The Center for Contemplative Practice
A Lay Cistercian Looks at Spiritual Reality
Category: contemplative prayer
WHAT IS A CHARISM?
The following items I found in a book by the late Father Anthony Delisi, OCSO, a monk of the Monastery of Our Lady of the Holy Spirit. He writes in this book about Cistercian charisms, What makes a Cistercian Monk? His book is taken from… Continue Reading “WHAT IS A CHARISM?”
OBEDIENCE: The Archetypal Sin
During one of my Lectio Divina sessions (Phil 2:5), I thought of what the obedience of the Son must be to God the Father to come earth and make reparation for the sin of Adam and Eve. He who takes away the sins of… Continue Reading “OBEDIENCE: The Archetypal Sin”
MAY THE PEACE OF CHRIST BE WITH YOU.
During one of my Lectio Divina sessions on Philippians 2:5, I thought of what it means to say, “May the peace of Christ be with you.” We say this greeting at each Eucharist after saying the Our Father together as community of faith. What… Continue Reading “MAY THE PEACE OF CHRIST BE WITH YOU.”
THE RULE OF ST. BENEDICT: Chapter 4 MY WORST FAULT
Have you ever had a personality fault that just keeps digging at you and won’t go away?You pray that it will go away, you try to overcome it every time it pops up its ugly head. Nothing works. The monks have a chapter of… Continue Reading “THE RULE OF ST. BENEDICT: Chapter 4 MY WORST FAULT”
WHAT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE.
When doing Lectio Divina (Phil 2:5) a while back, some thoughts that came to mind when I thought about Christ emptying himself to become human, I thought about these other strange inconsistencies in my view of reality. Trying to seek God, at the core… Continue Reading “WHAT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE.”
THE CUP OF SALVATION
During one of my Lectio Divina (Phil 2:5) encounters, my thoughts wandered to the meaning of Jesus’ command: love one another as I have loved you. What can this mean? Does Jesus just come down to earth and abandon us to the perils of… Continue Reading “THE CUP OF SALVATION”
SEVEN CISTERCIAN MARTYRS OF ATLAS
The following information is from Wikipedia about the martyrdom of Seven Cistercian monks from the Monastery of Our Lady of Atlas, Algeria, I offer it as part of my Lecio Divina meditation last week as I prepared for the Resurrection. Martyrs of Atlas Died… Continue Reading “SEVEN CISTERCIAN MARTYRS OF ATLAS”
I ATE MEAT ON GOOD FRIDAY.
Are you crazy, you say? You ate meat on Good Friday, the one of two days (the other being Ash Wednesday) that you are asked to give up meat (abstinence) each year? The sign that you really follow the spirit of the law and… Continue Reading “I ATE MEAT ON GOOD FRIDAY.”
CAN YOU ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS?
There are six questions which I think everyone, every human, that is, should answer, if they are to prepare to live Forever. It is all about perspective and your perspective determines the world you create here and in the next world to come. Here… Continue Reading “CAN YOU ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS?”
WHAT IS REAL?
This might seem like an unlikely topic for Lectio Divina (Phil 2:5) but it happened so I will pass it on. I have had conversations in the past about spirituality and how it is not based on reality but on Faith and subjective belief.… Continue Reading “WHAT IS REAL?”
ACT YOUR NATURE!
In one of my more lively Lectio Divina meditations (Phil 2:5), the thought came to me to act my nature. What an out-in-left=field thought! Especially at this season of Holy Week 2018, what in the world could that mean? I have actually had this… Continue Reading “ACT YOUR NATURE!”
The Resurrection: Making All Things New
One of the things I think about, when pondering the infinite mysteries of the Resurrection of Christ is how it answers the question of why would God leave being God and take upon our human nature. Christ was like us in all things but… Continue Reading “The Resurrection: Making All Things New”
LOCKED FROM THE INSIDE
Here is a different take on Holy Week. I have had this experience only once or twice in my lifetime, both times they were frustrating. I am speaking of knocking on the door of my house but it is locked from the inside and… Continue Reading “LOCKED FROM THE INSIDE”
WHAT STEPHEN HAWKING TAUGHT ME ABOUT REALITY
There are only six or seven thinkers who have provided me with systems of reasoning that shape who I am today. In this sense, I assimilate different philosophies, patterns of comparitive religion, trends at looking at what makes up total reality, all forming my… Continue Reading “WHAT STEPHEN HAWKING TAUGHT ME ABOUT REALITY”
THREE WISHES
If you had three wishes, what would they be? In my Lectio Divina (Phil 2:5) I fumbled across these ideas when thinking about Jesus. My three wishes would be radically different than if I selected them six or seven years ago. I am coming… Continue Reading “THREE WISHES”
WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME?
The “Me” generation can’t seem to find the prespective that says, “Thy Will Be Done.” Instead, they are “What’s in it for me?” Sad. In my Lectio Divina yesterday, (Phil 2:5), I asked myself the question, “What’s in it for me?” I know, Lectio… Continue Reading “WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME?”
PRAY FOR ME.
I say it to everyone I meet at Good Shepherd, “Pray for me.” I don’t mean to be asking people to do something for me that is clearly irrelevant to some. My Lectio Divina on Phil 2:5 took this turn. FOR THOSE IN MY… Continue Reading “PRAY FOR ME.”
WHAT DO YOU SEE?
What we see we do not see. What we hear we do not hear. Read Mark 8:17-19 New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE) “And becoming aware of it, Jesus said to them, “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not… Continue Reading “WHAT DO YOU SEE?”
WHAT WERE YOU DOING ON MARCH 1, 2007?
Can you think back to the year 2007 and tell me what you were doing on March 1? You did something, if you were living, not so? What was it that made this date so special? How about the other dates you have experienced? … Continue Reading “WHAT WERE YOU DOING ON MARCH 1, 2007?”
SIMPLICITY IN PRAYER
As I become more like Christ and less like me, I appreciate the notion of Oneness. I am beginning to be aware that more is not necessarily better when it comes to prayer. At all times, I try to keep a healthy balance between … Continue Reading “SIMPLICITY IN PRAYER”
Ash Wednesday: Sober reminder of our destiny
Every year I hear the same thing, Memento, Homo, quia tu es pulvis, et pulveris reverteris, although it is likely said in English, “Remember, Human, you are dust and into dust you shall return.” For many, many years, this statement has jolted me back… Continue Reading “Ash Wednesday: Sober reminder of our destiny”
REFLECTIONS ON THE LAY CISTERCIAN RETREAT– 2018
Every now and then, more so now that I am 77 years old, I get an idea that sends me flush with excitement. For an old, broken-down temple of the Holy Spirit, that can be extremely important. Just returning from my annual Lay Cistercian… Continue Reading “REFLECTIONS ON THE LAY CISTERCIAN RETREAT– 2018”
SPIRITUALITY FOR ATHEISTS AND AGNOSTICS
I never know where my Lectio Divina meditations are going to take me. Once in a blue moon, I make it to the contemplatio part of my four steps. Often I just do what I call the chain Lectio (someone may have another term… Continue Reading “SPIRITUALITY FOR ATHEISTS AND AGNOSTICS”
PRAYER: KEEP IT SIMPLE
When I think about it, while dwelling on Philippians 2:5, one of the few things Christ told us to do was the admonition to love one another as He as loved us. How simple! How utterly profound. If I want to love God with… Continue Reading “PRAYER: KEEP IT SIMPLE”
ITSY BITSY PRAYERS
One of my favorite prayers is the ancient mantra, Jesus Christ, Son of David, have mercy on me. The important thing about short prayers is they are like drinking concentrated orange juice. They may be too compact and strong by themselves. They need the… Continue Reading “ITSY BITSY PRAYERS”
DID HUGH HEFNER GO TO HEAVEN?
Who determines who goes to Heaven? Is Hitler in Heaven? Is Hugh Hefner in Heaven? These are thoughts I had recently, when I did my Lectio Divina prayers and meditated on Philippians 2:5. Don’t ask me why I thought of Mr. Hefner. It just… Continue Reading “DID HUGH HEFNER GO TO HEAVEN?”
I TOOK INSTRUCTIONS TO BE AN ANGLICAN
It was not a particularly good time in my life in 2010. My application for laicization had been on hold for 18 years, since Pope Saint John Paul II decided not to grant priests dispensation. I felt like I still wanted to be useful… Continue Reading “I TOOK INSTRUCTIONS TO BE AN ANGLICAN”
HOW TO ORGANIZE AND FOCUS ON THE LIFE OF CHRIST
MY SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR EACH DAY The following pages are samples of the horarium (hourly agenda) I use to organize my day as a Lay Cistercian. Everyone who practices the Cistercian practices and charisms, for those, not a monk or a nun, will have… Continue Reading “HOW TO ORGANIZE AND FOCUS ON THE LIFE OF CHRIST”
TEN CONTEMPLATIVE WEBSISTES THAT WILL KNOCK YOUR SOCKS OFF
When I have my Lectio Divina prayer, I usually have follow up homework to do. The Holy Spirit leaves me so much material on my plate that I am full time trying to digest all the ideas the come from just being in the… Continue Reading “TEN CONTEMPLATIVE WEBSISTES THAT WILL KNOCK YOUR SOCKS OFF”
THE ONE PLACE NO ONE WANTS TO GO
Whenever I read or listen to the Star Trek theme, “to boldly go where no one has gone before,” I always think of the one place where I don’t like to go– inside me. As a Lay Cistercian following the practices of Cistercian spirituality,… Continue Reading “THE ONE PLACE NO ONE WANTS TO GO”
THE RULE OF ST. BENEDICT: CHAPTER 4, No. 20. To become a stranger to the world’s ways
This admonition of St. Benedict in his Chapter on the tools monks can do to move from self to God is one of my favorites. It gets to the ancient dialectic between the world and the spirit, as St. Paul frequently uses. Read Galatians… Continue Reading “THE RULE OF ST. BENEDICT: CHAPTER 4, No. 20. To become a stranger to the world’s ways”
THE RULE OF ST. BENEDICT: CHAPTER 4, No. 20. To become a stranger to the world’s ways
This admonition of St. Benedict in his Chapter on the tools monks can do to move from self to God is one of my favorites. It gets to the ancient dialectic between the world and the spirit, as St. Paul frequently uses. Read Galatians… Continue Reading “THE RULE OF ST. BENEDICT: CHAPTER 4, No. 20. To become a stranger to the world’s ways”
THE DARK SIDE OF LOVE
This is a topic which can be misleading, if not put into context. In my Lectio Divina a few weeks ago, Phil 2:5, I came across several thoughts that made me sit up straight and come to attention. I was thinking, if love is… Continue Reading “THE DARK SIDE OF LOVE”
HOW DOES IT ALL FIT TOGETHER?
In one of my more esoteric moments, or should I say what I think about after retirement, my thoughts go to how all reality fits together. My book on the Six Thresholds of Life (see the BOOK section of this blog) has, as threshold… Continue Reading “HOW DOES IT ALL FIT TOGETHER?”
RULE OF ST. BENEDICT: Chapter 4. Prefer nothing to the love of Christ
The following are thoughts from my most recent Lectio Divina on Phil 2:5. St. Benedict states to his monks in Chapter 4 that they should prefer nothing to the love of Christ. Here is the quote from Chapter 4 of the Rule of St.… Continue Reading “RULE OF ST. BENEDICT: Chapter 4. Prefer nothing to the love of Christ”
HOW TO START YOUR OWN CHURCH IN FIVE EASY STEPS
The following reflections come from my Lectio Divina meditations on Phil 2:5 and are solely my ideas. I am only a broken-down, old temple of the Holy Spirit, not a theologian, spiritual director for anyone, nor an expert in anything. I wondered what it… Continue Reading “HOW TO START YOUR OWN CHURCH IN FIVE EASY STEPS”
RULE OF ST. BENEDICT: Chapter 4–Instruments of Good Works #10 DENY YOURSELF
9.  And not to do to another what one would not have done to oneself. 10. To deny oneself in order to follow Christ. 11. To chastise the body. 12. Not to become attached to pleasures. 13. To love fasting. 14. To relieve the… Continue Reading “RULE OF ST. BENEDICT: Chapter 4–Instruments of Good Works #10 DENY YOURSELF”
THE BOOK OF LIFE
I always had a problem remembering the names of those for whom I wanted to pray. I always remember my parents and grandparents and family members, but, as I grow older, and more names are added to my prayer list, I can’t remember all… Continue Reading “THE BOOK OF LIFE”
YOU ARE WHAT YOU READ!
“You are what you eat’? This phrase has come to us via quite a tortuous route. Anthelme Brillat-Savarin wrote, in Physiologie du Gout, ou Meditations de Gastronomie Transcendante, 1826: https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/you-are-what-you-eat.html In conducting my Lectio Divina, I would like to think that I am what I read.… Continue Reading “YOU ARE WHAT YOU READ!”
PRAY AS YOU CAN
Brother Michael, OSCO, one of our Junior Instructors, gave us many wonderful insights into Lectio Divina, one of which was, “Pray as you can.” For a monk in a monastery, the setting helps him or her to focus on Christ without distraction with a… Continue Reading “PRAY AS YOU CAN”
ODDS AND ENDS
Here are some lectio divina ideas I have written down as a result of my contemplation of the Second Threshold of Spiritual Awareness, “What is the Center of My Life”. Â These are conversations I have had in the presence of God. My purpose in… Continue Reading “ODDS AND ENDS”
HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THIS?
FIRST IDEA: Why are there no churches named for the Apostles? The Old Testament had twelve tribes named for Joseph’s brothers. The early church was the continuation of the Old Testament, yet there are no local faith communities that bear their name. There is… Continue Reading “HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THIS?”
EVER HEARD OF ORVILLE KAHL?
When I was growing up, the smartest man, as well as the most talented man I ever knew was Orville Kahl? Ever heard of him? It is doubtful you have, unless you are from Vincennes, Indiana and lived in the 1950-60’s. Orville was my… Continue Reading “EVER HEARD OF ORVILLE KAHL?”
WHAT DOES REALITY LOOK LIKE?
One of my six thresholds of life is, What does reality look like? There could be many different ways to see reality, all of them held sincerely by their advocates, and many of them are correct. If a scientific-oriented person looks at reality, he… Continue Reading “WHAT DOES REALITY LOOK LIKE?”
CAN YOU PASS THIS TEST?
Academia stresses the need for testing to determine proficiency or even mastery in a particular subject. Not to be outclassed, here are a few questions that you have to answer, sooner or later. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF LIFE? Call it philosophical or just… Continue Reading “CAN YOU PASS THIS TEST?”
REFLECTIONS ON THE RULE OF ST. BENEDICT: The purpose of life.
I offer you the results of my meditations on parts of the Rule of St. Benedict. As one who can only aspire to be a Lay Cistercian, the Rule of Benedict has shaped my spirituality towards a more contemplative leaning. https://www.osb.org/rb/text/rbejms2.html#4 Each of these short… Continue Reading “REFLECTIONS ON THE RULE OF ST. BENEDICT: The purpose of life.”
THE CHRISTMAS CONUNDRUM
This Christmas, my wife and I are not exchanging gifts. It’s not that we can’t afford to do so, but rather the meaning behind those gifts has been so secularized that anything approaching the reason we remember Christmas has long been supplanted by the tenents… Continue Reading “THE CHRISTMAS CONUNDRUM”
SO, WHERE DID EVIL COME FROM?
Forgive me for being so maudlin. I get into these spells once in a blue moon, thinking of topics that seem way off (more so than usual). In my Lectio Divina dream, one where I don’t know if I was awake or asleep, I… Continue Reading “SO, WHERE DID EVIL COME FROM?”
LECTIO DIVINA: Pray as you can
One of the most practical, yet profound, statements about how to practice contemplative spirituality comes from Brother Michael, OCSO, monk of Holy Spirit Monastery, Conyers, Ga., and one of our Junior Lay Cistercian instructors. He made a presentation on what it means to be… Continue Reading “LECTIO DIVINA: Pray as you can”
WHY DO PEOPLE FALL AWAY FROM THE FAITH? HOW TO RECOVER FAITH.
This subject has both bothered me and confused me for some time. Perhaps it is because I have just renewed my appreciation for the wisdom of the teachings of the Church, even though I had been trained and steeped in the tradition for most… Continue Reading “WHY DO PEOPLE FALL AWAY FROM THE FAITH? HOW TO RECOVER FAITH.”
HOW TO LOSE YOUR FAITH AND HOW TO GET IT BACK.
Faith, like love and service, can dry up, if not used. I have talked with many people who have lost their faith or had occasion to just stop believing in anything related to Christ and how to love. I don’t know about the motivation… Continue Reading “HOW TO LOSE YOUR FAITH AND HOW TO GET IT BACK.”
THE DARK SIDE OF SERVICE
I learned this phrase in the Eighth Grade at St. Francis Xavier School in Vincennes, Indiana in 1951. It comes from the Baltimore Catechism and it is the lynchpin (cornerstone) of all of my spirituality. It answers the question, why are you here? The… Continue Reading “THE DARK SIDE OF SERVICE”
HOW TO PLAN YOUR MOVE FROM SELF TO GOD
What follows is excerpted from my book, The Lay Cistercian Journey. As a Lay Cistercian, one of the lessons I have learned is to have consistency of practice with my five Cistercian principles (silence, solitude, work, pray, community). If you want to have Jesus… Continue Reading “HOW TO PLAN YOUR MOVE FROM SELF TO GOD”
SENTINILES OF THE DAWN
When you wake up at 3:00 a.m. and try to get back to sleep, when you glance at your clock and murmer, “Oh no! Only three more hours to sleep,” when you look out the window to see if it is light yet, you… Continue Reading “SENTINILES OF THE DAWN”
DO YOU STILL BABEL?
One of the familiar but obscure stories in the Book of Genesis is the one about the Tower of Bable. (Genesis 11:1-9) I consider all these stories as archetypal ones, setting forth the deepest and most fundamental truths about what it means to be… Continue Reading “DO YOU STILL BABEL?”
I SING OF LIFE AND LOVE: My story
What follows is a poem about my life. During one of my Lectio Divina meditations, I thought about what I have accomplished in my life. By all the measures that the world has for success, I have been an abject failure. I never made lots… Continue Reading “I SING OF LIFE AND LOVE: My story”
HOLINESS IN THE MIDST OF ORGINAL SIN
The following excerpt is from a manuscript I am writing, entitled THRIVING IN THE PRESENCE OF PURE ENERGY: A Lay Cistercian reflects on invisible reality, the Mystery of Faith and Eucharistic Adoration. In my writings, I write about Christ as the Way, the Truth, and the Life.… Continue Reading “HOLINESS IN THE MIDST OF ORGINAL SIN”
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE
Several years ago, someone told me, “Thank you for your service,” when I told them I had been a U.S. Army Chaplain. No one had ever said that to me before. I can remember being very touched by the comments. Two days ago, I… Continue Reading “THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE”
MEETING CHRIST FOR BREAKFAST
On Sunday mornings, after going to church services, many people eat out at the favorite diner or restaurant. I like to see family eat together. This scenario reminded me of one of my Lectio Divina meditations on having a meal with Christ, a.k.a. The… Continue Reading “MEETING CHRIST FOR BREAKFAST”
BLACK FRIDAY REPLACES GOOD FRIDAY
It is one of those curious ironies of the secular age in which we live that Black Friday, the shopping day after Thanksgiving, is more important than Good Friday. Of course, Good Friday was never important, even before the rise of the electronic age,… Continue Reading “BLACK FRIDAY REPLACES GOOD FRIDAY”
PENANCE: Fast and Pray
We all live in a world that has been contaminated by Original Sin, the archetypal sin of Adam and Eve that defines the condition in which we live. Our theology tells us that we are all born with Original Sin which keeps us from… Continue Reading “PENANCE: Fast and Pray”
WHAT IS HEAVEN LIKE?
Do you have to use the restroom, when you die and go to Heaven? Do you have claustrophobia in Heaven? Will you be able to go to the Emergency Room? How can you travel from place to place? Who fixes your food? These and… Continue Reading “WHAT IS HEAVEN LIKE?”
BY THEIR FRUITS YOU SHALL KNOW THEM
At the core of what it means to be a follower of The Master is doing what he taught. Spirituality is not a head thing as much as a head and heart thing. St. Benedict, in his Chapter 4 of the Rule, wanted monks… Continue Reading “BY THEIR FRUITS YOU SHALL KNOW THEM”
THEN WHAT?
My wife and I recently took a trip to Nashville to visit our daughter, Martha. Of course, we had to take along our dog, Tucker. Nice trip for a couple of days, but then my wife asked me, what’s next? I said that our… Continue Reading “THEN WHAT?”
WHO IS NUMBER ONE?
What person or thing do you love the most in your life? What is the one person or thing that, if you took it away, everything else would crumble? This is the center of your life, the one principle upon which all other moral… Continue Reading “WHO IS NUMBER ONE?”
IT’S ALL PRAYER!
When reciting the Liturgy of the Hours, particularly the Office of Readings, the Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer, I frequently make mistakes. You know, forgetting my place, saying you instead of yours, or mispronouncing the name of a tribe of Israel or those incredible names… Continue Reading “IT’S ALL PRAYER!”
LAY CISTERCIAN JOURNEY: Life in Christ
The following comments are my own reflections from the document on Lay Cistercian Journey discussed at a Gathering Day of Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Monastery on October 1, 2017. It is part of our on-going Junior Professed Formation Program. Each month, our… Continue Reading “LAY CISTERCIAN JOURNEY: Life in Christ”
REFLECTIONS ON THE LAY CISTERCIAN SPIRITUAL JOURNEY:Formation and Transformation
The following comments are my own reflections from the document on Lay Cistercian Journey discussed at a Gathering Day of Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Monastery on October 1, 2017. It is part of our on-going Junior Professed Formation Program. Each month, our… Continue Reading “REFLECTIONS ON THE LAY CISTERCIAN SPIRITUAL JOURNEY:Formation and Transformation”
REFLECTIONS ON THE LAY CISTERCIAN SPIRITUAL JOURNEY: The Community as a Means of Growth
The following comments are my own reflections from the document on Lay Cistercian Journey discussed at a Gathering Day of Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Monastery on October 1, 2017. It is part of our on-going Junior Professed Formation Program. Each month, our… Continue Reading “REFLECTIONS ON THE LAY CISTERCIAN SPIRITUAL JOURNEY: The Community as a Means of Growth”
REFLECTIONS ON THE LAY CISTERCIAN SPIRITUAL JOURNEY: The Response
The following comments are my own reflections from the document on Lay Cistercian Journey discussed at a Gathering Day of Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Monastery on October 1, 2017. It is part of our on-going Junior Professed Formation Program. Each month, our… Continue Reading “REFLECTIONS ON THE LAY CISTERCIAN SPIRITUAL JOURNEY: The Response”
REFLECTIONS ON LAY CISTERCIAN SPIRITUAL JOURNEY: The Call
The following comments are my own reflections from the document on Lay Cistercian Journey discussed at a Gathering Day of Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Monastery on October 1, 2017. It is part of our on-going Junior Professed Formation Program. Each month, our… Continue Reading “REFLECTIONS ON LAY CISTERCIAN SPIRITUAL JOURNEY: The Call”
LIVING THE CHRIST LIFE IS NOT EASY
Here are a few thoughts I had from my Lectio Divina (Phil. 2:5) on original sin. Ever since the sin of Adam and Eve, humans have experienced the side-effects of that original sin. They are work is difficult, childbearing is with pain, there are… Continue Reading “LIVING THE CHRIST LIFE IS NOT EASY”
Follow Me
Jesus left us no book of instructions on how to get to Heaven other than what he taught his disciples. St. John says, in his Gospel that the whole world could not contain all the stories of what Jesus did. (John 21:24-25) Here are… Continue Reading “Follow Me”
WONDER IF….
Here are some thoughts from my Lectio Divina meditations that you might find interesting. Wonder if… you did not have to struggle sometimes to complete your contemplative practices. Wonder if…you were not tempted to stop going to Eucharist because it is where you not… Continue Reading “WONDER IF….”
PRAYER: Our Father
You must have recited the Our Father hundreds of times in your lifetime. It is a stylized prayer, one that we recite from Scripture at every Eucharist. Like all prayers that we say over and over, we have a tendency to take the words… Continue Reading “PRAYER: Our Father”
IN WHICH OF THESE TWO CHURCHES DO YOU PRACTICE?
NOTE: Â The following blog is excerpted from a book I am writing about the subject. I do not attempt a scholarly treatise on the forces that shaped the early Catholic Church in this blog. There are complex Greek and Roman influences and myths that… Continue Reading “IN WHICH OF THESE TWO CHURCHES DO YOU PRACTICE?”
HOW CAN YOU PRACTICE SILENCE IN THE MIDST OF CHAOS?
It might seem like a contradiction to say that you can practice silence in the midst of the turmoil of living life each day. Traditionally, monks and nuns are those men and women who seal themselves away from the so-called noise of living in order… Continue Reading “HOW CAN YOU PRACTICE SILENCE IN THE MIDST OF CHAOS?”
TOP FIVE CISTERCIAN INTERNET SITES
When I look up something that puzzles me or confuses me, which is almost 100% of the time, I use these five sites when I think of contemplative spirituality. I thought you might like to see what they are and bookmark them. I offer… Continue Reading “TOP FIVE CISTERCIAN INTERNET SITES”
MOVING DEEPER FROM SELF TO GOD
If you are the same person at fifty-five, spiritually, that you were when you were twenty-five, something is wrong. Â Life is too short. Â You don’t want to waste time on just treading water your whole life. Â If you are not growing deeper, you probably… Continue Reading “MOVING DEEPER FROM SELF TO GOD”
WHAT IS THE CORE OF YOUR BEING, THE ONE CORNERSTONE OF SACRED SCRIPTURES?
Can you think of just one concept or quote from Sacred Scriptures upon which all the others rest? Â Put another way, what is the bulls-eye of the bull’s eye of a target, the exact center? Â Again, if you had to write down just one… Continue Reading “WHAT IS THE CORE OF YOUR BEING, THE ONE CORNERSTONE OF SACRED SCRIPTURES?”
REFLECTIONS ON WHAT MY ORANGE TREE TAUGHT ME ABOUT GOD
I share with you some of my ideas from Lectio Divina Meditation and Contemplation based on Philippians 2:5. This morning, I was looking at my orange tree in the front yard. I had previously had many orange blossoms but now just ten teeny, tiny… Continue Reading “REFLECTIONS ON WHAT MY ORANGE TREE TAUGHT ME ABOUT GOD”
PRAY FOR ME?
When Hurricane Irma was on track to come directly over Tallahassee, many of my friends and church members told me that they would pray for me. Â What does that mean? When we pray in times of dysfunction or stress, do we seek God to… Continue Reading “PRAY FOR ME?”
CREATING A SPIRITUAL PATH FROM SELF TO GOD
One thing I lacked about seven years ago before I became an aspiring Lay Cistercian, was order in my life. I have since devised a way for me to seek God as a Lay Cistercian member of Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Monastery,… Continue Reading “CREATING A SPIRITUAL PATH FROM SELF TO GOD”
WHAT MAKES JESUS ANGRY?
You don’t want to make God angry. There was one thing that did provoke anger on more than one occasion. It was saying one thing in public but holding a different position in your heart. It was duplicity. It was hypocrisy. 27 “Woe to you,… Continue Reading “WHAT MAKES JESUS ANGRY?”
DO YOU PLAY GOD GAMES?
During one of my Lectio/Meditations on Phil 2:5, I had the following thoughts which I share with you now. All Christians have the temptation to play God games. The games are human responses to what we think God is or what we think God… Continue Reading “DO YOU PLAY GOD GAMES?”
THE THREE RULES OF THE SPIRITUAL UNIVERSE
The following ideas are excerpted from my book, The Three Rules of the Spiritual Universe. You can access this book in the Store part of this blog. In my Lectio Divina/Meditations/Contemplations, I was presented with these three ideas about the spiritual universe.  They are big… Continue Reading “THE THREE RULES OF THE SPIRITUAL UNIVERSE”
I ALWAYS SIT IN THE TAX COLLECTOR’S SEAT
Well, there I sat, as I always do, in the Tax Collector’s seat at Good Shepherd Church, Tallahassee, Florida. The last bench is marked with a handicapped sign, but that is not why I sit there. You are no doubt familiar with the parable… Continue Reading “I ALWAYS SIT IN THE TAX COLLECTOR’S SEAT”
DO YOU HAVE FIERCE LOVE?
In my Lectio Divina meditation on Phil 2:5, I had some thoughts which I would like to share. What kind of love is there that compels someone to do something they know will eventually result in great pain and even death? And not just… Continue Reading “DO YOU HAVE FIERCE LOVE?”
For Behold, I Make All Things New
Here are some of my Lectio Meditation thoughts on forgiveness. What is the distance between your birth and death? What is the distance between when a flower germinates and when it drys up? Everything has a beginning and an end in the physical and… Continue Reading “For Behold, I Make All Things New”
RETIREES, SENIORS AND SEEKING GOD
Most of the retired people I know say that they are busier now than when they were working full time in their job. Â The big fear people have, when they first retire, is am I going to have enough to do to keep busy?… Continue Reading “RETIREES, SENIORS AND SEEKING GOD”
Contemplative Practices I practice
The following spiritual practices are those I use in my daily attempt to love God with all my heart. I like them because they allow me to focus on my purpose in life, to have in me the mind of Christ Jesus. (Phil 2:5-12)… Continue Reading “Contemplative Practices I practice”
Guido’s Ladder to Heaven
Here are some thoughts about my struggle with contemplation and what I have learned about Lection Divina as one who aspires to be a Lay Cistercian. I try to follow Guido II’s four steps of seeking God. Â The following is text from Guido II… Continue Reading “Guido’s Ladder to Heaven”
THE WOMAN WHO CHANGED TIME: SPIRITUALITY AND TIME
SPIRITUALITY AND TIME Some thoughts on how spirituality and time interact.  Seven lessons humans need to learn, in order to live in three universes. LESSON ONE: The more complex the reality, the simpler it Truth is. The purpose of your life is to discover… Continue Reading “THE WOMAN WHO CHANGED TIME: SPIRITUALITY AND TIME”
THE TIME TRAVELER: A TRIP TO FOREVER
Here some crazy ideas about time travel and immortality. I recently wrote a blog about taking a trip to California. I left for Los Angeles on a Friday and returned on a Monday. No problems. Nice flight, but somewhat tiring for an old geezer.… Continue Reading “THE TIME TRAVELER: A TRIP TO FOREVER”
A TRIP TO CALIFORNIA
Last month, I took a trip to California to visit my favorite Aunt, Sister Adrian Marie Conrad, S.P. She is a Sister of Providence from Terre Haute, Indiana. Although it only lasted four days (two of which were for travel), it was very memorable.… Continue Reading “A TRIP TO CALIFORNIA”
FORGIVENESS: The Gift only a God could give us.
When someone gives you a gift,  such as Christmas time or your birthday, you naturally think of money, expensive articles of clothing or fancy kitchen appliances. Most of these gifts are what we want, not what we need. What gifts would God give us to… Continue Reading “FORGIVENESS: The Gift only a God could give us.”
WONDER IF…
One of the things I like about science and the discovery of wonderful, new ideas is the ability to wonder about things and make hypotheses about why they exist. Â The human mind is made to wonder about why something is and to try to… Continue Reading “WONDER IF…”
DO YOU HAVE SPIRITUAL DEPRESSION?
Whoa! Â Wait a minute! Are you saying there is such a thing as being spiritually depressed? Yes, I am! Â What follows are my reflections from Lectio Divina meditation and contemplation on Philippians 2:5. I asked the question, what are aberrations or dysfunctions of the… Continue Reading “DO YOU HAVE SPIRITUAL DEPRESSION?”
YOU HAVE REASON FOR A REASON
I recently wrote a blog about the Fermi Paradox. It may or may not be a paradox but it asks the question, where is everybody out there? We haven’t found so much as a hiccup from SETI, or an organic molecule of life, much… Continue Reading “YOU HAVE REASON FOR A REASON”
YOU DON’T WANT TO SLEEP IN THIS BED
As part of my Lectio Divina, I sometimes get bizarre thoughts and ideas. I was trying to meditate on my Lectio (reading or saying, which is always Phil 2:5) and the fact that humans have frequent temptations to stretch the truth to our own convenience… Continue Reading “YOU DON’T WANT TO SLEEP IN THIS BED”
YOUR TRIP TO OMEGA
Life may be like a set of train tracks, but with one difference. Did you know you are on an inexorable trip to Omega and might not even be aware of it? Here are some ideas I had while doing Lectio Divina contemplation before… Continue Reading “YOUR TRIP TO OMEGA”
THE MORE PROFOUND SPIRITUALITY IS, THE SIMPLER IT BECOMES
That title statement cannot be correct, can it? Think about it! If God is one, an assumption which I hold, then all that is real is contained in The One. Â There is no two. As part of my Lectio Divina contemplation, I reflected on… Continue Reading “THE MORE PROFOUND SPIRITUALITY IS, THE SIMPLER IT BECOMES”
SPIRITUALITY FOR PET OWNERS
The  following blog is excerpted from my book, What Happens to You When Your Pet Dies: Spirituality for Pet Owners. See section in Books. You can lose a pet in an accident, or it can run away, or you may have to terminate its… Continue Reading “SPIRITUALITY FOR PET OWNERS”
WHAT IS YOUR CENTER?
The following excerpt is from my book entitled, For Behold, I Make All Things New: A Lay Cistercian reflects on mercy, forgiveness, confession and penance to grow in faith, love, and service. I can remember it very well. I stood as high as my… Continue Reading “WHAT IS YOUR CENTER?”
THRIVING IN THE PRESENCE OF PURE ENERGY
The following description is a synopsis of my forthcoming work, whatever you want to call it, entitled THRIVING IN THE PRESENCE OF PURE ENERGY: A Lay Cistercian reflects on invisible reality, The Mystery of Faith, and Eucharistic Adoration. Â It should be completed in September,… Continue Reading “THRIVING IN THE PRESENCE OF PURE ENERGY”
Wash Me and I Will Be Whiter Than Snow
Sometimes God wait for us on a bench in what may seem like impossible conditions. In contemplation, I realize that there are three levels of awareness I must master. Good — I wait for God to meet me because I made the appointment with… Continue Reading “Wash Me and I Will Be Whiter Than Snow”
REFLECTIONS ON THE SPIRITUAL UNIVERSE
The following reflections come from one of my Lectio Divina Contemplations. Have you ever heard of the phenomenon about pole reversal, which states that our North and South poles have sifted over the billions of years earth has been here? How this… Continue Reading “REFLECTIONS ON THE SPIRITUAL UNIVERSE”
10 FACTS ABOUT LAY CISTERCIANS YOU MAY NOT KNOW
While Cistercians have been around since the mid-10th century, and before them Benedictines from the time of St. Benedict (c. 540) and before them various monastic strains, Lay Cistercians are a very recent movement. There are two types of Cistercians that trace their foundations… Continue Reading “10 FACTS ABOUT LAY CISTERCIANS YOU MAY NOT KNOW”
HOW TO ENTER THE REALM OF THE SACRED
What might seem like an Indiana Jones fantasy adventure to enter the lost or forbidden realm of the Sacred is indeed the most simple, in keeping with everything about God. You simply go there. Contemplation is seeking God within you, among other places. Close… Continue Reading “HOW TO ENTER THE REALM OF THE SACRED”
LEARNING POINTS ABOUT MERCY, FORGIVENESS, CONFESSION AND PENANCE
The following list is from my book, For Behold, I Make All Things New.  (see Books in this blog) 1. Whenever you use God’s energy, through contemplation or through penance, something wonderful happens inside you. 2. Penance re-aligns your spiritual purpose with God’s. 3.… Continue Reading “LEARNING POINTS ABOUT MERCY, FORGIVENESS, CONFESSION AND PENANCE”
My life as a poem.
What follows is a poem about my life. It is, as yet, unfinished, but the elements are all present. My Life As A Poem I sing the song of life and love… …sometimes flat and out of tune …sometimes eloquent and full of… Continue Reading “My life as a poem.”
Fermi’s Paradox
You have heard of Enrico Fermi, physicist, haven’t you? Â https://www.space.com/25325-fermi-paradox.html He was having lunch with his friends one day and the subject was life outside of earth. Â He simply asked, “Where is everybody?” What may or may not be a paradox, depending on who… Continue Reading “Fermi’s Paradox”
Reparation: Why waste your time praying?
Prayer is all about lifting your heart and mind to God. Â There are lots of reasons to pray. Â Here is one reason that probably goes unnoticed. Think about this! Â You are driving down the highway at 80 mph, clearly above the 70 mph limit,… Continue Reading “Reparation: Why waste your time praying?”
Carving out solitude for Contemplation
The big problem with contemplation for those living in the world is the static that comes from being bombarded with all kinds of interests and projects competing for our time. Face it. Â There will never be a good time for contemplation (unless you carve… Continue Reading “Carving out solitude for Contemplation”
A Lay Cistercian reflects on moving from self to God
There are many lessons I have learned about trying to be spiritual in my lifetime. Â Here are a few. Spirituality, i.e., moving from self to God, is a lifetime process. I marvel, when talking to people who have said they left the Catholic Church… Continue Reading “A Lay Cistercian reflects on moving from self to God”
HOW DIET REMINDS ME OF CONTEMPLATION
Although I try mightily, I am constantly tempted to stop any attempts at contemplation. This is like a runner who must find a mental challenge, as well as the physical one of running the distance. In one of my Lectio Divina meditations, I found… Continue Reading “HOW DIET REMINDS ME OF CONTEMPLATION”
A Lay Cistercian Reflects on the Practice of Contemplative Practice
As an aspiring Lay Cistercian, I would like to share with you some of the practical and real ways in which I pray, using silence, solitude, work, prayer, in the context of community. These reflection are my own and do not reflect any official… Continue Reading “A Lay Cistercian Reflects on the Practice of Contemplative Practice”
THREE THINGS GOD TOLD ME ABOUT CANCER , WHEN I SAT NEXT TO HIM IN CONTEMPLATION
If  you think I am some kind of religious fanatic, let me assure you that I am not. What this blog topic is about is ten days of contemplation using the Lectio Divina method. I didn’t always have success at waiting for God, which… Continue Reading “THREE THINGS GOD TOLD ME ABOUT CANCER , WHEN I SAT NEXT TO HIM IN CONTEMPLATION”
THE JESUS CODE: ENTERING THE REALM OF ENLIGHTENMENT
The path to enlightenment has been trod many times by those seeking the way, what is true, and the fullness of life. Are you on it?
Seeking God in Daily Life
The morning is dark and lovely with the silence that comes with listening with the ear of the heart (St. Benedict’s Rule, Prologue) to the insights and love only God can share. The cool air of the third day of Spring smells fresh and with… Continue Reading “Seeking God in Daily Life”
How contemplative prayer helped me with cancer.
The following excerpt is from my still unpublished journal on You Know You Are Going to Die, New What? Â Three Questions You Must Face Head On Sometimes is it easier to write down your thoughts before you attempt to express them with others.… Continue Reading “How contemplative prayer helped me with cancer.”