Contemplative prayer

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+Exploring and experiencing the deep profound mystery of the heart to Sacred Heart nature of contemplative prayer is central to true . . . **Benedictine Spirituality **. . . and those following The Holy Rule of St. Benedict have long known this holy pathway . . . by the gift of God’s holy grace . . . can be opened up to the soul through the combination and contrasting of personal prayer and meditation experiences of the soul . . . their combined role . . . *when practiced faithfully *. . . can usher a soul into deeper and deeper . . . *more and more perfect *. . . contemplative communion in and with the Lord . . .

Pray:gopray2:er defined is essentially the heart of one’s soul “talking” to its God . . . on the other hand . . . meditation is taught in Sacred :bible1: Scripture and by Holy Mother Church as essentially being the heart of one’s soul “listening” to its God . . . the ultimate goal of these actions of the soul being that at the center . . . of the deep interior quiet within the heart of the soul . . . the soul enters into . . . *constant holy conversation and communion with its God *. . .

Lectio Divina (divine reading) is perhaps the clearest most well lit holy pathway for the soul to “listen” to its God . . . essentially it is encountering God in the reading of a literary level of holy writings in Christendom believed to be especially blessed and anointed of God . . . first order and always primary of which is God’s **Holy Word **. . . Sacred :bible1: Scripture . . . and which group of writings can also include The Holy Rule of St. Benedict . . . The Catechism of the Catholic Church . . . writings of the Fathers and Saints of the Church, etc., . . . and as such . . . when prayer:gopray2:fully read the . . . **Holy Spirit **. . . Wonderful Counselor of Our God . . . is abundantly available to help regarding the reading and understanding of same . . .

The holy Benedictine monk Archabbot Douglas R. Nowicki , O.S.B. of the Saint Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe, Pennsylvania here in the United States . . . recommends that we . . . *slow down radically *. . . when reflecting on inspired material . . . so as to . . . ***open up freely ***. . . in the practice of seeking out the . . . Holy Presence of God . . . in the treasury of insights and enlightenments contained therein . . . he goes on further to share with beautiful simplicity:

Lectio Divina (divine reading)
Archabbot Douglas R. Nowicki , O.S.B. (Order of St. Benedict)

“It is the **monastic insight **that reading, if it be authentic, cannot be undertaken simply with the eyes and the mind. Rather it must involve the whole person: mind, heart, body and spirit. It is reading not so much for information as for formation, that is, for encounter with the living God in this moment in such a way that one’s heart ❤️ catches fire and one’s life is transformed … In **St. Benedict’s **day reading a sacred or spiritual text was practiced not so much for the sake of ‘information,’ but rather in order to be ‘formed’: that is, to be inwardly changed or shaped. …

Thus the aim of lectio divina (divine reading), i.e., pondering the material in a slow, prayer:gopray2:ful way, is to dispose ourselves to welcome God’s ever-present grace and His efforts to conquer our hearts and transform us more and more into a holy people . . . ”
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. . . :coffeeread: . . .
CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCHPart One: The Profession of Faith
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Article 2 - THE TRANSMISSION OF DIVINE REVELATION
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81 Sacred Scripture is **the speech of God **as it is put down in writing under the breath of the Holy Spirit.
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Article 3 - SACRED SCRIPTURE
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104 In Sacred Scripture, the Church constantly finds her nourishment and her strength, for she welcomes it ** not** as human word, "but as what it really is, the Word of God."

**In the sacred books,
the Father who is in heaven
comes lovingly ❤️ to meet his children,
and talks with them. **
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. . . all for Jesus+​
 
mathematoons said:
How do we do contemplative prayer? I’ve heard of it and I’d like to try it, but have no idea how.
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Greetings Mathematoons,

It is a grace. We cannot do contemplative prayer on our own. We can only dispose ourselves for this grace.

Pray for the grace. Many things can lead into contemplative prayer. Lectio for instance, the Rosary, Short prayer, Mind in the Heart Prayer - [which I use], Divine Office. Any prayer can dispose one to a state of contemplative prayer, but it is God alone who gives us the graces and raises us to a state of contemplative prayer.

God Bless.
Anathama Sit
 
I have been trying this recently too. The only place I’ve had good luck with it is in the True Presence, in Adoration. Doesn’t always work though. I think a type of contemplative prayer I have had luck with is called centering prayer (could be wrong with this). Focus on one phrase and image. Went last night and focused on the Sacred Heart image, particularly the one of Jesus basically handing out His Heart. Then focused on the following invocation: “Sweet Heart of Jesus, be my love.” Made for some awesome prayer time!
 
Great book for you scepterpublishers.org/product/index.php?FULL=557

Also go to this website at the bottom …

Also read the 4th section of the Catechism

(there is an “acquired contemplation” and a “contemplative way of prayer” …of course it is important to note that contemplative prayer in terms of infused contemplation …is a grace prepared for not something we can give ourselves…)

Another book to look at is here: (I have not read it all the way yet …just started at one point…I read too many things at once…):

scepterpublishers.org/product/index.php?FULL=680
 
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