Contemplative Prayer – The Unknown Road

The Creative Fire and Joy of Love

God’s love, to which every human being is drawn, is a creative force originating in The One who is eternal and perfectly good. Love is the source of eternal life and contains actual power beyond all imagining.

To appreciate the power of love, let’s begin with something lesser and more tangible that mankind has come to understand: nuclear energy. When Einstein formulated his mass-energy conversion, it only took mankind a short while to grasp its potential for destruction in the form of nuclear weapons. With only a few kilograms of material, a bomb that can destroy an entire city can easily be constructed. This happens because each atom contains so much energy, that when released efficiently, the breaking of the bonds between the elementary particles releases tremendous destructive force.

Let’s keep this in mind as we consider the size of a human body. Imagine a human being whose mass is 60 kg. If Einstein’s calculations were to be applied to the energy contained in that human being, there would be enough destructive potential in that single person to destroy 30 cities! But consider the fact that it takes much more energy to create something than to destroy it. How much energy does it take for God to give life to that single body? This is just the energy for one person! God is currently keeping 7 billion of us alive! Every breath we take is a tangible miracle of God’s creative will sustaining our life.

We are alive because God’s love is so powerful that He has actually loved us into existence, and His love is required for every heartbeat and every breath in every person.

But let’s take a moment and imagine a hypothetical miracle: suppose God suddenly appeared on television and created a beautiful tree in the middle of a desert, and everyone in the world instantly knew that tree was specially created by God as a gift for mankind. What would happen? Naturally everyone in the world would reverence the tree, make every effort to visit the tree, write about the tree, maintain pictures of the tree, pray about the tree, etc. It would be absolutely unthinkable to ignore the tree, insult the tree or try to destroy it. It would be considered a visible sign of God’s miraculous and creative presence in the world. But that’s just one tree. What about the billions of people who are alive and the billions who preceded them? With what reverence would they be treated if everyone had the same clarity about their origins as with the hypothetical tree?

Understanding, then, the love with which we are created, and with our natural understanding of how wonderful it is to share love with other human beings, consider how wonderful and powerful God’s 1st commandment truly is! Using the image of the tree as a metaphor, fix your gaze on another human being, and allow God’s love to fill your heart with love for that person. Does that love sit still or travel? Of course you know the answer: your love both traverses and transcends space and time to reach that human being, and when that person becomes aware of it, both of you begin to wake up to how life-giving that love really is. Both of you, in that instant, tap into the infinitely good eternal origins you both share in God, and the happiness resulting from the interaction has no measure.

Let’s go further and adore the Eucharist, which is God Himself. What is that exchange like between you and God? What happens as you worthily consume that Eucharist? What is the measure of your happiness now? How much more powerfully does the Eucharist move from you to others as you look upon them with the love God has mercifully granted you? This is the holy marriage between Jesus and the Mystical Bride of Christ (us).

Let’s go still further and move into the realm of Holy Matrimony. A man and woman, living graceful and loving lives fed by the Holy Eucharist, become Eucharist to each other as they constantly draw upon the life-giving power of God as their source. They feed each other in this way in a way that eternally satisfies, and it is God’s creative energy that powers their procreation of children in cooperation with the Holy Spirit. What a miracle such a marriage is! Such joy, rooted in the eternity of Heaven, is within our grasp! This is what we have so much to be thankful for. Imagine such a perfect marriage and holy family: that is a manifestation of the beautiful and miraculous tree discussed earlier, and is a miraculous transformation of the tree to which Jesus lovingly ascended in Calvary.

God’s Precious Gift of Life

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God is the Author of Life. Jesus, who is one in being with God our Father, has given us the means to accept His most precious gift of eternal life: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

In your prayer life you can discern three distinctly possible responses to God’s gift:

Acceptance
Turning Away
Destruction

Acceptance

Since God made us in His likeness and image and the Holy Spirit has breathed life into us, we have been presented, through His merciful offer of salvation, with His breathtaking invitation of eternal life in His glory (see A Glimpse into Eternal Life).

All of God’s commandments express His divine love for us and guide us into life with Him. Doing His will by obeying His commandments brings to fruition the great promise of Jesus, in which He offers to graft us unto Himself: “Whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother” (Matthew 12:50). “I am the vine, you are the branches… If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love” (John 15:5-10). This is the key to eternal life, a gift so great and of such joyous dimension that it exceeds the boundaries of our minds, hearts and souls.

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The first four commandments focus us on the reality of having been adopted as God’s children. First and foremost we are oriented, through the 1st commandment, to worshiping God alone, which is a recognition of the eternal Truth and reality that every breath of life we have comes from God. This first commandment is the source of all other commandments, including veneration of God and love of one’s neighbor. The 2nd, 3rd and 4th commandments naturally flow from the 1st, impelling us to honor God, His creation, and His gift of life to us through our earthly parents. In this way we lovingly welcome our inheritance as His beloved children (see The Spirit of Adoption).

Turning Away from God

The first commandment is God’s call to life, but through our weaknesses, as we fall into sin, we turn away and instead worship false gods. This severs our connection with the blessings and spiritual life borne by God’s divine grace. The 6th, 7th, 9th, and 10th commandments are meant to help us recognize and reject these false gods, which appeal to our human senses in the forms of pleasure, power, honor and wealth.

Why do we fall from grace in such cases? The reason these sins are so evil is both profound and unavoidable: they cause us to turn in on ourselves, directing us away from the Author of Life and from all people. We create our own truth, our own reality, and our own world. We falsely make ourselves into God, with a selfish form of love that we often fail to recognize as an illusion. This sinfulness reflects the weakening of faith, hope and love. Should we fall into such sin, at that moment there is no more capacity within us to avail ourselves of God’s sanctifying grace, thereby rendering us incapable of truly loving Him or our neighbor. At this moment the world becomes a worse place, not a better one. It can ultimately cause the death of our spirit and have tragic and catastrophic effects on other children of God.

According to the parable Jesus told of the Good Samaritan, our neighbor needs us more than we may ever know: they need us to love them perfectly in the way that God does. When we do this, we have the chance to see a better world and God’s blessings in ways we had never imagined possible. If we turn away from sin and toward God, then through the grace that flows through us, we are able to transmit His love to others, attracting them toward their eternal life with God.

Destruction

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We live in a culture of death, and uncountably many people have innocent blood on their hands. It is so prevalent that, without Christ’s ultimate act of salvation, the human race would be hopelessly lost.

In the most extreme cases, human beings go beyond weakness and utterly reject God’s Holy invitation toward His Life and Creation. In these cases they attempt to destroy God, others and themselves.

The 5th and 8th commandments both address such forms of destruction, which include the physical or spiritual murder of one’s neighbor. Failure to keep the other commandments can lead one by degrees to such evil.

Murder, which is explicitly forbidden by God’s 5th commandment and includes but is not limited to the abominations of abortion, suicide and euthanasia, is an action in which the perpetrator’s arrogance has reached such a level that they absurdly attempt to usurp the power of God (see Evangelium Vitae by Saint Pope John Paul II). The result is irreversible destruction, with enormous consequences that are cosmic in scale. The magnitude of the evil is beyond all measure, and the pain and destruction caused by even a single death can have effects lasting for generations and spanning large swaths of God’s creation.

Bearing false witness, anger and other forms of spiritual violence can have equally devastating effects that destroy reputations, ruin lives and cause psychological trauma. Such evil can and often does inspire others to commit physical violence. This is why Jesus said “You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, ‘You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, ‘Raqa,’ will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna” (Matthew 5:21).

Finally, leading or influencing others to lose or diminish their faith is a form of spiritual murder. So is failing to love others, as cutting them off from love is cutting them off from the life that God offers.

Return to Faith

Christ’s Divine Mercy is offered to all, no matter what state of sin they are in or how far they have fallen from God’s grace. The Sacrament of Reconciliation and interior conversion that the supplicant brings to the confessional are met with God’s gift of new life. It is a gift so great that it often moves even the most hardened sinner to tears.

God’s 1st commandment invites us into His eternal life and joy, and requires the gift of faith. If one lives out this commandment fully, it is possible to respond to God’s love with a saintly life that brings His joy to earth and to the angels in Heaven (see We are Called to be Saints).

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Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). Therefore, as you lead your life in a state of grace, your heart, having been replaced by the Sacred Heart of Jesus (see Heart), allows you to shine His light, giving hope in a world beset by death and despair.

A Glimpse into Eternal Life

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We have all wondered what will happen after we die. It is an existential question of such great importance that our response to it determines how we conduct ourselves throughout this life. It is so great a mystery that no mortal can ever adequately describe it. St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, in which he presents the theological virtues and the nature of God, hints at the coming reality: “At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. At present I know partially; then I shall know fully, as I am fully known” (1 Corinthians 13).

Consider the difference between your mortal being and your future eternal being. Right now you perceive the world in 3 spatial dimensions and experience the passage of time. Your earthly body is born in the form of an infant, grows into a child, and develops into an adult. Your mortal body will eventually age and decay until you experience death. While in this state, your soul is drawn easily into the corruption and death of sin, and exists in a state of great danger and struggle.

Once you pass away from this world, there are two possibilities for your eternal being: the one in which you hope will be forever sinless, young and healthy, possess limitless knowledge, be blessed with unending joy, and be united with God in His loving nature; the other possibility is that your soul, having chosen eternal separation from God, the author of Life, would be in a state of eternal and indescribable agony as it would be forever devoid of all life, love and hope. These two possible ends, if we contemplate them seriously and deeply, can inspire our relationship with God while we are alive. For more information, see We are Called to be Saints.

The Nature of God

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Look at all the things around you: they are either man-made objects or a part of nature belonging to the created universe. All of these will eventually pass away. The earth will be consumed by the sun in a few billion years, the sun itself will die, and even the universe itself will decay and cease to support life. What could possibly be created that will last forever? Such an eternal substance, which cannot possibly even be part of the known universe, is something scientists have never discovered, can never prove exists, and is beyond all human imagination. And yet God exists forever, is the creator of the universe and all life, and promises to unite our bodies and souls with Him in Heaven if we respond properly to the salvation offered by His Son.

Contemplate for a moment the fact that love is not scientifically necessary for the physical universe to exist or to conform to the laws of physics. Yet God has given mankind the gift of love. Love, therefore, stands completely outside the created universe and is our connection with Heaven. Love is God’s eternal sign not only of His existence, but also of His covenant with us.

Consider the connection between these two great truths: God is the source of all life, and God is love. Taken together, they imply that whatever makes eternal life with God possible must have its origins in His infinite love, which the Church teaches is the greatest of all things. God’s perfection is therefore rooted in love, and since we are called upon to be perfect in loving Him and our neighbor, we must conclude that such a commandment is His divine invitation to establish the basis for eternal life. Being able to love as God does is a divine gift from God carrying divine power, and is therefore God’s gift of eternal life itself.

The Holy Path of Love

The sacrament of Holy Matrimony, when lived according to His Holy will, orients us toward God’s invitation to enter into the sacrifice of perfect love for our spouse. For those who have been blessed with Holy Orders, their love of God and their spiritual children goes even deeper, impelling them toward their total surrender to Jesus. If we are to be united with Him in eternal life, we must be perfected in the way we love either through a saintly life here on earth (see We are Called to be Saints) or through the purification of Purgatory.

God’s plan is to draw us to Himself through His Son. Jesus said, “And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself” (John 12:32). God created mankind, and through His Son, who came down from Heaven, created the way to eternal life. In giving us the Eucharist, Jesus declared that it is the source of life: “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life” (John 6:54). This is the miracle of the eternal source of life breaking into our universe, which is why the Eucharist is so precious and important.

Our Citizenship in Heaven

We are children of God and bear His likeness: “When God created human beings, he made them in the likeness of God; he created them male and female. When they were created, he blessed them and named them humankind” (Genesis 5). But we are mortal beings created from dust whose bodies will return to dust. To be united forever with God in Heaven, we must be made again in a new way, and God has promised to do so: “What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and what has not entered the human heart, what God has prepared for those who love him” (Corinthians 2:9).

In your contemplation, visualize your eternal life in Heaven, remembering these words: “Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body by the power that enables him also to bring all things into subjection to himself” (Philippians 3:20).

Inviting God to Enter the Heart

We constantly and restlessly seek the good, the true and the beautiful in our pursuit for the peace and happiness that can only come from God.

Scripture and Church teaching constantly remind us of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Mary is our model, Jesus is our elder brother, and God, in presenting them to the human race, has promised to replace our heart and spirit with His own (see Heart). What a gift!

With such a great and unmerited blessing being offered to us by our Creator, what must our response be? It must be child-like, both in its simplicity and purity of intention: we must invite God in.

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You can start with a prayer to God, kneeling before the Blessed Sacrament if possible, asking from the Heart that He send us the graces from the Holy Spirit necessary to prepare us for the fulfillment of this promise. This was part of what John the Baptist meant when he said “Make straight the way of the Lord” (John 1:23). John the Baptist exemplified how to do this when he said there was “one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie“. We must begin with the grace of Humility.

Humility is the key to being open to all of God’s graces, and thereby invites God to work within your heart. Wtih humility you possess the key to the peace promised by Jesus, because it is the foundation for the cross He asks us to carry. “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me” (Mark 8:34). When you follow Jesus, you invite His perfect love to infuse and inspire your heart and soul.

But what is the cross Jesus asks us to carry? St. Frances de Sales describes a spiritual cross in Introduction to the Devout Life. The spiritual cross to which he refers is the consecration of our life to the love and service of God through:

Obedience: consecration of the heart
Chastity: consecration of the body
Poverty: consecration of all worldly goods

Humility is the foundation of Obedience, Chastity and Poverty, and through this beautiful joining with Christ you are enabled to respond to God’s loving invitation, opening the riches of Heaven in your Heart. This is also your entrance into the path of sainthood (see We are Called to be Saints).

You can renew this each day with the Lord’s Prayer. As you recite the phrase “Thy kingdom come“, you pray to God for His kingdom to grow in your heart, and are reminded of your role in this through the carrying of your spiritual cross. It is during this prayer that you can offer your daily burdens to God as part of your sacrifice.

Carrying a cross is harder than any human being can endure on their own. To receive the supernatural strength and endurance necessary for this, invoke the intercessions of the angels and saints, and especially of Mary, your mother, all of whom will pray to God, out of love for you, that He send you the assistance you need through the Holy Spirit.

As challenging as it is to invite God to enter our hearts, it is an opportunity for divine growth beyond our mortal dimension. When we encounter challenges beyond our human limits, instead of being crushed in our sorrows, we can grow into the divine servant of God we are called to be.

The Spirit of Adoption

In teaching us the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus opened Heaven for us in the spirit of adoption.

Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed by Thy name;

The infinite power, love, and goodness of God is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning from which we come and the source to which we are invited to return.

Thy Kingdom come,

God’s majestic kingdom is revealed as His infinite, merciful blessing, which He offers to us in its totality. And the only place it can be received is in our hearts. In this way we become His children.

Cosmic Consequence of Adoption in Christ

We respond as we either bear or adopt children and their open hearts receive, with the mysteries of love, all who we are in spirit and truth. And if we are truly living as children of God, our children’s hearts are miraculously opened and receive the precious inheritance of God’s kingdom. Just as we are baptized, our children are likewise baptized: “And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to the promise.” (Gal 3:29).

Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.

How we gaze at our children, with such purity of love in our hearts, is an infinitesimal hint of the love with which God gazes at us.

Give us this day our daily bread;

Eucharist, the bread of life, is borne of God’s salvific love for us. As we receive such love, there is only one thing we can do with it: give it to those whom we love, beginning with our children. “For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world… I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry” (John 6:33-35). As God breathes life into us, so we, made in His image and likeness, with our loving response to God, inspire true life in our children.

And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us;

It is on the basis of the love one has received that the soul is ordered to then receive God’s virtues of faith, hope and love. Once this miraculous conversion has taken place, the soul repents of its earthly orientation and turns toward the infinite goodness of God, finally able to return the love to God that it has received. Now the person, whose heart has been replaced with the Sacred Heart of Jesus, is able to look at others and forgive them from the heart, leading that person by the hand through the gates of salvation.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

It is the love of God, infused in our hearts, that is our strength and encouragement to resist temptation and permits God to deliver us from all evil. Then we can truly live joyfully and come home to the promises of Christ.

Heart

The immaculate heart of Mary is conjoined to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, who is One in Being with the Father and the Holy Spirit. When, with my whole heart, I recite the Ave Maria, I join my heart to Mary, who through her grace and perfection joins my heart to Jesus. In this way I perceive what my restless heart constantly seeks: closeness with the Father. This is both a response to the gift of faith and a reinforcement of it through God’s encouragement. When, with my whole heart, I pray to God directly, I feel my heart conjoined with His and, if He decides to grant it, I briefly experience the indescribable bliss of union with Him.

It is God’s heart that gives us life, because He is love itself. Without God’s love our own hearts would stop beating. This is why He tells us “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26). The new heart of His promise is the Sacred of Heart of Jesus, which is both wounded for our sins and on fire with infinite love and mercy.

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In my infinitely limited human imagination I have imagined God’s heart filling the universe: at the center of galaxies and all the beautiful structures of the universe, with indescribable peace and infinite but gentle power. God’s promise to draw us into His glory will enable us to evolve to an eternal state far beyond our current dimension and allow us to see things that we cannot even begin to conceive of now.

Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament

blessed_sacrament To adore God in the Eucharist and spend quality time with our Lord on a regular basis is to form an ever stronger connection between our Creator and ourselves. This has such rich potential in the life of our souls that words can never adequately describe it. It is an opportunity to enter into union with the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Through contemplation before the Eucharist, one experiences the infinite mercy and tenderness of Jesus from just a few feet away, and the opening of the soul to the divine wisdom, grace and power of Almighty God.

As we enter the Chapel, we bring our broken humanity and mortality. As we exit, we do so, not only encouraged for having been privileged to kneel in the presence of the angels before the Glory of God, but also strengthened for having received from our Lord the portion of divine growth, carried in the gifts offered to each one of us by the Holy Spirit, that will carry us through this earthly realm and into our eternal life. One receives and is empowered to spread the fire of the Lord’s divine love. Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament means kneeling before the Light of the World, which one then carries into a world often beset with darkness.