What type of prayer is this?

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3 months ago my priest told me to pray 2 times a day. And so I did. First by reading Bible, then Our Father. Typical prayers. But over time it’s been evolving and getting more deep, and crying, and going to Church to kneel in front of tabernacle etc…
Lately, after or during the prayer and especially before sleep while i listen to sacred music, I’ve been praying in a way that I would imagine Christ on cross and would try to understand, immerse into, experience, adore etc the greatness of His Love by suffering for us. Or example, imagining Him washing the feet of disciples and exciting in the lesson of Humility He gives us there…
Often, I would shed i tear when I come up to realization how much He Loves us and how i rejected Him many times before and how others reject Him.

Is this ok to do? My thoughts are completely into Christ so I believe the devil with not employ them, like I feel it could happen with eastern type meditation. What kind of prayer is this? Is it meditation or contemplation?

Also I would like to say that I have noticed easier change in heart towards love. Before when somebody cuts me in traffic I would get angry, but now I find it easier to turn into love, and instead of annoying driver to see our brother imprisoned in his own ego and in need of help. Immediately feels right. I can see that every small situation is a big gift and opportunity to glorify the Lord and His Love…

I am not falling into some new age general love happy hippy trap, right? I am not looking for joy, I find joy even in suffering if I suffer for God and His Will. I am looking to glorify our Lord Jesus and His teaching in everything I do see or hear as much as I can, trying from my heart to love like he Loved us, even if it means sacrifice for me, but rewards will be multiplied by 70 times 7 and more.

I have not speak with my priest yet, but would like to know what you think now. Am I praying right and am I doing right, meditation or is it contemplation? I don’t wanna be led astray lest I’ll be employed by the devil. Thanks
 
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Nothing you described sounds “wrong”😃 You are doing fine with your prayer.
 
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Based upon what you’re describing, it sounds like mental prayer or meditation. Both of which are excellent methods to pray. Reflecting on a specific aspect of Christ’s life like his passion is a good way to gain custody of the imagination. This method of contemplation is essential to forms of prayer like the rosary or chaplets. Once you have custody of our imagination then, as you described, its easier to push away negative thoughts and overall be more charitable.
 
Thank you everybody for the helpful answers!

Bonaventurian, the reason I am asking is it meditation or contemplation is because in Catechism it says there are 3 expression of prayer:
  1. Vocal
  2. Meditation
  3. Contemplative prayer
Ven. Fulton Sheen says, vocal prayer leads you to God on foot. Meditation leads you to God on a horse. Contemplation leads you to God on a jet.
So are you saying, this is Meditation as expression of prayer?
Thanks
 
Yes, it sounds like meditation based upon what you describe. iirc meditation utilizes images while contemplation is less focused on images and more focused on God’s nature, just being in His presence.
 
Then Catholic contemplation is same or similar as Orthodox hesychasm?
 
No, not really. It’s similar in the sense that you aren’t solely focused on images, but contemplation doesn’t outright reject images like Hesychasm. They also both seem to have different ends. Whereas contemplation is to commune with God by putting yourself in His presence, Hesychasm is aimed more at emptying oneself entirely utilizing vocal prayer (the Jesus prayer) in order to see the “Uncreated Light of God.” Hesychasm rejects all images entirely and relies solely on repetition. Images can come and go with contemplation, but they aren’t the focus like meditation.
 
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