Contemplation and Mysticism

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rainbow1 said:
That is a great line! I also like… “we no longer abide within our own spirit in a sense of sorrow, but abide rather in the spirit of God with great delight”.
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hmmm…like a compass. sorrow/self, joy/Jesus.

peace
 
One of my favorite classic regarding contemplation and mysticism is the “exercise of the presence of God” by Brother Lawrence, a Carmelite.
It is a brief compilation of letters, easy to read, easy to understand, but also so profound.
 
One of my favorite classic regarding contemplation and mysticism is the “exercise of the presence of God” by Brother Lawrence, a Carmelite.
It is a brief compilation of letters, easy to read, easy to understand, but also so profound.
 
Alfonsus said:
One of my favorite classic regarding contemplation and mysticism is the “exercise of the presence of God” by Brother Lawrence, a Carmelite.
It is a brief compilation of letters, easy to read, easy to understand, but also so profound.
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Brother Lawrence was a very powerful writer.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
 
Alfonsus said:
One of my favorite classic regarding contemplation and mysticism is the “exercise of the presence of God” by Brother Lawrence, a Carmelite.
It is a brief compilation of letters, easy to read, easy to understand, but also so profound.
Click to expand...
Brother Lawrence said we ought to act with God in the greatest simplicity, speaking to Him
frankly and plainly, and imploring His assistance in our affairs just as they happen.

practicegodspresence.com/brotherlawrence/practicegodspresence09.html

peace
 
Alfonsus said:
One of my favorite classic regarding contemplation and mysticism is the “exercise of the presence of God” by Brother Lawrence, a Carmelite.
It is a brief compilation of letters, easy to read, easy to understand, but also so profound.
Click to expand...
I have been trying to remember the name of that book…thanks for posting it!😃 I love Brother Lawrence…he is such an inspiration and gives concrete ideas in everyday life that we can imitate…
 
Br.Jay…can you tell us more about St. Anthony’s life of contemplation?
 
THE SERMONS OF ST ANTONY
Translated by Paul Spilsbury
FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT
(The fourth Gospel, for Lent: Jesus was led into the desert by the Spirit, which is divided
into an allegorical and a moral sermon.)
[PROLOGUE]
(In the allegorical sermon, first on the three-fold desert, and a sermon on the advent of
the Lord: Send forth, O Lord, the lamb.)
  1. Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert, to be tempted by the devil. [Mt 4.1]
    We are told in the first book of Kings [1Kg(Sm) 24.1-2] that David dwelt in the wilderness of Engaddi. The name David means ‘strong of hand’, and stands for Jesus Christ who, with his hands fastened to the Cross, did battle with the powers of the air. What wonderful strength, to overcome his enemy with bound hands! He dwelt in the wilderness of Engaddi, which means ‘the eye of temptation’. The eye of temptation is three-fold: first greed, of which Genesis says: The woman saw that the tree was good to eat, and fair to the eyes, and delightful to behold; and she took the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave to her husband. [Gen 3.6] Second, pride and vainglory, of which Job speaks, in regard to the devil: He beholdeth every high thing. He is king over the children of pride. [Job 41.25]
    Third, avarice, of which Zechariah says: This is their eye in all the earth. [Zech 5.6]
    In this way Christ dwelt in the wilderness for forty days and forty nights, during which time he sustained from the devil temptations to greed, to vainglory and to avarice.
i think avarice is next.

He defeated the enemy with His hands bound.

peace
 
WORDS OF ADMONITION OF OUR HOLY FATHER ST. FRANCIS.
  1. Of avoiding the Sin of Envy.
The Apostle affirms that “no man can say the Lord Jesus but by the Holy Ghost,” 1 and “there is none that doth good, no not one.” 2 Whosoever, therefore, envies his brother on account of the good which the Lord says or does in him, commits a sin akin to blasphemy, because he envies the Most High Himself who says and does all that is good.

sacred-texts.com/chr/wosf/wosf03.htm

peace
 
Brother JR, I just wanted to thank you for your contributions to this thread. I’ve found them to be very helpful.
 
Philokalia Evagrios the Solitary
Texts on Discrimination in Respect of Passions and Thoughts
  1. When one of the enemy approaches you and wounds you, and you wish to turn his sword back into his own heart (cf. Ps. 37:37:15), then do as follows: analyze in yourself the sinful thought that has wounded you, what it is, what it consists of, and what in it especially afflicts the intellect. Suppose, for instance, that a thought full of avarice is suggested to you. Distinguish between the component elements: the intellect which has accepted the thought, the intellection of gold, gold itself, and the passion of avarice. Then ask: in which of these does the sin consist? Is it the intellect? But how then can the intellect be the image of God? Is it the intellection of gold? But what sensible person would ever say that? Then is gold itself the sin? In that case, why was it created? It follows, then, that the cause of the sin is the fourth element, which is neither an objective reality, nor the intellection of something real, but is a certain noxious pleasure which, once it is freely chosen, compels the intellect to misuse what God has created. It is this pleasure that the law of God commands us to cut off. Now as you investigate the thought in this way and analyze it into its components, it will be destroyed; and the demon will take to flight once your mind is raised to a higher level by this spiritual knowledge.
peace
 
hazcompat said:
Philokalia Evagrios the Solitary
Texts on Discrimination in Respect of Passions and Thoughts
  1. When one of the enemy approaches you and wounds you, and you wish to turn his sword back into his own heart (cf. Ps. 37:37:15), then do as follows: analyze in yourself the sinful thought that has wounded you, what it is, what it consists of, and what in it especially afflicts the intellect. Suppose, for instance, that a thought full of avarice is suggested to you. Distinguish between the component elements: the intellect which has accepted the thought, the intellection of gold, gold itself, and the passion of avarice. Then ask: in which of these does the sin consist? Is it the intellect? But how then can the intellect be the image of God? Is it the intellection of gold? But what sensible person would ever say that? Then is gold itself the sin? In that case, why was it created? It follows, then, that the cause of the sin is the fourth element, which is neither an objective reality, nor the intellection of something real, but is a certain noxious pleasure which, once it is freely chosen, compels the intellect to misuse what God has created. It is this pleasure that the law of God commands us to cut off. Now as you investigate the thought in this way and analyze it into its components, it will be destroyed; and the demon will take to flight once your mind is raised to a higher level by this spiritual knowledge.
peace
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hazcompat, I understand what you are saying here in regards to avarice but what if the sin is being offended by someone who hurt you and you are a little angry. Can you give an example of using this sin that will destroy the sin and raise our mind to a higher level? Or do we just need to forgive the offender?
 
onmyknees said:
hazcompat, I understand what you are saying here in regards to avarice but what if the sin is being offended by someone who hurt you and you are a little angry. Can you give an example of using this sin that will destroy the sin and raise our mind to a higher level? Or do we just need to forgive the offender?
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If you suffer hurt like Jesus it is meritorious. Anger against sin, properly controlled is just. Anger against your brother or sister opposes love.You not only need to forgive. You must forgive from the Heart. This forgiveness requires Grace. You cannot do it alone. Raise your heart into the Light, your mind will follow. Open your heart to Him, just as it is! If it is His will, you will see a wonderful spiritual knowledge. Instead of revenge, anger over hurt leads to contemplation and Holy Fire. From here you advocate for their forgiveness, you cover them. Hurt and anger will flee seeing it brings holiness, not separation from God. You wound the enemy with his own sword. Live in His presence, pray without ceasing.

peace
 
hazcompat said:
If you suffer hurt like Jesus it is meritorious. Anger against sin, properly controlled is just. Anger against your brother or sister opposes love.You not only need to forgive. You must forgive from the Heart. This forgiveness requires Grace. You cannot do it alone. Raise your heart into the Light, your mind will follow. Open your heart to Him, just as it is! If it is His will, you will see a wonderful spiritual knowledge. Instead of revenge, anger over hurt leads to contemplation and Holy Fire. From here you advocate for their forgiveness, you cover them. Hurt and anger will flee seeing it brings holiness, not separation from God. You wound the enemy with his own sword. Live in His presence, pray without ceasing.

peace
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Excellent! 👍

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
 
hazcompat said:
If you suffer hurt like Jesus it is meritorious. Anger against sin, properly controlled is just. Anger against your brother or sister opposes love.You not only need to forgive. You must forgive from the Heart. This forgiveness requires Grace. You cannot do it alone. Raise your heart into the Light, your mind will follow. Open your heart to Him, just as it is! If it is His will, you will see a wonderful spiritual knowledge. Instead of revenge, anger over hurt leads to contemplation and Holy Fire. From here you advocate for their forgiveness, you cover them. Hurt and anger will flee seeing it brings holiness, not separation from God. You wound the enemy with his own sword. Live in His presence, pray without ceasing.

peace
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Yes, you explained it so well and beautifully! Thank you so much!
 
Br. JR, I hope you don’t mind of I ask you another spiritual question. I have been going through the worst affliction that I have ever experienced for over ten months now.

I cry out to God, Jesus and Mary for relief from this to no avail. Am I being punished for my sins? Or does He want me have to go through this extreme suffering so that I will become more holy? I tell Jesus that I cannot do it this anymore and that I need a miracle for it to stop. Some days I am stronger and I say “Your will (not mine) be done” but this is soooo hard to tell God this and I fear that my heart is not really on board with my words.
 
The Imitation of Christ

Thomas a Kempis

The Fourth Chapter
PURITY OF MIND AND UNITY OF PURPOSE

A MAN is raised up from the earth by two wings – simplicity and purity. There
must be simplicity in his intention and purity in his desires. Simplicity leads to God,
purity embraces and enjoys Him. If your heart is free from ill-ordered affection, no good deed will be difficult for you. If you aim at and seek after nothing but the pleasure of God and the welfare of your neighbor, you will enjoy freedom within.

If your heart were right, then every created thing would be a mirror of life for
you and a book of holy teaching, for there is no creature so small and worthless that it
does not show forth the goodness of God. If inwardly you were good and pure, you
would see all things clearly and understand them rightly, for a pure heart penetrates to
heaven and hell, and as a man is within, so he judges what is without. If there be joy in
the world, the pure of heart certainly possess it; and if there be anguish and affliction
anywhere, an evil conscience knows it too well.

As iron cast into fire loses its rust and becomes glowing white, so he who turns
completely to God is stripped of his sluggishness and changed into a new man. When a
man begins to grow lax, he fears a little toil and welcomes external comfort, but when
he begins perfectly to conquer himself and to walk bravely in the ways of God, then he
thinks those things less difficult which he thought so hard before.

peace
 
Thank you for posting these wise words hazcompat.🙂 May God continue to bless you!
 
The Imitation of Christ

Thomas a Kempis

The First Chapter

MEDITATION

THE kingdom of God is within you," says the Lord. Turn, then, to God with all your heart. Forsake this wretched world and your soul shall find rest. Learn to despise external things, to devote yourself to those that are within, and you will see the kingdom of God come unto you, that kingdom which is peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, gifts not given to the impious. Christ will come to you offering His consolation, if you prepare a fit dwelling for Him in your heart, whose beauty and glory, wherein He takes delight, are all from
within. His visits with the inward man are frequent, His communion sweet and full of
consolation, His peace great, and His intimacy wonderful indeed. …

He who tastes life as it really is, not as men say or think it is, is indeed wise with
the wisdom of God rather than of men. He who learns to live the interior life and to take little account of outward things, does not seek special places or times to perform devout exercises. A spiritual man quickly recollects himself because he has never wasted his attention upon externals. No outside work, no business that cannot wait stands in his way. He adjusts himself to things as they happen. He whose disposition is well ordered cares nothing about the strange, perverse behavior of others, for a man is upset and distracted only in proportion as he engrosses himself in externals.

If all were well with you, therefore, and if you were purified from all sin, everything would tend to your good and be to your profit. But because you are as yet neither entirely dead to self nor free from all earthly affection, there is much that often displeases and disturbs you. Nothing so mars and defiles the heart of man as impure attachment to created things. But if you refuse external consolation, you will be able to contemplate heavenly things and often to experience interior joy.

peace
 
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