THE CENTER FOR CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICE
A Lay Cistercian Looks at Spiritual Reality
Category: Jesus
PAINTING WITH THE BRUSH OF CHRIST
St. Benedict teaches his monks that the monastery is a School of Charity or Love where we can learn how to love others as Christ loved us. It takes a lifetime to master the Art of Contemplative Practice. In one of my Lectio Divina… Continue Reading “PAINTING WITH THE BRUSH OF CHRIST”
LIFTING THE HEART AND MIND TO GOD USING ARCHITECTURE AND GREGORIAN CHANT
One characteristic of love is to want to share what is critical with those whom you value most. I wanted to share an aspect of prayer that is part of our Benedictine/Cistercian/Carthusian heritage. I came across this YouTube of a Cistercian monastery, one which… Continue Reading “LIFTING THE HEART AND MIND TO GOD USING ARCHITECTURE AND GREGORIAN CHANT”
the three principles of existence
I was never very good at academics in school, having the curse to have a slow mind that seems to dwell on how things fit together rather than their composition. I seem to gravitate toward the bigger picture. The problem is that the bigger… Continue Reading “the three principles of existence”
OBEDIENCE BY RELINQUISHING MY WILL TO A POWER OUTSIDE MYSELF: THE GREATEST OBSTACLE TO SPIRITUAL RESONANCE
My last couple of Lectio Divina’s has centered on how my Lectio (Philippians 2:5) influences resonance. I don’t take credit for this way out of thoughts as they apply to Holy Scripture. They just come, and I take them down for you to decipher.… Continue Reading “OBEDIENCE BY RELINQUISHING MY WILL TO A POWER OUTSIDE MYSELF: THE GREATEST OBSTACLE TO SPIRITUAL RESONANCE”
THE DIVINE EQUATION: HOW AN END-USER USES THE FORMULA FOR FOREVER TO GROW FROM SELF TO GOD
I must take this opportunity to remind you once again that these ideas are just the reflections of a broken-down, old temple of the Holy Spirit trying to make sense out of the physical universe, the mental universe, and also the spiritual universe. The… Continue Reading “THE DIVINE EQUATION: HOW AN END-USER USES THE FORMULA FOR FOREVER TO GROW FROM SELF TO GOD”
THE DIVINE EQUATION: THE FORMULA FOR FOREVER
When speaking of anything that has to do with God, humans are at a disadvantage. Our human nature (being), sentient though it is, is not even in the same ballpark as divine nature. The gulf is so great that human intelligence can only know… Continue Reading “THE DIVINE EQUATION: THE FORMULA FOR FOREVER”
THE DIVINE EQUATION: Quidquid recIpitur ad modum recipientis recipitur.
This last week, a friend of mine wrote me a Linkedin message commenting on my notion of Original Sin in my blog, “Whatever happened to Original Sin.” He said, ” The notion of Original is as much a fairy tale as the Tooth Fairy.”… Continue Reading “THE DIVINE EQUATION: Quidquid recIpitur ad modum recipientis recipitur.”
THE BEST COMMENTARY ON OUR SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS IN THE U.S.
I have found that the commentary of the late Rev. Billy Graham and also deceased Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen on the subject of why our society is so off center to be the most accurate. Here is what Archbishop Sheen has to say about… Continue Reading “THE BEST COMMENTARY ON OUR SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS IN THE U.S.”
THE DIVINE EQUATION: MEASURING REALITY IN THREE UNIVERSES
If you choose to recognize my idea about one reality having three separate universes (Physical, Mental, and Spiritual), then each one has its own characteristics and measurements to describe (not define) reality. The Rule of Threes, as I call this way for me to… Continue Reading “THE DIVINE EQUATION: MEASURING REALITY IN THREE UNIVERSES”
THE DIVINE EQUATION: THE MATHEMATICS OF BEING
In my quest to find out how all reality fits together, I have had some help to give me additional assumptions that get me closer to solving the Mystery of Faith. Some of these ideas I have written down for you to try to… Continue Reading “THE DIVINE EQUATION: THE MATHEMATICS OF BEING”
THE DIVINE EQUATION: CAN YOU SOLVE IT?
Here is an opportunity to solve the Divine Equation. All humans, from Adam and Eve onward must solve the Divine Equation correctly to be admitted into the next phase of their human evolution (from non-life to life; from life to animality; from animality to… Continue Reading “THE DIVINE EQUATION: CAN YOU SOLVE IT?”
THE DIVINE EQUATION: OUR NEED FOR INTIMACY
Intimacy is one of those topics we don’t like to talk about unless it is in the context of darkened room with the person you trust the most in life, and even then, just with hushed tones and deflections of what you really mean.… Continue Reading “THE DIVINE EQUATION: OUR NEED FOR INTIMACY”
THE DIVINE EQUATION
My Lectio Divina meditations usually group up into a unified theme, eventually. Right now, what comes to my mind is about cosmic influences of the Christ Principle, certainly a macro approach to reality. Let me share what I mean by that. I have been… Continue Reading “THE DIVINE EQUATION”
EIGHT THOUGHTS ABOUT GOD TAKING ON HUMAN NATURE
I admit that this Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5) idea is as far out as the edge of time, but so is the Holy Spirit. Imagine how Jesus felt when, as the Son of God the Father, he knew all that is but could not… Continue Reading “EIGHT THOUGHTS ABOUT GOD TAKING ON HUMAN NATURE”
STARTING OVER
When thinking about my Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5) subject, the concept of starting over came up. Usually, I just slough it off as if it were an unrelated piece of the puzzle and I didn’t know where it fit. This time, I thought of… Continue Reading “STARTING OVER”
THE EFFECTS OF ORIGINAL SIN ON MY CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICE
One of those lessons I have had to learn over and over is struggling against my human nature (the world) when I attempt to attain mastery over my struggles to be an adopted son of the Father. I wish is was not a struggle… Continue Reading “THE EFFECTS OF ORIGINAL SIN ON MY CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICE”
PERUSING THE OBITUARIES
Old people do weird things. At least in my case, I like to look at the obituaries on my St. Meinrad Alumni website. http://www.saintmeinrad.edu It beats watching the plastic flowers grow in my office. This may be morbid, but I like to look up… Continue Reading “PERUSING THE OBITUARIES”
MOMENTS WITH ST. MICHAEL
THE BACKSTORY Although it has been over two years ago, I still remember it vividly as though it were yesterday. A group of us gathered together to say Office of Readings, Morning Prayer, Rosary, then then Eucharist at 9:00 a.m. We came together as… Continue Reading “MOMENTS WITH ST. MICHAEL”
CREEPING TOWARDS THE PAROUSIA
Three things we humans are conditioned to do because of Original Sin are: expect immediate results; become restless and anancy when we are not doing something, anything to fill up dead time; become compulsive about filling in the hole in our lives. I have… Continue Reading “CREEPING TOWARDS THE PAROUSIA”
THE LITANY OF REDEMPTION
On this Good Friday, my reflections wander through the great love Christ had for us to lay down his life for us, we who can’t even keep watch with him in the Garden of Gethsemane. Humans, wounded by Original Sin, are redeemed by God… Continue Reading “THE LITANY OF REDEMPTION”
THE JOY IN THE RESURRECTION
May the Peace of Christ be with you. This is not the peace that the world gives but the presence of Christ’s love in us and through us to our unique world. Here are a few of my reflections as a result of my… Continue Reading “THE JOY IN THE RESURRECTION”
THE HERESY OF THE INDIVIDUAL
Heresies are not something I write about very often, in fact, I would not be writing about this topic at all except that it presented itself to be at 2:30 a.m. this morning as part of my Lectio Divina. My Lectio Divina has always… Continue Reading “THE HERESY OF THE INDIVIDUAL”
LENTEN CONVERSION: IS YOUR JESUS PARANOID?
During this intense time of introspection before the celebration of our delivery from death to life with Christ, it is important to ask the question, What does your Jesus look like? I have never seen the face of Jesus, nor have I seen the… Continue Reading “LENTEN CONVERSION: IS YOUR JESUS PARANOID?”
LENTEN CONVERSION: Beware of the default of original sin
Original sin affects everything we do as a human. Baptism takes away Original Sin, the Sin of the World, but we still must live out the consequences of living in a condition where everything has a beginning and an end. I reflected on this… Continue Reading “LENTEN CONVERSION: Beware of the default of original sin”
HERE ARE TEN TEMPTATIONS FROM SATAN I BET YOU NEVER SAW COMING.
The Devil loves to seduce humans into going against God, then laughs heartily at the offender as being so gullible and weak that he missed out on the purpose of life. I thought about how the Devil might dissuade me from having in me… Continue Reading “HERE ARE TEN TEMPTATIONS FROM SATAN I BET YOU NEVER SAW COMING.”
A LAY CISTERCIAN REFLECTS ON: MAKING AN EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE BEFORE RECEIVING THE SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION
Jesus left us several stories and activities that we should do to make him present to us. Clearly, Eucharist, the Real Presence of Christ, the fulfilment of the Last Supper, is paramount among ways to seek forgiveness and ask for God’s mercy. Additional ways… Continue Reading “A LAY CISTERCIAN REFLECTS ON: MAKING AN EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE BEFORE RECEIVING THE SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION”
LENTEN CONVERSION: THE PLACE WE CALL HELL IS LIKE…
What is hell like? This is not a topic that raises to the level that I would think about but it did come up in this week’s Lectio Divina meditation (Philippians 2:5). I have not experienced Hell because I have never been there (nor… Continue Reading “LENTEN CONVERSION: THE PLACE WE CALL HELL IS LIKE…”
LENTEN CONVERSION: WHO IS YOUR JESUS? AN END USER PAUSES TO REVIEW THE CONSEQUENCES OF BELIEVING OR NOT BELIEVING IN JESUS THE CHRIST.
In my Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5) today, I wondered about who Jesus is. I think this is part of the mystery of Faith, that probing of the human heart to try to love God with all of our heart, all of our mind, and… Continue Reading “LENTEN CONVERSION: WHO IS YOUR JESUS? AN END USER PAUSES TO REVIEW THE CONSEQUENCES OF BELIEVING OR NOT BELIEVING IN JESUS THE CHRIST.”
LENTEN CONVERSION: HOW LOVELY IS YOUR DWELLING PLACE, O LORD OF HOSTS
Today in a few hours, the Lay Cistercian community of Our Lady of the Holy Spirit (Trappist) http://www.trappist.net, will meet for their monthly Zoom Gathering Day meeting. I would like to share with you some of my preparations for that meeting. In Lectio Divina… Continue Reading “LENTEN CONVERSION: HOW LOVELY IS YOUR DWELLING PLACE, O LORD OF HOSTS”
WHISPERS FROM A CAVE
One of my favorite Scripture passages is the one where God tells a frightened Elijah the Prophet to go to a cave and He will pass by. This passage has great importance for contemplative practice. We listen to God with the ear of our… Continue Reading “WHISPERS FROM A CAVE”
