When we pray we desire to know God in our intellect and in our hearts. Contemplating a sacred Word or heart word from Scripture unites our heart with the Heart of God enabling us to become one in heart and spirit. This way of praying prepares the way for us to have a personal and intimate relationship with Jesus.

Union

The Catholic Catechism describes Contemplative Prayer as “the simple expression of the mystery of prayer. It is a gaze of faith fixed on Jesus, and attentiveness to the Word of God, a silent love. It achieves real union with the prayer of Christ to the extent that it makes us share in His mystery” (CCC2724).

We develop a supernatural awareness and total dependency upon God’s Word as our Father and as the Author of all life. With the love of the Trinity, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit we realise there is no love without knowing. How can one love a person whom one does not know? There is no love without a presence: one has difficulty loving a person who is forever at a distance. There is no love without the nurturing of a friendship. All these forms of love desire a union that will completely enrich our lives.

The prayer of contemplation infuses us with all these forms of love that will bring us new life, healing and the enrichment of all the spiritual gifts for our life’s journey. We simply need to be present.

God leads us to receive this gift of union when we seek Him in peace and inner silence. We become tranquil and serene when we surrender our minds, heart, will and feelings to God.

He will willingly enrich our lives with the freedom to love God, ourselves and others. God waits to bestow upon us these blessings as we surrender our mind and heart to Him and seek Him in the silence of love.

God through Contemplative Prayer anchors our heart into the Heart of God. He unites our spirit with His Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit May Speak

If we seek peace and inner stillness through God’s Word and attempt to quieten the voices within we prepare the way for God’s Spirit to speak to us. We are enlightened as we learn to Sit/Wait/Listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. God’s Spirit guides us how to live, pray and follow God’s Will in a living way.

Contemplative Prayer May lead to Inner Healing

Through the silence His healing love begins to restore our wounded spirit. He also may enlighten us about our unhealed hurts and our need to forgive. His healing light and love cannot flow to suppressed memories and hurt. We can respond to these insights, as the Spirit leads, to be further restored to the fullness of life.

Like any parent, God lovingly guides His children on this prayer journey of discovery. He asks us to trust and be attentive to His Word spoken to us through Scripture and to the inspirations of His Holy Spirit spoken to us in our hearts.

Contemplative Prayer Exercises

When we engage in the following prayer exercises it helps us in the beginner’s stage to select numerous visualisation prayer exercises. It’s easier to gaze upon an image before we graduate to a sacred heart Word to still the mind and the senses.

Being still and knowing God in the Scriptures enlighten us how we can appropriate or proclaim God’s Word to free us from the effects of sin and for healing.