Contemplative Prayer

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normbetland

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I stumbled across some fundamentalist articles today that suppose that contemplative prayer/mysticism is anti-Biblical and paganistic and has no place in the life of a practicing Christian. How does one counter such an argument?
 
I wonder what they think Jesus was doing out in that desert for 40 days?
 
Ignore all fundamentalist sources they only confuse and cause damage to the Catholic Church. As soon as you notice it’s Fundamental close it and pray to God and Mary to repair the damage done.
And yep… Exactly, what was Jesus doing for 40 days hehe!!🙂
Stick to the True Church who knows the truth and don’t worry about what Fundamentalists believe.

God bless you +++
 
normbetland said:
I stumbled across some fundamentalist articles today that suppose that contemplative prayer/mysticism is anti-Biblical and paganistic and has no place in the life of a practicing Christian. How does one counter such an argument?
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The best way I know of how to reply to this charge is to use logic and philosophy which may scare many away. We know God is a supernatural being so He is above our nature like a rock is to us. A rock does not communicate with us unless we act on it or something moves it to interact with us.
The good thing is that we have been created with a spiritual part that can communicate with God. We are both material and spiritual. Our mind is what we use in the normative methods of communication with the spiritual through prayer, contemplation, etc. Our souls are the crossroads to relationship with God in that we can relate to Him through our wills and intellects. This is why prayer is so important in our worship and relationship. Contemplation on God cannot be wrong because it is a means of contact with the Almighty. How can anyone say that is paganistic or anti-biblical.
Christ prayed in the garden that showed His relationship with the Father. He prayed before He chose the apostles, He prayed to show us how to be One.
 
normbetland said:
I stumbled across some fundamentalist articles today that suppose that contemplative prayer/mysticism is anti-Biblical and paganistic and has no place in the life of a practicing Christian. How does one counter such an argument?
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Do it, and become a saint.

-Tim-
 
TimothyH said:
Do it, and become a saint.
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That’s also a very good point. The Catholic Church has thousands of Saints, and the large majority of them regularly engaged in contemplative prayer. It’s kinda hard to argue with the results. Even protestants hold many Catholic Saints in high esteem.
 
Well, the definition of a fundamentalist is, “one who has stopped listening.”

There was a time that contemplative prayer was argued against here by Catholic fundamentalists, until it was shown to them that it’s part of our Catholic Tradition, going back to the 1st century.

Anyway, Protestant Fundamentalist would have no clue, but this is their poverty, so, just treat them as Jesus instructed us to do towards all poor people.

Jim
 
I don’t think you’ll ever persuade a Fundamentalist that they are in error. But if they choose to close their minds to the richness of Christian mysticism and contemplative prayer, that’s their loss.
 
How do you define contemplative prayer. I thought that contemplative prayer, is what some call the “Jesus” prayer; that is, repeating a reglious word until we have removed all outside thought from our mind.
 
Pompy said:
How do you define contemplative prayer. I thought that contemplative prayer, is what some call the “Jesus” prayer; that is, repeating a reglious word until we have removed all outside thought from our mind.
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Contemplative prayer is opening yourself to contemplation, which comes from God who dwells within.

The repetition of the Jesus Prayer, or some other short prayer, is merely for slowing ourselves down so that the focus of our intention is on God who dwells with in. We are going to be in the presence of God, not for any other reason than the fact that he is God. We expect only, to be open to his will, not any lofty experiences or insights.

Contemplative prayer is a deeper level of prayer than saying prayers by rote verbally.

Here is a good explanation;

kyrie.com/inner/contemplative/contemplative_prayer_western_tradition.htm

Jim
 
Pompy said:
How do you define contemplative prayer. I thought that contemplative prayer, is what some call the “Jesus” prayer; that is, repeating a reglious word until we have removed all outside thought from our mind.
Click to expand...
Contemplative prayer, past a certain point, is entirely infused. Natural contemplation is a constant, loving attention to God. Infused contemplation is a gift where God leads the soul stage by stage to more complete ecstatic union with Him. It is not something that can be won through method, which is something the late great Fr. Dubay stressed.
 
JaredR said:
Contemplative prayer, past a certain point, is entirely infused. Natural contemplation is a constant, loving attention to God. Infused contemplation is a gift where God leads the soul stage by stage to more complete ecstatic union with Him. It is not something that can be won through method, which is something the late great Fr. Dubay stressed.
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This is immensely helpful. Thank you 👍
 
JaredR said:
Contemplative prayer, past a certain point, is entirely infused. Natural contemplation is a constant, loving attention to God. Infused contemplation is a gift where God leads the soul stage by stage to more complete ecstatic union with Him. It is not something that can be won through method, which is something the late great Fr. Dubay stressed.
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Very well said. 👍

Jim
 
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