knowledge of the tree of good and evil in Genesis 2-3), and the strength to be able to… Continue Reading “TEN WAYS I WON’T BE HELD HOSTAGE TO MY HUMANITY.”
THE MARTYRDOM OF ORDINARY LIVING: The high cost of fidelity.
There is nothing as deflating to being human as to realize that you have been duped by the very organizational thought processes you harbored and assumed were true. As an observer of reality around me, particularly as it pertains to the Catholic Church, I… Continue Reading “THE MARTYRDOM OF ORDINARY LIVING: The high cost of fidelity.”
NAVIGATING THE COMPLEXITIES OF CONVERSIO MORAE.
For a novice, Lay Cistercian, such as myself, moving as I have down the tumultuous labyrinth of what is good or bad for me, the term “Conversio Morae” is at the center of my every conscious moment. Along with the companion habit, “Capacitas Dei,”… Continue Reading “NAVIGATING THE COMPLEXITIES OF CONVERSIO MORAE.”
THE CHRIST PRINCIPLE: PARADIGM SHIFTS THAT ADD DEPTH OF MEANING TO MY VIEW OF REALITY
This is a reposting of a previous blog. It is substantially long for a blog because it is a chapter from my book, The Christ Principle. I add it here because of its importance to my reflections about my humanity. This is a very… Continue Reading “THE CHRIST PRINCIPLE: PARADIGM SHIFTS THAT ADD DEPTH OF MEANING TO MY VIEW OF REALITY”
MRS. MURPHY KNOWS
I can remember the Sun slicing through the gigantic, three-foot-thick, sandstone window openings of our Second Theology class in Sacramental Theology on the first floor of the Major Theology section at Saint Meinrad School of Theology. At the blackboard was the late Father Aiden… Continue Reading “MRS. MURPHY KNOWS”
CHRIST AS MYSTIC HERO: The Longing of the Human Mind and Heart for Resonance.
NB: This is a long blog because I made the mistake of telling the Holy Spirit to hit me with more than my consciousness could assimilate. I thought I was a big boy. I now know that I am a Toddler. “That in all… Continue Reading “CHRIST AS MYSTIC HERO: The Longing of the Human Mind and Heart for Resonance.”
CAPACITAS DEI: Transformational Spirituality in the School of Love.
I am not the same person as a Lay Cistercian, as I was when I began that incredible journey from what I considered myself to be a reasonably pious Catholic to what I am now. As St. Benedict rightly writes in his RB 4:42-43,… Continue Reading “CAPACITAS DEI: Transformational Spirituality in the School of Love.”
FIVE LEVELS OF DEPTHS IN MEDITATION.
I have often read the phrase, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” In my twenties, full of vim, vigor, and myself, I read and promptly sloughed off this passage from John 14 as “read and just as quickly forgotten.” Like almost… Continue Reading “FIVE LEVELS OF DEPTHS IN MEDITATION.”
HERESIES CONDEMNED BY THE CATHOLIC CHURCH: I, THE HERETIC.
What follows is my list of resources of heresies of the Church beginning with the Apostles. I trust you to do the homework and make your own conclusions. I remember reading a Micky Spillane novel in my near teenage years entitled, “I, the Jury.”… Continue Reading “HERESIES CONDEMNED BY THE CATHOLIC CHURCH: I, THE HERETIC.”
DON’T LET THESE BEHAVIORS AND IDEOLOGIES TAKE YOU HOSTAGE!
When I observe the rich virtual and technological wonders of shared communication on the Internet and Television, I am reminded of the saying, “Caveat Emptor,” let the buyer beware. All communication always has assumptions and an underlying purpose for exposure on the airways. Advertisers,… Continue Reading “DON’T LET THESE BEHAVIORS AND IDEOLOGIES TAKE YOU HOSTAGE!”
CHRIST AS MYSTIC HERO: THE HERO RESTORES RESONANCE TO THE DISSONANCE OF HUMAN NATURE. Part I–The context.
There are few more controversial and problematic concepts than the Resurrection of Jesus Christ as both God and Human in expiation for the dissonance caused by humanity’s choices that lead to a failure to reach our destiny as designed by nature. Each year, the… Continue Reading “CHRIST AS MYSTIC HERO: THE HERO RESTORES RESONANCE TO THE DISSONANCE OF HUMAN NATURE. Part I–The context.”
CHRIST AS MYSTIC HERO: WATCH JOSEPH CAMPBELL ON THE IMPORTANCE OF MYTH IN OUR HUMAN PROGRESSION.
(Excerpted from a book I am putting together on The Christ Principle, entitled, “CHRIST AS MYSTIC HERO: A Lay Cistercian reflects how Christ is the archetypal hero on humanity’s march to Omega.“) THE SIMPLICITY OF MYTH WITH CHRIST AS MYSTIC HERO Before I embark… Continue Reading “CHRIST AS MYSTIC HERO: WATCH JOSEPH CAMPBELL ON THE IMPORTANCE OF MYTH IN OUR HUMAN PROGRESSION.”
REFLECTIONS ON NEW WINE IN OLD SKINS I: New paradigms happen because of new assumptions.
In a much wider sense, the analogy of wineskins fits perfectly with what I consider a paradigm change that happens inexorably. The problem is, that we notice it and don’t learn from it, or we don’t learn it and continue to always do what… Continue Reading “REFLECTIONS ON NEW WINE IN OLD SKINS I: New paradigms happen because of new assumptions.”
ORIGINAL SIN: The Noise of Divine Nothingness.
This blog continues my previous comments on original sin (The Genesis Principle), which are my ideas about noise in the physical and mental universes and my continuation of an exploration of the noise of the spiritual universe. Rereading the previous blog on “Original Sin:… Continue Reading “ORIGINAL SIN: The Noise of Divine Nothingness.”
WHAT IS THE ACHILLES HEEL OF ATHEISTS?
Before you get a chance to think that I am an Atheist-phobe, let me pop that balloon. My view of reality states that each human, and especially me, all have an Achilles heel, a blind spot as you look out your car door window… Continue Reading “WHAT IS THE ACHILLES HEEL OF ATHEISTS?”
I MISS PAUL HARVEY.
Way back in 1965, I remember coming out of lunch at the refectory at St. Meinrad College of Liberal Arts in Indiana and making a beeline to the radio to listen to Paul Harvey. Such a compelling voice and good thinking are always timeless… Continue Reading “I MISS PAUL HARVEY.”
ORIGINAL SIN: The background noise of existing as a human.
I have always been intrigued by the scientific exploration of our universe. One such incident popped into my Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5) recently. I share with you some of my ideas about the background noise of the universe of matter (the physical universe). The… Continue Reading “ORIGINAL SIN: The background noise of existing as a human.”
LISTENING FOR LENTEN TRANSFORMATION
What follows is a contemplative practice I am using this Lenten awareness. I try to answer three questions just by reading in the silence and solitude of the upper room of my inner self and listening with the ear of the heart. I share… Continue Reading “LISTENING FOR LENTEN TRANSFORMATION”
REFLECTIONS ON NEW WINE IN OLD SKINS I: New paradigms happen because of new assumptions.
In a much wider sense, the analogy of wineskins fits perfectly with what I consider a paradigm change that happens inexorably. The problem is, that we notice it and don’t learn from it, or we don’t learn it and continue to always do what… Continue Reading “REFLECTIONS ON NEW WINE IN OLD SKINS I: New paradigms happen because of new assumptions.”
YOUR CATHOLIC HERITAGE: Think deeper and grow exponentially.
What follows are some resources that have helped me appreciate the scope of the complexity and movement of the Catholic Church growing not only forward horizontally but deeper vertically. In my most recent Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5), I reflected on my Lay Cistercian vocation… Continue Reading “YOUR CATHOLIC HERITAGE: Think deeper and grow exponentially.”
THE POWER OF ONE WORD V: My one word Lectio Divina technique.
If Lectio Divina is the Lay Cistercian practice I use to place myself in the presence of Christ, then invoke the Holy Spirit to flood me with God’s energy, as I can assimilate it (capacitas dei), then the technique I use is one I… Continue Reading “THE POWER OF ONE WORD V: My one word Lectio Divina technique.”
A LENTEN ODYSSEY
Hell is one of those hot topics noone wants to handle. I thought I was immune to that thinking but the Holy Spirit has a way of making me humble, even when I shy away from confronting it. I was thinking of Lent and… Continue Reading “A LENTEN ODYSSEY”
THE SITUATIONAL CATHOLIC (or any other human)
This part of my Lectio Divina has to do with my usual core statement (Philippians 2:5), “Have in you the mind of Christ Jesus,” which I say repeatedly in the upper room of my inner self. This time my wheel of consciousness stopped at… Continue Reading “THE SITUATIONAL CATHOLIC (or any other human)”
HOW THE MAGISTER NOSTER HELPS ME GROW DEEPER IN MY HUMANITY: II.
An alternative title might have been, “Spiritual Weightlifting Exercises to increase stamina.” I do these three exercises from time to time and share them for what they are worth to you. They are worth “more than many sparrows” to me. I. STRENGTHEN YOUR SUSTAINABILITY… Continue Reading “HOW THE MAGISTER NOSTER HELPS ME GROW DEEPER IN MY HUMANITY: II.”
THE THREE MOST TERRIFYING WORDS OF SCRIPTURES.
Last night, or early this morning, my Lectio Divina was about the most terrifying words of Old or New Testaments. Words are important to humans for communicating. Words are not to be trifled with. As Aristotle says in his book of aZswqq, “Trifles are… Continue Reading “THE THREE MOST TERRIFYING WORDS OF SCRIPTURES.”
CONVERSIO MORAE: Growing from false self to true self
One of the most essential parts of my Lay Cistercian Way is growing (capacitas dei) and growing by doing penance to move from my false self to my true self as an adopted son (daughter) of the Father. It all sounds so theoretical. They… Continue Reading “CONVERSIO MORAE: Growing from false self to true self”
HOW THE MAGISTER NOSTER HELPS ME GROW DEEPER IN MY HUMANITY.
I challenge you to find out the answers to these questions. No trick questions or answers here. I used this methodology in my Lectio Divina to probe deeper into my faith. Most of my life. I just wanted someone to do the hard lifting… Continue Reading “HOW THE MAGISTER NOSTER HELPS ME GROW DEEPER IN MY HUMANITY.”
MORE BITS AND PIECES: Fragments from my basket of loaves and fishes.
As I read my scientific inquiry colleagues, science is the only permanent stability in a world of rationalism and opinions, as good as they might be. While theories and theorems are valid, they are only so until theoretical physicists discover new ones, which is… Continue Reading “MORE BITS AND PIECES: Fragments from my basket of loaves and fishes.”
BITS AND PIECES: Random thoughts from Lectio Divina meditations.
Sometimes, I forget what my Lectio Divina thoughts presented to me, only to be dumbfounded that they seem to “pop up” later in the most unauspicious times and places. I might be in the bathroom and I get an impulse or virtual image. This… Continue Reading “BITS AND PIECES: Random thoughts from Lectio Divina meditations.”
ANTICIPATION AND CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICE
I remember watching the movie, Rocky Horror Picture Show, and listening to Tim Curry sing the song “Anticipation.” God gives me crazy thoughts from the most unlikely places. In this case, I was mesmerized by how Tim Curry sang the song, dressed as a… Continue Reading “ANTICIPATION AND CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICE”
I HAVE TO DIG DEEP INTO MY HUMAN NATURE TO UNCOVER THAT NEXT LEVEL OF EVOLUTION, ADOPTION.
I still remember those cherished hardbound books from the Library of Literary Masterpieces that I suddenly discovered in Middle School. In those early years, especially when I was sick and in bed, for many long hours, I read classics, such as Charles Lamb’s Dissertation… Continue Reading “I HAVE TO DIG DEEP INTO MY HUMAN NATURE TO UNCOVER THAT NEXT LEVEL OF EVOLUTION, ADOPTION.”
THE POWER OF ONE WORD IV: YES or NO
So much of what makes humanity human has to do with the ability to reason beyond the mere limitations of our nature. This has to do with choice, the most defining of human characteristics. This choice of what to do or not informs who… Continue Reading “THE POWER OF ONE WORD IV: YES or NO”
FIVE ADDITIONAL VERTICAL, CONTEMPLATIVE TOOLS TO KEEP MY FOCUS ON CHRIST’S PRESENCE
Having completed my first iteration of contemplative tools that I use to probe ever deeper into vertical contemplative practices, I found there are a few more techniques that have been helpful. The tools for good works are found in Chapter 4 of the Rule… Continue Reading “FIVE ADDITIONAL VERTICAL, CONTEMPLATIVE TOOLS TO KEEP MY FOCUS ON CHRIST’S PRESENCE”
SEEKING WORDS OF WISDOM… LET IT BE.
Here are some quotes from St. Bernard of Clairvaux, a founder of the Cistercian Way. Taken in whole from AZ Quotes.com.
THE AWARENESS OF THE LIMITS OF MY HUMANITY
I am not only a man of constant sorrows, I must constantly forage into virgin territory with which I am unfamiliar or have never entered before. That is how I describe my Lectio Divina these days. I know that my Lectio is, and always… Continue Reading “THE AWARENESS OF THE LIMITS OF MY HUMANITY”
St. Issac the Syrian: How to deny yourself.
This website entitled Sensus Fidelium is jammed with great, short examples of those who have gone before us with the sign of peace. I offer this for you as a resource.
FIVE VERTICAL, CONTEMPLATIVE TOOLS TO KEEP MY FOCUS ON CHRIST’S PRESENCE
A Lay Cistercian reflects on spiritual reality with the totality of his life experiences. As I mature in my daily attempts (and failures) to keep a profound focus on the most enigmatic and illusive concept in my Lectio Divina, I use all the tricks… Continue Reading “FIVE VERTICAL, CONTEMPLATIVE TOOLS TO KEEP MY FOCUS ON CHRIST’S PRESENCE”
ARE YOU FOLLOWING THE ENIGMATIC PATH OF THE WAR?
Have you been following the machinations of all the wars? The ineffectual United Nations condemns Israel for the genocide of the Palestinians while the Russians systematically fire rockets at civilians with not a peep from anyone. Hypocrisy? In today’s market of competing power struggles,… Continue Reading “ARE YOU FOLLOWING THE ENIGMATIC PATH OF THE WAR?”
A LAY CISTERCIAN’S NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION: MAKING ALL THINGS NEW
Each year, I have made a New Year’s resolution, and my resolve lasts about two days. Mostly, it is about losing weight. Good intentions, poor execution on my part. This yearly ritual has lulled me into an insensitivity to the importance of making and… Continue Reading “A LAY CISTERCIAN’S NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION: MAKING ALL THINGS NEW”
WHAT I DO WHEN WHAT I REACH FOR IS BEYOND MY GRASP…AND IT IS OKAY.
All words are symbols our brain translates into something meaningful if we know the language. The meaning of words, their assumptions, and nuances might differ slightly for each individual because of the accumulated experiences each of us brings to our purpose in life. I… Continue Reading “WHAT I DO WHEN WHAT I REACH FOR IS BEYOND MY GRASP…AND IT IS OKAY.”
THE ANNIVERSARY OF MY FINAL PROFESSION AS A LAY CISTERCIAN: FIVE LESSONS THAT SHAPE MY LIFE
As I look back on my life, which is a very long look, I usually reflect on what is good and try to forget all those times (the majority of my life) when I made a fool out of myself or was outright full… Continue Reading “THE ANNIVERSARY OF MY FINAL PROFESSION AS A LAY CISTERCIAN: FIVE LESSONS THAT SHAPE MY LIFE”
LOVE’S GREATEST GIFT
(Sent to Lay Cistercians of Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Monastery (Trappist). Conyers, Ga. http://www.trappist.net May the Grace and Peace of Our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Our meeting on Tuesday is about our Lay Cistercian theme: Gratitude, but with a… Continue Reading “LOVE’S GREATEST GIFT”
YOUR HERITAGE: CATENA AURIA BY ST. THOMAS AQUINAS
It is not often that I am completely dumbfounded by a discovery I make about the Catholic Church, one that uses Scripture as mentioned by those men and women of the early Church to “come to believe” that the words of Christ are alive… Continue Reading “YOUR HERITAGE: CATENA AURIA BY ST. THOMAS AQUINAS”
TEN THINGS I DON’T CONTROL, so… I DON’T WORRY ABOUT THEM.
Here is a blizzard of confused ideas about what, I have no idea, but they were part of my Lectio Divina. You tell me. When I look out over the YouTube universe, especially those wonderful Walking Korea tours, and see the tragic Philippines slums… Continue Reading “TEN THINGS I DON’T CONTROL, so… I DON’T WORRY ABOUT THEM.”
NEW SKINS FOR NEW WINE: A DEEPER DISCUSSION ABOUT OBJECTIVE AND SUBJECTIVE TRUTH–II
This installment is the second in a series about my thoughts on a)objective and subjective truth in the corruption of matter and mind and b)my observations and comments about what is real as it relates to original sin. Here are my thoughts about how… Continue Reading “NEW SKINS FOR NEW WINE: A DEEPER DISCUSSION ABOUT OBJECTIVE AND SUBJECTIVE TRUTH–II”
TEN QUESTIONS THAT I HAD TO ANSWER BEFORE I DIED.
Sometimes it is spooky what the Holy Spirit dangles in my consciousness for me to spar with as a cat does with a feather. This blog is about something that I thought of today. It comes about as I reflect on my life, almost… Continue Reading “TEN QUESTIONS THAT I HAD TO ANSWER BEFORE I DIED.”
YOUR HERITAGE: Outside the Church, there is no salvation.
Here are some early thoughts on this controversial statement. Salvation Outside the Church IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCH “Be not deceived, my brethren: If anyone follows a maker of schism [i.e., is a schismatic], he does not inherit the kingdom of God; if anyone walks in… Continue Reading “YOUR HERITAGE: Outside the Church, there is no salvation.”
WHAT SEYMOUR BERNSTEIN TAUGHT ME ABOUT MY LAY CISTERCIAN WAY
I don’t want to leave you with the impression that I actually know or have met the legendary Seymour Bernstein. I would never consider myself lucky enough to have a normal conversation with him. Mr. Bernstein is a gifted master teacher of classical music.… Continue Reading “WHAT SEYMOUR BERNSTEIN TAUGHT ME ABOUT MY LAY CISTERCIAN WAY”
THE POWER OF ONE WORD III: Gratitude
Thanksgiving or Gratitude Day is coming up when we sit down together with loved ones and share a meal as a sign that we appreciate what God, society, our heritage, our religion, and our family have done for us. It is a moveable secular… Continue Reading “THE POWER OF ONE WORD III: Gratitude”
THE POWER OF ONE WORD II: Jesus, Mary, Joseph, St. Michael
In this most recent Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5), my thoughts wandered to the power of a single word. Five such words came to mind amid the myriad of possibilities. I will offer you my reflections on this, and you draw your own conclusions. THE… Continue Reading “THE POWER OF ONE WORD II: Jesus, Mary, Joseph, St. Michael”
PROVERBS FROM A LAY CISTERCIAN TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Here are some ideas that flashed through my mind this morning at 2:10 a.m. Don’t ask! In one way or another, I have either coined these sayings myself or, more likely, picked them up from other sources during my lifetime. I offer them without… Continue Reading “PROVERBS FROM A LAY CISTERCIAN TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT”
THE SIXTY SECOND CATHOLIC: Love and movement from mind to heart.
As I sit here and reflect on Philippians 2:5 for my Lectio Divina meditation, my mind turns to Jesus and the love he must have had for all humans to become corruptible humans. Love is at the center of what Jesus is about. Humans… Continue Reading “THE SIXTY SECOND CATHOLIC: Love and movement from mind to heart.”
…AND THEN WHAT?
While ruminating through the vast array of my life experiences, one came to mind. I share it with you because not only do I like it but also because you might like it. You be the judge. I have had to blow off a… Continue Reading “…AND THEN WHAT?”
WHAT DOES REALITY LOOK LIKE? A micro and macrocosmic perspective that is critical to spiritual thinking.
I approach this topic of “What does reality look like?” with some hesitation because I am venturing out of my wheelhouse and comfort zone. I have, for the past three or four years, ventured into realms of thinking that are not normal to my… Continue Reading “WHAT DOES REALITY LOOK LIKE? A micro and macrocosmic perspective that is critical to spiritual thinking.”
WHAT CAN ONE PERSON DO AGAINST THE PERSISTENT PERVERSION OF MORALS?
All seems lost, when I look at the total ridiculousness of both Democrat and Republican parties at all levels of government. Having a political party and its platform (which no one ever uses) as a basis for my morality is like walking on Jello… Continue Reading “WHAT CAN ONE PERSON DO AGAINST THE PERSISTENT PERVERSION OF MORALS?”
READING RESOURCES FOR RETIREES AND THINKERS
Every so often, I come across some URLs that I find astonishingly helpful in crafting my reading agenda within and without the corpus of spiritual works. I offer these to you for your consideration. RESOURCES FOR THE CRITICAL THINKER Here are my favorites that… Continue Reading “READING RESOURCES FOR RETIREES AND THINKERS”
THE MARTYRDOM OF EVERYDAY LIVING: Five Scenarios played out in my life
As I reach 83 years of age, I reflect on what has happened to me and how I have grasped the meaning of life with the life experience I have chosen in my wheelhouse. It’s not a pretty picture, looking back. As far as… Continue Reading “THE MARTYRDOM OF EVERYDAY LIVING: Five Scenarios played out in my life”
PERSPECTIVE: Looking for meaning about my humanity from space
This blog may be my shortest one, but it is certainly not the highest. Watch this one. http://www.organism.earth.
NEW WINE IN OLD SKINS
Christ is, and always will be the new wine in my life each day. I have a choice to be an old skin or make the inconvenient switch to that of a new skin. In terms of my Lay Cistercian Way, I think of… Continue Reading “NEW WINE IN OLD SKINS”
THE GOD WHISPERER: WE CAN’T KNOW WHO GOD IS, SO HOW DO WE KNOW WHO GOD IS?
I find myself on this Wednesday thinking about how humans cannot know who God is (with human reasoning and knowledge). The fact that I am sitting here thinking about a topic that is so obscure that there is a good chance no one on… Continue Reading “THE GOD WHISPERER: WE CAN’T KNOW WHO GOD IS, SO HOW DO WE KNOW WHO GOD IS?”
THE PROBLEM WITH UNIVERSALISM AND NIHILISM
As I understand it, “universalism” means that everyone has an idea and no one can say another idea is better than yours, so everything is relative. “Nihilism,” in its modern cloak of invisibility, is that profound belief that all an individual has to do… Continue Reading “THE PROBLEM WITH UNIVERSALISM AND NIHILISM”
LOSING FAITH MIGHT BE EASIER THAN YOU THINK
Faith is the divine energy, grace, that only comes from the divine nature. We can share in this pure energy only because Christ became one of us and mediates that energy as we can absorb it. No one can look in the face of… Continue Reading “LOSING FAITH MIGHT BE EASIER THAN YOU THINK”
CRITICAL THINKING IMPLICATIONS FROM A WEARY TRAVELER OF LIFE’S MOVEMENTS AND COMPLEXITIES
Whenever I think about heaven, there are many scenarios that come to mind. I make the following statements based on what I have learned about what is real and what is fool’s gold. When you make a statement about the word, HEAVEN, for example,… Continue Reading “CRITICAL THINKING IMPLICATIONS FROM A WEARY TRAVELER OF LIFE’S MOVEMENTS AND COMPLEXITIES”
THE EQUILIBRIUM OF NATURE
We don’t make our nature when we are born, but our nature does make us who we are. As a human being, I can know that I know. Having the ability to reason seems to be hampered by my freedom to choose what my… Continue Reading “THE EQUILIBRIUM OF NATURE”
ADDING A SYSTEMATIC APPROACH TO YOUR SPIRITUAL PROGRESSION: Building the School of Love
I always take the easy path when I look at my choices and how I behave in most situations. In the movie about Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Professor Dumbledore frames a life lesson to Harry with this dilemma. He states that… Continue Reading “ADDING A SYSTEMATIC APPROACH TO YOUR SPIRITUAL PROGRESSION: Building the School of Love”
THE INEVITABILITY OF NATURE
While humans like to think we are in control of our surroundings, strangely, we do control our personal space in our unique lifespan because of our ability to say YES or NO to any choices presented to us. My latest Lectio Divina has to… Continue Reading “THE INEVITABILITY OF NATURE”
THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF MAKING THE WRONG CHOICE ABOUT WHAT IS GOOD.
This Lectio Divina is about making choices and their consequences. Free will is one of the hallmarks of being human, something that animals don’t have. Animals must obey the laws of their nature as animals. Humans have reason and freedom to choose even what… Continue Reading “THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF MAKING THE WRONG CHOICE ABOUT WHAT IS GOOD.”
SAINT FOR ALL SEASONS: Charles de Foucauld.
It is hard to imagine a more conflicted and convoluted life than Saint Charles de Foucauld, Martyr. Yet, he is indeed one to whom I look for inspiration in my journey from my false self to my true self as an adopted son (daughter)… Continue Reading “SAINT FOR ALL SEASONS: Charles de Foucauld.”
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”
DON’T SPURN YOUR HERITAGE FROM GOD
I share with you a resource that is of immense value in looking at the heritage of our Catholic Faith. I do so without commentary. To go to the many resources below, just highlight them with your mouse and click. The resource should come… Continue Reading “DON’T SPURN YOUR HERITAGE FROM GOD”
THE ASCENSION OF CHRIST: The hero comes home.
If you have not read the works of Joesph Campbell or Mircea Eliade, not only are you missing a big chunk of how to look at being human with a systematic approach to intelligent progression, but how the Ascension of Christ completes the classic… Continue Reading “THE ASCENSION OF CHRIST: The hero comes home.”
DON’T SPURN YOUR HERITAGE: Hymns of the Early Church
A neglected or blind spot in most of my approaches to the Sacred is the existence of early hymns, poetry, and art that depicted what words alone do not convey, namely, that “Jesus is the Son of God, the Messiah.” (John 20:30-31) Early believers… Continue Reading “DON’T SPURN YOUR HERITAGE: Hymns of the Early Church”
OUTSIDE THE CHURCH, THERE IS NO SALVATION
That statement sounds rather harsh because Jesus died to save all humans. All humans don’t necessarily know that God is God, nor do they love in such a way as to move to the next level of human evolution (adoption by God as sons… Continue Reading “OUTSIDE THE CHURCH, THERE IS NO SALVATION”
CAPACITAS DEI: My neverending quest to grow deeper into The Christ Principle.
For a Lay Cistercian, spirituality, as I see it, becomes a neverending process of movement toward more complexity, as set forth by the Jesuit Paleontologist, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. I have adopted his chart on the movement from where I was to where I… Continue Reading “CAPACITAS DEI: My neverending quest to grow deeper into The Christ Principle.”
LECTIO DIVINA AS A MOSAIC OF IMPRESSIONS: WHAT TYPE OF CATHOLIC ARE YOU?
I asked the question from the Holy Spirit, “What type of Catholic am I, now that I have a template against which I measure myself?” This is the answer I received. I share it with you with the understanding that it is for me… Continue Reading “LECTIO DIVINA AS A MOSAIC OF IMPRESSIONS: WHAT TYPE OF CATHOLIC ARE YOU?”
YOUR HERITAGE: Wise Sayings
Scriptures, according to John 20:30-31 exits for us to assimilate the energy of God in order to come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah and that believing, we might have lift in his name. God communicates through authors using the Scriptures as accounts… Continue Reading “YOUR HERITAGE: Wise Sayings”
YOUR HERITAGE: The Real Presence
This heritage is not passed down from us to the Apostles but rather comes down from the Apostles through the ages as a testament to our Faith together as Universal, Catholic, Apostolic, and One gathering of believers. Read your heritage and renew your Faith… Continue Reading “YOUR HERITAGE: The Real Presence”
THE POWER OF ONE WORD
Have you the saying, “The pen is mightier than the sword?” Words have power. A YES created the world and another YES from the Blessed Mother was the starting button for Jesus, our Savior, our Redeemer, our friend. Don’t ever underestimate the power of… Continue Reading “THE POWER OF ONE WORD”
THE EUCHARIST IS OUR CORE FOR A REASON: God gives us what we need.
I am the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE.
YOUR FAITH: The Resurrection of the Body
The materials below are from Catholic Answers and are without any commentary. It is the compendium of your Faith, the Church, into which you find your heritage. What the Early Church Believed: Resurrection of the Body The Bible tells us that when Jesus returns to earth,… Continue Reading “YOUR FAITH: The Resurrection of the Body”
YOUR CATHOLIC HERITAGE: Justin Martyr and the Period of the Blood.
Next time you think it inconvenient for you that God asks for your presence at Eucharist, think about the price that the early believers paid. You can’t make this stuff up. Read for yourself and make your own conclusions. You have reason for a… Continue Reading “YOUR CATHOLIC HERITAGE: Justin Martyr and the Period of the Blood.”
THE ART OF CONTEMPLATION: Outline of contemplative practices.
Contemplation, or what I know of it so far, is going to that one place inside you where no one wants to go, a place where you are vulnerable and frightened of what you might find, but one that, like a moth to a… Continue Reading “THE ART OF CONTEMPLATION: Outline of contemplative practices.”
SOLITUDE: The need to be with God.
There are at least four themes of prayer that I have detected in my Lectio Divina. They are not the typical four types of prayer, such as petition, thanksgiving, praise, and reparation. I realized these four themes in my sleep sometime before I woke… Continue Reading “SOLITUDE: The need to be with God.”
GOD’S SCIENTIST: What does it mean to wake up with the awareness that you are not a chair and discover where it all fits together?
In my opinion, there are several scientists who are God’s scientists, not all of whom are professional ones. For me, they would be the late Stephen Hawking, Enrico Fermi, of the Fermi’s Paradox fame, plus influencers such as Gallileo, Aristotle, Marcus Aurelius, Einstein, Bishop… Continue Reading “GOD’S SCIENTIST: What does it mean to wake up with the awareness that you are not a chair and discover where it all fits together?”
YOUR HERITAGE: Don’t squander it.
Magister Noster is our heritage. You have a heritage of thinking and believing that provides you with authentic love and a direction in life. Don’t squander it with your apathy. From the time of your Baptism as the son (daughter) of the Father, you… Continue Reading “YOUR HERITAGE: Don’t squander it.”
YOUR INHERITANCE: Jewish Commandments and Prescriptions of the Law
If you think Christianity just “popped up” out of nowhere, you could not be further from the truth. The Old Testament is like the first stage of a rocket ship, one that has the power to lift humanity beyond just thrashing around, creating random… Continue Reading “YOUR INHERITANCE: Jewish Commandments and Prescriptions of the Law”
INTELLIGENT PROGRESSION: Ever sophisticated ways of being human.
I have always believed in the efficacy of the Ten Commandments. I never challenged why these ten and not some other societal norms form the basis of my ethical (the World) and spiritual (the spirit) assumptions about what is good or bad for me.… Continue Reading “INTELLIGENT PROGRESSION: Ever sophisticated ways of being human.”
WHAT IS TRUTH?
As one who can only aspire to be a Lay Cistercian, I aim to seek God by moving from self to God. That word, moving, is actually key to my attempts. Here are some reflections on moving from my false self to my true… Continue Reading “WHAT IS TRUTH?”
MAGISTER NOSTER: With God, there is always a profound dimension.
Reading becomes so familiar and casual that we sometimes don’t reflect on the deeper meaning contained in words. The Sacred Scriptures, early writings of the Church Fathers, and subsequent Cistercian writers, such as the late Dom Andre Louf, O.C.S.O., are not just to be… Continue Reading “MAGISTER NOSTER: With God, there is always a profound dimension.”
ATHEISM AND THE THE CONSEQUENCES OF BELIEVING IN THE NON-EXISTENCE OF EXISTENCE
My comments are about the ruminations of some people I have met during my past few years in Tallahassee, Florida, and my foray into http://www.quora.com/, which I have discontinued. Quora is a very seductive service where people ask questions and others give answers. There… Continue Reading “ATHEISM AND THE THE CONSEQUENCES OF BELIEVING IN THE NON-EXISTENCE OF EXISTENCE”
THE LIFE: Four Inscrutables
I find it interesting to think of these three steps to solving The Divine Equation (Way, Truth, and Life). Why, for example, is Way the first requirement? I would have thought Truth would be first. Here are a few fragmented scraps of ideas from… Continue Reading “THE LIFE: Four Inscrutables”
WATCHING THE PLASTIC FLOWERS GROW
Everyone has a center to their life. In fact, I have changed centers frequently, depending on the stage of life I am encountering. My work stage, for example, has worked near the top of my list. I have to eat, so I earn money… Continue Reading “WATCHING THE PLASTIC FLOWERS GROW”
NEW DIMENSIONS: A Fantastic Discovery about the Holy Spirit
You can imagine my surprise when the Holy Spirit presented me with this next Lectio Divina meditation. The Holy Spirit has a sense of humor. I know, you think I am delusional or making this up. Maybe so. You be the judge. Remember my… Continue Reading “NEW DIMENSIONS: A Fantastic Discovery about the Holy Spirit”
RECOMMENDED CONTEMPLATIVE, SPIRITUAL READING LIST FOR LAY CISTERCIANS
I share with you what I myself use. All of these sources are online and are of no cost to you. I offer them in no order of importance, they are all important. When I use the term “spiritual reading,” I always include Holy… Continue Reading “RECOMMENDED CONTEMPLATIVE, SPIRITUAL READING LIST FOR LAY CISTERCIANS”
WONDER IF… I was the Pope, what changes would I make to the Church?
Here is a fanciful topic. For one thing, any changes I make to the Church would have to come from the compendium of life experiences I have accepted as my assumptions in life. I can’t imagine anything worse than designing a Church based on… Continue Reading “WONDER IF… I was the Pope, what changes would I make to the Church?”
WONDER IF… There was no historical Jesus.
The ramifications of wonder dictate that I probe “What If” questions, if for no other reason than to use my reason and intelligence to bolster my Faith. I did and it has. Here are some preliminary observations about a world in which there is… Continue Reading “WONDER IF… There was no historical Jesus.”
WONDER IF… There is or ever was a God?
All kinds of ideas pop up in my Lectio Divina meditations. Here is one that asked myself and the answer that came almost before I stopped asking the question. My answer is, life would go on, but I would still have the spiritual framework… Continue Reading “WONDER IF… There is or ever was a God?”
THIS IS YOUR HERITAGE: Lumen Gentium
What follows is the text of the encyclical on the Church. Use this, as I do, to recommit myself to being more Christ-centered. https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19641121_lumen-gentium_en.html
THE DIVINE EQUATION: The implications of corruptibility for the incorruptibility of the Resurrection.
This excerpt is from my book, The Divine Equation. THE DIVINE EQUATION: THE CORRUPTION OF EVERYDAY LIVING The focus of my thinking these days has been on Original Sin and how humans must live within its parameters, such as death, pain, emotions, and the… Continue Reading “THE DIVINE EQUATION: The implications of corruptibility for the incorruptibility of the Resurrection.”
G.K. CHESTERTON: God’s Curmudgeon
Growing up, Chesterton was one of my favorite characters. I hope you take advantage of the opportunity to add his wit and wisdom to your portfolio contained in your Book of Life. Who is this guy? I recommend the following resources for your spiritual… Continue Reading “G.K. CHESTERTON: God’s Curmudgeon”
DON’T BE AFRAID
Several years ago, I was part of a discussion at the Monastery of Our Lady of the Holy Spirit (Trappist) centered around humility. St. Benedict has twelve steps to achieve humility which is Chapter 7 of his Rule. Humility does not come automatically. Like… Continue Reading “DON’T BE AFRAID”
THE SEDUCTION OF THE INNOCENTS
While trolling through the various YouTube streamings on my television, I came upon some topics that I would like to comment upon in terms of what I consider a dangerous temptation for those whose faith is not grounded in Christ Jesus. It is difficult… Continue Reading “THE SEDUCTION OF THE INNOCENTS”
INTELLIGENT PROGRESSION: Cosmic integration of all reality
My most recent Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5) this very morning makes absolutely no sense, in terms of the core theme: “…have in you the mind of Christ Jesus.” How do you go from that core theme to a series of thoughts about “the devolution… Continue Reading “INTELLIGENT PROGRESSION: Cosmic integration of all reality”
BROWSING FOR JESUS: Jesus as Messiah
I have wondered what it means for Jesus to be my Savior, My Redeemer Lives. There are a couple of ways to grow deeper with this phrase as Lectio Divina. I share with you what I did to move to a deeper level of… Continue Reading “BROWSING FOR JESUS: Jesus as Messiah”
SPIRITUAL READING: Sayings of the Desert Fathers
I offer you what I use as spiritual reading. Remember, reading Sacred Scripture is the deepest part because you become what you read. With these readings and all spiritual readings, you gain wisdom and perspective. Both are necessary, but one is essential. These readings… Continue Reading “SPIRITUAL READING: Sayings of the Desert Fathers”
COSMIC INTELLIGENT PROGRESSION
I have adopted the model of a cosmic universe from the Jesuit Paleontologist Henri Pierre Teilhard de Chardin as how I look at intelligent progression on a cosmic scale. I offer you his URL and some quotes from AZ Quotes. “We are not human… Continue Reading “COSMIC INTELLIGENT PROGRESSION”
DOCTOR MELLIFLUUS
Here is a reading from the http://www.newadvent.org website in the top right-hand corner under the category of Library. It is a treasure trove of source materials for those wanting to delve deeper into contemplation. Doctor Mellifluus His Holiness Pope Pius XIIEncyclical on St. Bernard… Continue Reading “DOCTOR MELLIFLUUS”
WHAT IS CONTEMPLATION ACCORDING TO ST. BERNARD
Contemplation is not a word exclusive to Benedictine, Carthusian, and Cistercian monks. Other religions practice it. My emphasis will be limited to what I know about Cistercian, and even more selectively, Lay Cistercian contemplation. I always like to offer you the same resources I… Continue Reading “WHAT IS CONTEMPLATION ACCORDING TO ST. BERNARD”
NEW SKINS FOR NEW WINE: The Lay Cistercian commitment to seek God every day.
The Lay Cistercian Way is more about how the individual Lay Cistercian crafts what it means to take Cistercian spirituality as they know it and live it out each day, simply seeking God in whatever happens. For me, that means doing the Lay Cistercian… Continue Reading “NEW SKINS FOR NEW WINE: The Lay Cistercian commitment to seek God every day.”
LAY CISTERCIAN PRACTICES: The transforming power of Sacred Scripture.
I am not the person I once was, not just because my cells regenerated, but because my spirit reconstituted itself due to the power of Sacred Scripture. I read and then tried to penetrate the Word’s purpose with the Holy Spirit’s aid. (John 20:… Continue Reading “LAY CISTERCIAN PRACTICES: The transforming power of Sacred Scripture.”
TOM O’BEDLAM READS….
I offer you some of the YouTube readings on my favorite topics as read by Tom O’ Bedlam. I do so without commentary.
I WONDER…: THE SCHIZOPHRENIC CATHOLIC
I wonder if there is such a thing as a schizophrenic in religion, such as a person that has two personalities and exists in two sets of behaviors within that personality type. I do not refer to the duality that exists when Baptism makes… Continue Reading “I WONDER…: THE SCHIZOPHRENIC CATHOLIC”
FIVE MINDSETS THAT HAVE HELPED ME SEE WHAT CAN’T BE SEEN WITH EYES ALONE
Assumptions are those ways of thinking that are the foundation of why we believe what we do. When an atheist says “There is no god,” it is because of the assumptions that they hold. It is the god that they assume NOT to be… Continue Reading “FIVE MINDSETS THAT HAVE HELPED ME SEE WHAT CAN’T BE SEEN WITH EYES ALONE”
WHERE ARE THOSE OLD WEDDING PICTURES, NOW?
Anniversaries are part and fabric of what it means to be human. Mine are no different, and I mark them (celebration is a bit too over the top for me) each year with the sober realization that I am now one year closer to… Continue Reading “WHERE ARE THOSE OLD WEDDING PICTURES, NOW?”
FIVE HABITS EVERY LAY CISTERCIAN SHOULD TRY TO UNCOVER
In keeping with my daily theme of digging deeper into reality using Lay Cistercian practices and charisms, I noticed that there are levels of habits available to me, depending on how deep I go in my capacitas dei and conversio morae (growing more in… Continue Reading “FIVE HABITS EVERY LAY CISTERCIAN SHOULD TRY TO UNCOVER”
EXPANDING YOUR FAITH: Angels
I have selected this section on angels from http://www.newadvent.org for your reading. I do not provide comment. I would encourage you to sign up for New Advent as a site to use frequently. Angels Please help support the mission of New Advent and get the… Continue Reading “EXPANDING YOUR FAITH: Angels”
LISTENING TO THE HEARTBEAT OF CHRIST
For all the theologies and descriptions of the Scriptures, it can all be reduced to the simplicity of me, sitting in the back bench of the Church, eyes lowered (custos occuli), repeating over and over the prayer of penitence, “Jesus, Son of David, have… Continue Reading “LISTENING TO THE HEARTBEAT OF CHRIST”
THE TERRIFYING POWER OF THE TRANSFIGURATION
It seems that when introducing humans to God in evermore intense encounters, there is always that admonition of “Don’t be afraid.” Human reasoning, and the ability to authentically choose what is good for them, seems to have presented itself to selected humans by God… Continue Reading “THE TERRIFYING POWER OF THE TRANSFIGURATION”
THE WAY: Four Inscrutibles
In this series of blogs on Chapter 14 of John’s Gospel, I will share with you what I received from my Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5) meditations on the significance of THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE. Each of these three elements of my… Continue Reading “THE WAY: Four Inscrutibles”
THE GOLDEN THREAD: Spiritual Kinship through The Christ Principle.
Jesus called those he loved and who loved him back as friends. Read this most eloquent of texts in their entirety, so you get the context. Note that Jesus calls us friends, in this passage. He has chosen us, we have not chosen Him.… Continue Reading “THE GOLDEN THREAD: Spiritual Kinship through The Christ Principle.”
THE IMPROBABLE POWER OF THE INCARNATION: The divine archetype.
You can’t make this stuff up, even in Hollywood. The Incarnation Moment is so beyond the ability of humans to put it out of that hat that is so improbable that such an event could occur within normal limits of human experiences. Where does… Continue Reading “THE IMPROBABLE POWER OF THE INCARNATION: The divine archetype.”
A LAY CISTERCIAN’S BEATITUDES
As a result of my Lection Divina, and having reflected on where I am in the process of believing in The Christ Principle, here are some Beatitudes that come to my mind. If you are a Catholic, practicing your faith may not always be… Continue Reading “A LAY CISTERCIAN’S BEATITUDES”
THE UNIMAGINABLE POWER OF THE RESURRECTION
This Easter Sunday, some will hunt Easter eggs, some will eat a wonderful Easter meal with their families, and some will disavow Easter altogether as a conspiracy of Jesus’ followers to justify his death by making up a fantasy story about rising from the… Continue Reading “THE UNIMAGINABLE POWER OF THE RESURRECTION”
WONDERFUL RESOURCES
And just when you thought the world was going to Hell… here are resources to give Hope. https://www.scotthahn.com/about-dr-hahn https://www.youtube.com/@word-on-fire
HERESY OF THE INDIVIDUAL: NEO-IDOLATRY
To be clear, this is not a heresy as defined by the Catholic Church, but rather one that I observe to be so insidiously pervasive in society that whole nations and their Judeo-Christian moral compasses have been recalibrated based on a new North. It… Continue Reading “HERESY OF THE INDIVIDUAL: NEO-IDOLATRY”
YOUR CHURCH: The Kingdom of Heaven on earth
What follows is inspirational reading about the notion of the Church. Your heritage has been won by the blood of the Lamb. Your own blood is the price you pay to die to yourself each day and reaffirm God’s will be done on earth… Continue Reading “YOUR CHURCH: The Kingdom of Heaven on earth”
SEEING JESUS
In this recent Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5), I asked myself, “How can I see Jesus daily?” Here are some thoughts. When I go to Church, I see Jesus: There are many more ways to see Jesus in Church, but I am running out of… Continue Reading “SEEING JESUS”
YOUR CHURCH HISTORY HERITAGE: The insights of Eusebius
Here is an early church writer before there was a bible as we know it. I offer you what I myself read and you can make your own conclusions. Church History (Book I) Please help support the mission of New Advent and get the full… Continue Reading “YOUR CHURCH HISTORY HERITAGE: The insights of Eusebius”
THE INDEFATIGABLE NATURE OF TRUTH
My current preoccupation in my Lectio Divina is on the nature of truth. Having sat on a couch with Christ next to me, my thoughts seem to drift towards very esoteric thinking no one wants to hear or read. It is the nature of… Continue Reading “THE INDEFATIGABLE NATURE OF TRUTH”
THE KEY TO EVERLASTING JEOPARDY
If you are facing the Gates of the Kingdom of Heaven and Michael and Alex Trebek are there, one with a flaming sword to keep out those that don’t belong, what would be the one question asked and what is the correct answer? The… Continue Reading “THE KEY TO EVERLASTING JEOPARDY”
MENTAL GYRATIONS ON WHY WE CANNOT PROVE GOD’S EXISTENCE
When watching the latest movie the film, Wednesday, I had this feeling of wondering why I am filling time watching some bizarre series of stories about Ghouls and Goblins, other than I really like it. Is there more to life? Of course, I told… Continue Reading “MENTAL GYRATIONS ON WHY WE CANNOT PROVE GOD’S EXISTENCE”
FALLACIES THAT TERRIFY ME
I like to watch the odd movie that comes out of the myriad of flicks produced these days. The Harry Potter movies are ones that I enjoy, not because I espouse witchcraft at all, but because it has a remarkable insight into good and… Continue Reading “FALLACIES THAT TERRIFY ME”
CONTEMPLATION IS THE CONCENTRATED ORANGE JUICE TO WHICH YOU MUST ADD THE WATER OF YOUR LIFE TO BE ABLE TO DRINK IT PROPERLY
Heavy title, don’t you think, with an even heavier implication for contemplative practice? Here are some rapid responses to the question of absolute truth (only found in the divine nature). They are linked together unless I get a senior moment and go off the… Continue Reading “CONTEMPLATION IS THE CONCENTRATED ORANGE JUICE TO WHICH YOU MUST ADD THE WATER OF YOUR LIFE TO BE ABLE TO DRINK IT PROPERLY”
NEW IDEAS IN NEW SKINS: Twenty things I no longer do as part of my religious regime.
My Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5) meditations take the form of looking at the totality of my life from the viewpoint of The Christ Principle. When I do that, old behaviors that I still practice, have not been excised (not exorcized, although I am an… Continue Reading “NEW IDEAS IN NEW SKINS: Twenty things I no longer do as part of my religious regime.”
YOUR CHURCH HISTORY: Eusebius, Book III
Church tradition is not looking back and guessing what people actually said, but rather looking forward and reading the primary sources. I offer this section from http://www.newadvent.org for your spiritual reading and edification without my comments. It has helped me. Church History (Book III)… Continue Reading “YOUR CHURCH HISTORY: Eusebius, Book III”
WHY NOT?
To find out what makes humans fulfill their humanity as nature intended, I focused my Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5) on nature, as in animal nature, human nature, and divine nature. These are my assumptions as I move forward and ask the following questions. Is… Continue Reading “WHY NOT?”
THAT’S THE HELL OF IT: Improbable thoughts about an illusive topic
Perhaps it is due to what I drink in the water, but I have had an inordinate number of short, intense bursts of insights into Hell. Rather than psychoanalyze them ad nausea, I just offer them here. All of my Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5)… Continue Reading “THAT’S THE HELL OF IT: Improbable thoughts about an illusive topic”
THAT’S THE HELL OF IT
Hell is one of those elephant-in-the-room topics that humans would rather not discuss. It is easier to dismiss Hell than Faith, although humans know sparsely little of both. Here are my thoughts, limited as they are, about why there is a hell as the… Continue Reading “THAT’S THE HELL OF IT”
FIVE GIFTS THE HOLY SPIRIT GAVE ME AT BAPTISM
When I was baptized on September 29, 1940, I became an adopted son(daughter) of the Father. Naturally, I did not know what was happening, but, consistent with my human nature, I received seven gifts from the Holy Spirit, gifts I still use to this… Continue Reading “FIVE GIFTS THE HOLY SPIRIT GAVE ME AT BAPTISM”
CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICES OF A BROKEN-DOWN, OLD LAY CISTERCIAN
Growing old has its own set of peculiarities that seem to infiltrate my Lay Cistercian Way. Here are some observations from an old, temple of the Holy Spirit.
LENTEN READING: Sirach
Sirach Pagination 1Do not be a foe instead of a friend. A bad name, disgrace, and dishonor you will inherit. Thus the wicked, the double-tongued!* Unruly Passions 2Do not fall into the grip of your passion,a lest like fire it consume your strength. 3It… Continue Reading “LENTEN READING: Sirach”
ALL THE ROWERS IN THE WORLD WON’T HELP YOU IF YOUR BOAT HAS A HOLE IN IT.
This Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5) yesterday was an unexpected voyage into the syncretic world of looking at Lent through the lenses of a totally different venue. In this case, the profile of a sinking boat came to mind. Here are some of my ideas… Continue Reading “ALL THE ROWERS IN THE WORLD WON’T HELP YOU IF YOUR BOAT HAS A HOLE IN IT.”
SPIRITUAL READING
Without commentary, here are the words from the Holy Father, Pope Paul VI on Divine Revelation. I found it quite inspiring. DOGMATIC CONSTITUTION ON DIVINE REVELATIONDEI VERBUMSOLEMNLY PROMULGATED BY HIS HOLINESSPOPE PAUL VION NOVEMBER 18, 1965 PREFACE 1. Hearing the word of God with… Continue Reading “SPIRITUAL READING”
CRAZY ANSWERS TO EVEN CRAZIER QUESTIONS
What follows are some answers I gave to the website Quora.com. I must not have enough to do in my old age. Profile Most recent Michael Conrad Worked at Professed Lay Cistercian3m What is the best way for a pope to say goodbye without causing controversy?… Continue Reading “CRAZY ANSWERS TO EVEN CRAZIER QUESTIONS”
ANTHROPOMORPHIC REPRESENTATION: What does God look like?
I read this article from USCCB about what humans create about God to be able to grasp what is beyond the capability or capacity to comprehend with human intelligence. If you notice, and I am not sure I even notice, I don’t synthesize or… Continue Reading “ANTHROPOMORPHIC REPRESENTATION: What does God look like?”
THE SAINTS: Martyrs
Here is a resource that I discovered that lists Saints and their accomplishments and when they lived. Sometimes we forget that these people actually existed way back when. https://devotiontoourlady.com/january-martyrs.html
THE SAINTS: The Church’s Hall of Fame
When you think about football, as an example of only one sporting venue, of all the college players, very few get selected to play Professional Football. Still, fewer are selected by the football press to be in the Football Hall of Fame. You can… Continue Reading “THE SAINTS: The Church’s Hall of Fame”
THE TRUTH: The weight of my daily cross
Here is a blog I wrote a few weeks ago detailing what are the criticisms of the Catholic Church. I turned it around and wrote what I thought the strengths are. Having some additional thoughts on the matter in a recent Lectio Divina, I… Continue Reading “THE TRUTH: The weight of my daily cross”
THE VULNERABLE LAY CISTERCIAN: The Achilles Heel
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Achilles%27%20heel#citations “When the hero Achilles was an infant, his sea-nymph mother dipped him into the river Styx to make him immortal. But since she held him by one heel, this spot did not touch the water and so remained mortal and vulnerable, and it… Continue Reading “THE VULNERABLE LAY CISTERCIAN: The Achilles Heel”
FAITH AND BELIEF: Fragments from Lectio Divina meditations
If you have Faith, do you need proof? There are two different kinds of proofs: one to measure the visible universe primarily and emotions and the human condition, as a backup; then there is a proof that is the opposite of all of that… Continue Reading “FAITH AND BELIEF: Fragments from Lectio Divina meditations”
EARLY WRITINGS: The Real Presence
The Real Presence I want to share with you a wonderful resource about the writings of the writers of those in the first few centuries after Christ. I like this because, not only is it our heritage from primary sources, but it bolsters the… Continue Reading “EARLY WRITINGS: The Real Presence”
FRAGMENTS FROM MY LECTIO DIVINA (updated)
Here are some ideas from a broken-down, old Lay Cistercian. uiodg The following is found in what I wrote on Quora.com. Be careful, it is the Mirror of Arisad of the Internet. What is meant by the eternal power of God. The energy of… Continue Reading “FRAGMENTS FROM MY LECTIO DIVINA (updated)”
INTO THE GREAT SILENCE
I watched this as part of my Spiritual Awareness Renewal time. I recommend it to you. Listen, with the ear of your heart.
EARLY WRITINGS: Eusebius
I wanted to share with you what I myself read about the early church. I offer no commentary. https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05617b.htm Introduction. 1. We have discussed in the preceding book those subjects in ecclesiastical history which it was necessary to treat by way of introduction, and have accompanied them with… Continue Reading “EARLY WRITINGS: Eusebius”
MAGISTER NOSTER: What I must learn to fulfill the potential of my human nature.
Erich Fromm, the author of the Art of Loving, introduced me to the concept of learning, one where love is not infused as something we get automatically from being born as a human. We must learn what love is over a lifetime of trial… Continue Reading “MAGISTER NOSTER: What I must learn to fulfill the potential of my human nature.”
NEW YEAR’S THOUGHTS FROM THE EDGE OF TIME
Here are some random thought fragments from the leftovers of my Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5). I must admit these are “way out there.” I just relate to what was given to me. The following responses are ones from my Lectio based on esoteric questions… Continue Reading “NEW YEAR’S THOUGHTS FROM THE EDGE OF TIME”
NEW YEAR’S REVOLUTIONS
I have one focus this year, to “have in me the mind of Christ Jesus,” (Philippians 2:5), which allows me to be in the presence of Christ and sit in the stillness of my heart and wait. TEN THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO SEE… Continue Reading “NEW YEAR’S REVOLUTIONS”
THE INCARNATION EVENT: THREE STRINGS THAT SHEPHERD NATURE TOWARDS IT DESTINY
III. THE CORRUPTIBILITY OF CHOICE AND MARTYRDOM OF THE ORDINARY— The effects of Original Sin on three defining behaviors of human nature: sexual urges, the urges of control, and the urges of power. The wages of sin. I hypothesize that there is only one… Continue Reading “THE INCARNATION EVENT: THREE STRINGS THAT SHEPHERD NATURE TOWARDS IT DESTINY”
WAITING ON THE CUSP OF CHRISTMAS
Here are some thoughts from Sirach to light the tree of your life. Responsibilities to Parents* 1Children, listen to me, your father; act accordingly, that you may be safe. 2For the Lord sets a father in honor over his children and confirms a mother’s… Continue Reading “WAITING ON THE CUSP OF CHRISTMAS”
FRAGMENTS FROM MY LECTIO DIVINA: Did you know this about Mary?
Here are some fragmented thoughts about Mary that I would like to share. Praise be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever. The God who is, who was, and who is to come at the end… Continue Reading “FRAGMENTS FROM MY LECTIO DIVINA: Did you know this about Mary?”
CUSTOS OCULI: The windows to the kingdom of heaven
I can remember watching the monks at St. Meinrad while they filed in for Conventional Mass on Sunday. They had eyes down in the process in and out of the Archabbey Church and also during the Eucharist. I asked my classmate, also a monk,… Continue Reading “CUSTOS OCULI: The windows to the kingdom of heaven”
THE CHRIST PRINCIPLE: THE KEY TO UNLOCKING THE MYSTERY OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE FULLY WHAT OUR NATURE INTENDED.
The problem with trying to solve any equation is knowing the formula. Granted that the Divine Equation’s six postulates have been answered correctly, there is still one thing left to do. You must use the correct key, the only one that fits into this… Continue Reading “THE CHRIST PRINCIPLE: THE KEY TO UNLOCKING THE MYSTERY OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE FULLY WHAT OUR NATURE INTENDED.”
MY ASSUMPTIONS AS A LAY CISTERCIAN AS I COMMENT ABOUT SPIRITUAL REALITY
Assumptions are like icebergs; what you see, hear, taste, touch, and feel and thus know about the reality around you at any moment always has something deeper involved; in this case, my assumptions that you cannot see unless I share them. Assumptions are like… Continue Reading “MY ASSUMPTIONS AS A LAY CISTERCIAN AS I COMMENT ABOUT SPIRITUAL REALITY”
AN ADVENT REFLECTION: LISTEN TO THE BEAUTY OF LANGUAGE
Here are some of my favorite readings by Tom O’Bedlam. uiodg
NEW SKINS: Three templates I use for Lectio Divina focus.
On my way to achieving Lectio Divina, I begin with Philippians 2:5 (Have in you the mind of Christ Jesus.) Then, I go to meditation. I have to have templates to help me focus on The Christ Principle now and then. I share with… Continue Reading “NEW SKINS: Three templates I use for Lectio Divina focus.”
CONVERSIO MORAE: It’s complicated!
There are two aspects to my Lay Cistercian life on which I intend to focus until I die. They are: I have assimilated these concepts into my system of contemplative practices to help me approach The Christ Principle in humility and obedience to what… Continue Reading “CONVERSIO MORAE: It’s complicated!”
NEW SKINS: The Incongruity of The Divine Equation
I remember seeing a video of how snakes shed their skins.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmqwcb1fh_0 One of the signs of vitality for humans is making all things new. Animals do it when they shed their skins. Soft shell crabs molt, as do many other creatures, one of which… Continue Reading “NEW SKINS: The Incongruity of The Divine Equation”
HOW TRADITION REFUTES HERESY WITH SACRED SCRIPTURES: Growing deeper.
In the previous blog, I listed some of the references that early Church Fathers wrote defending the Faith against the rampant heresies of individuals who were in error. I took Hippolytus as an example and his writings against a thinker called Noetus. Read this… Continue Reading “HOW TRADITION REFUTES HERESY WITH SACRED SCRIPTURES: Growing deeper.”
CONTEMPLATIVE READING: Growing deeper through the Word.
Reading a phone book (do those still exist?) provides me with information about how to communicate with another person if they are in the phone book. Reading Sacred Scriptures is unlike reading any other book. Because it is God’s Word, authorized through the Church… Continue Reading “CONTEMPLATIVE READING: Growing deeper through the Word.”
THE FAILURE TO REPLACE NEW SKINS: ARE YOU ILLITERATE IN YOUR CONTEMPLATIVE SPIRITUALITY?
One of the sad commentaries of any time in human history comes when we explore reality around us and find that many people are illiterate in their spirituality, particularly their contemplative spirituality. Can you answer these six questions? Take your time. You have between… Continue Reading “THE FAILURE TO REPLACE NEW SKINS: ARE YOU ILLITERATE IN YOUR CONTEMPLATIVE SPIRITUALITY?”
NEW SKINS FOR NEW WINE: A DISCUSSION ABOUT OBJECTIVE AND SUBJECTIVE TRUTH
In one of my more adventuresome forays into the world of Internet space, I happened to stumble onto a site called Quora.com. Interesting site where people give questions and invite others to answer. There is a wide diversity of questions, but those Atheists question… Continue Reading “NEW SKINS FOR NEW WINE: A DISCUSSION ABOUT OBJECTIVE AND SUBJECTIVE TRUTH”
THE THREE PRINCIPLES OF DIVINE NATURE
For nearly fifty years, I have attempted to grapple with the concept of God and where I fit into the Divine Economy. At age 72, I finally reached the age of reason when I became a Lay Cistercian of Our Lady of the Holy… Continue Reading “THE THREE PRINCIPLES OF DIVINE NATURE”
NEW SKINS FOR A BROKEN-DOWN, OLD TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
I won’t say I am an expert in anything except procrastination or forgetting my appointments. My Lectio Divina Reflections on Philippians 2:5 have recently been about the passage in the Scriptures, which speaks of new and old skins. Here it is for your reflection… Continue Reading “NEW SKINS FOR A BROKEN-DOWN, OLD TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT”
SCRIPTURAL READING: Sirach
Responsibilities to Parents* 1Children, listen to me, your father; act accordingly, that you may be safe. 2For the Lord sets a father in honor over his children and confirms a mother’s authority over her sons. 3Those who honor their father atone for sins; 4they… Continue Reading “SCRIPTURAL READING: Sirach”
10 TERRIFIC INSIGHTS INTO CONTEMPLATIVE SPIRITUALITY I LEARNED FROM WATCHING HARRY POTTER MOVIES
This is probably the last straw for those of you who think I have lost it (I never had it to lose). I love the Harry Potter set of books by J.K. Rowling. What a creative mind and certainly an enchanting look at life… Continue Reading “10 TERRIFIC INSIGHTS INTO CONTEMPLATIVE SPIRITUALITY I LEARNED FROM WATCHING HARRY POTTER MOVIES”
FRAGMENTS OF LEFT-OVER LECTIO DIVINA MEDITATIONS: Spiritual anarchy
Today’s Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5) was about the Devil (it seems the Holy Spirit is on a series of ideas about the Devil). Here are some fragments left over in baskets from my Lectio Divina on Satan. Anarchy, using the Rule of Threes, means:… Continue Reading “FRAGMENTS OF LEFT-OVER LECTIO DIVINA MEDITATIONS: Spiritual anarchy”
IDEAS TO MAKE ALL THINGS NEW
Reading Sacred Scriptures is one of my Lay Cistercian practices that help me grow in my capacity for Christ within me. This happens because the Word of God produces that which it signifies. It is the energy of God that I assimilate into my… Continue Reading “IDEAS TO MAKE ALL THINGS NEW”
READINGS TO LIFT UP YOUR HEARTS
While looking at the nooks and crannies of the website: http://www.newadvent.org, I came across this encyclical that might interest you as much as it did me. Many, most prominently, my wife, tell me I don’t have enough to do. Actually, I like rummaging throughout… Continue Reading “READINGS TO LIFT UP YOUR HEARTS”
OUR CATHOLIC HALL OF FAME: St. Pio of Pietrelcina
Here are some quotes that I use to help me re-center myself on Christ Jesus. http://www.azquotes.com “Pray, hope and don’t worry. Anxiety doesn’t help at all. Our Merciful Lord will listen to your prayer.” ~ Pio of Pietrelcina “Prayer is the best weapon we… Continue Reading “OUR CATHOLIC HALL OF FAME: St. Pio of Pietrelcina”
THE PROCESS OF ASSIMILATING ENERGY FROM GOD
It is impossible to assimilate energy from God directly without a transformer. This transformer is the person of Jesus Christ as The Christ Principle. If it is true that no one can go to the Father except through Christ, that Jesus is the way,… Continue Reading “THE PROCESS OF ASSIMILATING ENERGY FROM GOD”
I AM A COMPLETE FAILURE
During my self cloistering with COVID-19 and beyond, I have had an abundance of time with which to explore Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5). I find that I am doing Lectio three to four times a day, but they are shorter snatches of time than… Continue Reading “I AM A COMPLETE FAILURE”
FIVE PAIRS OF GLASSES TO SEE WHAT CANNOT BE SEEN
God gives you several gifts to commemorate the occasion when you are baptized. This is one of the most momentous events you will ever experience. Baptism is when Christ chooses you to be his disciple like he did to St. Peter and the other… Continue Reading “FIVE PAIRS OF GLASSES TO SEE WHAT CANNOT BE SEEN”
THE LIFE OF CHRIST
I have attached The Life of Christ, by the late Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen. It is a must-read for me. https://fulton-sheen.catholic.edu/bio/index.html
THE DEVIL’S HANDBOOK: Possession and Q&A.
This entry is the second in a series on what I imagine the Devil might write as a handbook. They are the results of my Lectio Divina meditations (not contemplations) about my temptations and missteps. This might be Satan’s graduation address to those graduating… Continue Reading “THE DEVIL’S HANDBOOK: Possession and Q&A.”
THE HUMAN RAMIFICATIONS OF DARKNESS AND LIGHT –Part II
One of the characteristics of the Holy Spirit, as I observe our interaction, is being long-winded. If you remember, I spoke of at least four strings or patterns that cut across the physical, mental, and spiritual universes in Part I of the ramifications of… Continue Reading “THE HUMAN RAMIFICATIONS OF DARKNESS AND LIGHT –Part II”
CONTEMPLATIVE THOUGHT ABOUT LIFE AND LOVE FROM SAINTS AND SINNERS Part II
Here are some inspirational quotes for your reflection and meditation. St. Charles de Foucault “Above all, always see Jesus in every person, and consequently treat each one not only as an equal and as a brother or sister, but also with great humility, respect… Continue Reading “CONTEMPLATIVE THOUGHT ABOUT LIFE AND LOVE FROM SAINTS AND SINNERS Part II”
THE DEVIL’S HANDBOOK: Lessons on how to seduce humans.
This blog is the first series on the premise that if the Devil had a handbook to train demons in how to seduce the faithful, what would be in it. Of course, I made all of this up. Still, the content comes from my… Continue Reading “THE DEVIL’S HANDBOOK: Lessons on how to seduce humans.”
FIVE MUST-SEE CATHOLIC MOVIES
These are my five favorite movies. Your list might be different. The Left Hand of God starring Humphrey Bogart The Keys of the Kingdom starring Gregory Peck A Man for All Seasons starring Paul Scoffield Of Gods and Men (Seven Cistercians Martyrs) The Shoes of the… Continue Reading “FIVE MUST-SEE CATHOLIC MOVIES”
WHAT IT MEANS TO BE CATHOLIC: The neverending story.
My thoughts this morning are a reflection of, not only what I am, but more importantly, who I have and will become if I continue to profess my Faith through the Catholic approach to spirituality. I write this, not to apologize (defend) or try… Continue Reading “WHAT IT MEANS TO BE CATHOLIC: The neverending story.”
SAYINGS
Just because your road is rocky, doesn’t mean you are on the wrong road. All the rowers in the world won’t help you if your boat has a hole in it. Mud thrown is ground lost. You won’t break the commandment but they might… Continue Reading “SAYINGS”
SHOES OF THE FISHERMAN: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY
One of the things I like about the Catholic Church is its vulnerability, tripping over the wrong pathways only to reconnect with the Holy Spirit and renew itself. It is a history of how the Church is Holy because Christ is Holy, but each… Continue Reading “SHOES OF THE FISHERMAN: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY”
MAGISTER NOSTER PART I: TEN LESSONS JESUS GIVES YOUNG CHRISTIANS TO FOCUS ON HOW TO GET TO HEAVEN
I. The -s-s-s-serpent s-s-s-seduces the Innocents when you least expect it. You won’t even see it coming. Be on guard. TIP: Be careful what you place at your center; this is your God. Be on guard, for Satan is like a “roaring lion seeking… Continue Reading “MAGISTER NOSTER PART I: TEN LESSONS JESUS GIVES YOUNG CHRISTIANS TO FOCUS ON HOW TO GET TO HEAVEN”
THE WONDER I FEEL IN THE PRESENCE OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT
Sometimes words fail to capture what is real about how I feel. Here are some expressions of love for Christ through the Holy Spirit. I am nothing in the presence of the nothingness of God.
FOUR LEVELS OF CHURCH: Keep my commands
Disclaimer: What follows is not authorized by Cistercians, Lay Cistercians, or Roman Catholic Church but is solely the opinion of a broken-down, old temple of the Holy Spirit. During one of my Lectio Divina meditations (Phil 2:5), I asked what Christ did to ensure… Continue Reading “FOUR LEVELS OF CHURCH: Keep my commands”
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO BE A LAY CISTERCIAN?
The world has seduced us into thinking that everything is measured by how much some things cost. I ran into a similar situation when I had the affrontery to suggest that science is a closed system. The words we use to describe what is… Continue Reading “HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO BE A LAY CISTERCIAN?”
LECTIO DIVINA FRAGMENTS: Original Sin
When I apply my Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5), then sit back and wait, here is what I received. You judge its value for you. That was a big basket.
STAGES OF CONTEMPLATION
From a sermon by Saint Bernard, Abbot The stages of contemplation Let us take our stand on secure ground, leaning with all our strength on Christ, the most solid rock, according to the words: He set my feet on a rock and guided my… Continue Reading “STAGES OF CONTEMPLATION”
LECTIO DIVINA FRAGMENTS: What will heaven be like?
Being nearly 82 years of age, the one thought that keeps popping up in my Lectio Divina meditations is unlikely. If I die, where will I go? What will it be like? If my focus is to be more like Christ and less like… Continue Reading “LECTIO DIVINA FRAGMENTS: What will heaven be like?”
TOP TEN FAVORITE: Photos
In keeping with my Top Ten Favorites theme, here are my top ten photos with a twist. They are the focus of contemplation in various Lectio Divina (Phil 2:5) sessions I have used. Photos add richness and a touch of realism to my Lectio… Continue Reading “TOP TEN FAVORITE: Photos”
THE THREE LANGUAGES I USE TO SIT NEXT TO GOD AND THRIVE
To solve the Divine Equation correctly, I must use the correct language. This language does not come from human nature because the questions and their correct answers originate from pure knowledge (beyond our pay grade). To solve anything about God, we must use the… Continue Reading “THE THREE LANGUAGES I USE TO SIT NEXT TO GOD AND THRIVE”
RESOURCES THAT HELP LIFT MY MIND AND HEART TO GOD
Q & A Question: Do I need contemplative prayer to be a practicing Catholic? Answer. Catholics have a rich heritage of prayer, dating back to Apostolic times. As you read from the section on contemplative prayer, prayer means a way we communicate with the… Continue Reading “RESOURCES THAT HELP LIFT MY MIND AND HEART TO GOD“
JESUS AND I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM: How does one communicate with God, who has divine nature?
It seems that the most complex problems always have the most straightforward answers. Actually, God and I do not have precisely the same problem. Jesus had to learn how to communicate his mission as the ransom for many humans. My problem is to try… Continue Reading “JESUS AND I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM: How does one communicate with God, who has divine nature?”
Lectio Divina Fragments: Three Principles emerging from The Divine Equation
If you have been following my meanderings, I write around a core of The Divine Equation in my Lectio Divina meditations on The Christ Principle. Mainly, I just listen to what is said and try to keep my mental mind open. It doesn’t always… Continue Reading “Lectio Divina Fragments: Three Principles emerging from The Divine Equation”
THE CHRIST PRINCIPLE TEMPLATE
I use a template to create the exact product each time I make it. This could be a furniture template to turn out lamps that look exactly alike. I thought about the notion of a template when I thought of the Christ Principle, one… Continue Reading “THE CHRIST PRINCIPLE TEMPLATE”
TEN PRACTICES THAT BRING FULFILLMENT TO ME AS A CATHOLIC
Remember that Catholic is the name for those individuals who share one faith, one lord, one baptism, Unity in the Body. 1* I, then, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received,a 2with all… Continue Reading “TEN PRACTICES THAT BRING FULFILLMENT TO ME AS A CATHOLIC”
10 THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT HOW TO MOVE FROM SELF TO GOD
My preoccupation for some time has been to move from my false self to my true self. This transition is a transformation (conversio morae) from being human in two universes (physical and mental) to that being fully human in three universes (physical, mental, and… Continue Reading “10 THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT HOW TO MOVE FROM SELF TO GOD”
I HAVE A GHOST WRITER
I have constantly been upset with myself for claiming that the Holy Spirit is my generator of ideas, not because it is not valid but because it sounds so haughty to claim that. No more. I give credit to the source of my thinking.… Continue Reading “I HAVE A GHOST WRITER”
TOP TEN MOVIE FAVORITES: A life at the movies.
MY TOP TEN FAVORITES: Movies What follows is what came from my Lectio Divina (Phil 2:5) meditations. I need to acknowledge Brother Michael, O.C.S.O. and Father Cassian, O.C.S.O., monks both at the Monastery of Our Lady of the Holy Spirit, Conyers, Georgia, for expanding… Continue Reading “TOP TEN MOVIE FAVORITES: A life at the movies.”
TWO TYPES OF CATHOLICISM: A Lay Cistercian looks at the duality of three new approaches to the Sacred.
I must warn you that what I am writing, I do so with the promptings from the Holy Spirit, which are not traditional to my Catholic Faith on the first review but which I consider illuminating, at least. This is just a blog, the… Continue Reading “TWO TYPES OF CATHOLICISM: A Lay Cistercian looks at the duality of three new approaches to the Sacred.”
LECTIO DIVINA FRAGMENTS
The Feeding of the Four Thousand.* 1In those days when there again was a great crowd without anything to eat,a he summoned the disciples and said, 2“My heart is moved with pity for the crowd, because they have been with me now for three days… Continue Reading “LECTIO DIVINA FRAGMENTS”
VISUAL LECTIO DIVINA: PART II
Use these visuals to focus on Christ. With all the blather around issues in the Church, one good way to lose your Faith is to lose your focus on Christ. St. Benedict says, “…prefer nothing to the love of Christ.” (Chapter 4, Rule) WHAT… Continue Reading “VISUAL LECTIO DIVINA: PART II”
VISUAL LECTIO DIVINA: Part 1
I share with you some of the photos I use in my Lectio Divina and other PowerPoint learning events. They make good screensavers. WHAT DO YOU SEE? WHAT DO YOU SEE? Above are the new skins for the new wine (Christ yesterday, today, and… Continue Reading “VISUAL LECTIO DIVINA: Part 1”
WHAT ARE SOME CRITICISMS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH?
I added these to the website Quora to answer one of their questions. With some of these inane questions, no wonder many countries are going more and more atheistic. I don’t blame them, but I offer some ideas that help me with the insanity… Continue Reading “WHAT ARE SOME CRITICISMS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH?”
THE ART OF CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICE: THE SIX QUESTIONS THAT HAVE ALTERED HOW I THINK ABOUT THE DIVINE NATURE OF GOD
In my Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5) today, I thought about how powerful energy must be to create what we know as the known universe (multiple universes is another discussion). These are just the thoughts of a broken-down, old temple of the Holy Spirit that… Continue Reading “THE ART OF CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICE: THE SIX QUESTIONS THAT HAVE ALTERED HOW I THINK ABOUT THE DIVINE NATURE OF GOD”
MY MASCULINE AND FEMININE PRAYER DIMENSIONS
Don’t ask. This topic just popped into my compendium of Lay Cistercian practices for my consideration. Whenever we use words, the user (me) has assumptions that have taken a lifetime to associate with that word, and the receiver uses the same lifetime of assuming… Continue Reading “MY MASCULINE AND FEMININE PRAYER DIMENSIONS”
LAYERS OF LECTIO DIVINA
Humans interact with our outside environment by using our five senses and reason to form thought processes that mean something. Language is such a set of signals that we identify to form ways to communicate with each other. Knowing the language is so crucial… Continue Reading “LAYERS OF LECTIO DIVINA”
IS HEAVEN DIFFERENT FOR EACH HUMAN?
In thinking about my own mortality and how it will be after I die, I usually abandon myself to Christ and fall upon the mercy of God to take care of me. John Chapter 17 is an unusually comforting Scripture that I enjoy reading… Continue Reading “IS HEAVEN DIFFERENT FOR EACH HUMAN?”
THE CHRIST PRINCIPLE: From complexity to simplicity
Based on my contemplation of the Christ Principle (Philippians 2:5), I have conjured up a strange contradiction. All reality from its inception (however that happened) is an intelligent progression from what is simple to the more complex. Yet, to fulfill my nature, I must… Continue Reading “THE CHRIST PRINCIPLE: From complexity to simplicity”
INTELLIGENT PROGRESSION: How time evolves using the Rule of Threes.
Among the more esoteric topics for my Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5), I consider this one on time near the top of the list. In my Lectio Divina this morning (at 2:02 a.m.), the question popped into my mind, “If there is an evolution in… Continue Reading “INTELLIGENT PROGRESSION: How time evolves using the Rule of Threes.”
PRACTICES THAT COME FROM CISTERCIAN MONASTIC PIETY
I asked the question this morning, “What am I doing now that I was not doing five years ago, the caveat being Lay Cistercian practices that come from my observance of monastic charisms at Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Monastery (Trappist), Conyers, Georgia?… Continue Reading “PRACTICES THAT COME FROM CISTERCIAN MONASTIC PIETY”
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 Center for Contemplative Practice 
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