@@ICSPublications Thank you for your quick answer....I think I am really forcing it at this stage (reciting the Rosary/Divine Mercy fast). I really think I need to approach prayer radically differently!!
I'm from Australia and I came across your productions brothers very recently, I find them so helpful in my journey through prayer. Thankyou and God for these wonderful insights. God Bless you both and please continue to produce these succinct teaching videos.
I believe there are seasons in our life that God is calling each and everyone of us to pray. I believe too that prayer could be taught. There are persons who desire to pray (not devotional form) but do not have the resource nor the information on how to initiate it. Some secular priest do not even know how to pray the contemplative way so it is not appropriate to seek their opinion or guidance. This video is informative and highly recommended for even people outside the monastery or convent.
Lahody is very helpful on understanding passive prayer. Also Tanquerey (The Spiritual Life) is helpful for putting everything together as far as where mysticism fits in the climbing Calvary. Also I think everyone's meditation is different. (I could never do certain kinds of meditation. I have very little imagination. Here Lahody opened my eyes.) Finally, it's important to keep in mind that Contemplation comes after a long time in meditation that advances by degrees from discursive to affective to simple -- or "acquired" contemplation. Lahodey again helped me understand what was going on and guided me too.
I often feel the need to be silent in front of the Blessed Sacrament, and the need to go before the Blessed Sacrament or look at and lovingly worship the image of Divine Mercy. At first, months ago, I would enjoy praying the rosary, after a certain time, I began to find it burdensome, so I asked my pastor after confession, and he told me to pray only one hail Mary for each mystery slowly and concentrating on the words. I have so many distractions... I often feel the need and urge to pray and have a loving presence before Christ.
I love how you end with a quote. Thank you for making these. I enjoy them in the quiet of the morning and they help me. Brother John Mary spoke of acts of love during prayer to help draw you back- could you share examples of these act of love?
Thanks Jeff. A very simple example that I use is simply to say "Jesus, I love you," or a similar phrase. Or it could be as simple as looking at a crucifix or another image. These small actions are movements of the will that help to draw our minds back to Jesus. God bless you!
Thank you so much. I have been beating myself up with my variety of prayers and preference at times to one or the other. I totally understand now. Whew💕
It’s so helpful to demystify all these terms over the last 4 episodes and understand there isn’t one set of expectations these different forms/degree/ concentric circles/stages/modes of prayer should have.
Good question, Glen. St. Teresa gives different gradations of passive prayer such as the prayer of quiet, prayer of union, contemplation, etc. Contemplation seems to be totally passive prayer, but in her understanding there seem to be other types of prayer that are passive to some degree without being perfect contemplation. Hope that helps!
