St Joseph Healing Ministry
St. Joseph Prayer Ministry
  • Home
    • Leave Comments
    • Who we are
    • Obituary
    • Bio
    • Photos of Sister Mary Matthew
    • Miracles attributed to Sister Mary Matthew
    • Our Programs >
      • Prayer Ministry
      • 2012 Christmas letter
    • Mass in Thanksgiving for the Canonization of St. Kateri Tekakwitha
  • classes
    • Prayer Ministry
  • Pro Life
    • 2014 speeches
    • review of Fr. Spitzer's book
  • Blogs
    • Blog - Be Positive
    • Blog - Steps in a journey
  • Photos
    • Ft. Worden Retreat >
      • Ft. Worden Retreat 2009 >
        • More photos for 2009
      • 2010
      • 2011
      • 2012
      • 2014
      • 2016
      • 2017
      • 2018
      • 2019
      • 2020
  • Retreats
    • Ft. Worden Retreat 2021 click here for map, registration form >
      • History
      • Prayer for retreat
      • Speakers
      • Registration
  • Sale Items
    • Books
    • DVDs
    • CD's
  • Contact Us

A Spiritual Journey . . .

2/7/2013

0 Comments

 
Preparing for Contemplative Prayer
    There are several expressions of prayer.  There is vocal prayer, meditation and contemplative prayer.  The first two help prepare for contemplative prayer.  Contemplative prayer is a gift, a grace, as all prayer is, but contemplative prayer is the total response within a love relationship with God.  It can only be accepted in poverty and humility.  Vocal prayer and meditation help us obtain
these virtues.  If there is no progress in humility, St. Teresa of Avila says, then everything will be ruined.
    According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, [#2700-2704] vocal prayer is using words, mental or vocal, to talk to God.  Jesus taught vocal prayer when He taught the Our Father and when He prayed the liturgical prayers in the synagogue.  One should enter into this prayer with his heart and his feelings.  God seeks worshippers in Spirit and in Truth, and thus prayer should rise from the depth of one's soul.  The Catholic Church is a church of unity, and thus vocal prayer and memorized prayer is accessible to groups.  One also uses vocal prayer when praying internally.  When it is internalized to the extent that one becomes aware of Him "to whom we speak" as St. Teresa of Avila in the Way of Perfection teaches, vocal prayer becomes the beginning form of contemplative prayer.
    "God is conceived of as an 'object'", wrote Father George Maloney, SJ, in Journey Into Contemplation, (p12) "to which you direct your affectivity [expressed emotions], your petitions, your sorrow, your deep gratitude for His kindnesses in His gifts given to you.  Prayer, therefore, is the general art whereby you as a human being communicate with God in knowledge and love.  You lift your mind and your heart toward God".
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Kathy

    Invite God into your heart to renew it and to instruct you.

    Archives

    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013

    Categories

    All
    Abandonment To Divine Providence
    Benedict Xvi
    Come Holy Spirit
    Consolations
    Contemplative Prayer
    Deus Caritas Est
    Elizabeth Of The Trinity
    Francisco De Osuna
    God Is Love
    Illuminative Way
    Inspiration
    Jean-Pierre De Caussade
    Lumen Gentium
    Meditation
    Mysticism
    Positive Thinking
    Prayer
    Second Vatian Council
    Spirituality
    Spiritual Journey
    St. Bonaventure
    St. Catherine Of Siena
    St. John Of The Cross
    St. Nil Sorsky
    St. Paul
    St. Teresa Of Avila
    St. Therese Of Lisieux
    The Cloud Of Unknowing
    The Purgative Way
    The Unitive Way
    Thomas Dubay

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.