Contemplation and Centering Prayer
OPENING PRAYER
Loving and merciful God,
I am so aware of my sins and weaknesses.
But as painfully aware of my faults as I am,
Let me also remember your tender love,
your gentle and limitless forgiveness.
I come before you filled with pain and guilt
but look into your eyes and see the forgiving love
I so long for in my life.
Help me to forgive the same way.
Teach me to love as you love.
Amen.
Source: Online Ministries, Creighton University
"CONTEMPLATIVE AND CENTERING PRAYER"
"Be Still and Know That I Am God"
(Psalm 46:10)
"When you pray, go to your inner room, close the door and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you"
(Matthew 6:6)
How often do you rest quietly in the presence of God?
There are three basic expressions of prayer: vocal, meditative, and contemplative. These are practiced formally and informally, personally and communally, through popular piety, and the liturgical prayer of the Church. (USCCA, p. 473). Through God’s grace and guided by the Holy Spirit, we respond to God’s call to grow and deepen in our loving relationship with God and our faith in Christ, to allow God to convert and transform our hearts, minds, soul and entire being, and to discern and strengthen us to do God’s will. We usually express our prayer through thoughts, words, feelings, or acts of adoration, petition, intercession, thanksgiving and praise.
"Contemplation is a form of wordless prayer in which mind and heart focus on God's greatness and goodness in affective, loving adoration." (CCC, 2d ed., p. 872). It has been practiced as early as the third century by the Desert Mothers and Fathers. In contemplative prayer we rest and attentively offer ourselves in love and adoration, listening in the silence of our heart, mind, and soul to God, who speaks and transforms us.
Centering Prayer was developed by Thomas Keating, William Menninger, and Basil Pennington, Trappist Monks, "who sought to develop a simple method of silent prayer for contemporary people," that led to the publication in 1986 of Fr. Keating's book, Open Mind, Open Heart: The Contemplative Dimension of the Gospel.
Centering is a receptive method of silent prayer that prepares us to receive the gift of contemplative prayer, prayer in which we experience God's presence within us, closer than breathing, closer than thinking, closer than consciousness itself. This method of prayer is both a relationship with God and a discipline to foster that relationship. Centering Prayer is not meant to replace other kinds of prayer. Rather, it adds depth of meaning to all prayer and facilitates the movement from more active modes of prayer — verbal, mental or affective prayer — into a receptive prayer of resting in God. Centering Prayer emphasizes prayer as a personal relationship with God and as a movement beyond conversation with Christ to communion with Him.*
In Centering Prayer you commit at least 20 minutes each day in a quiet place to rest in God—beyond thoughts, words, or emotions. The following is a short summary of the general guidelines for practicing Centering Prayer: 1. Choose a sacred word as the symbol of your intention to consent to God’s presence and action within.
Videos and other resources about the practices of Contemplative Prayer and Centering Prayer can be found below. REFLECT ON YOUR EXPERIENCE We encourage and invite you to spend time to reflect, pray, and write in your journal about what you have read, seen, heard, or experienced this week. You can find some questions you may wish to consider here.
2. Sitting comfortably and with eyes closed, settle briefly and silently introduce the sacred word such as “Jesus,” “love,” “peace,” or other sacred word as the symbol of your consent to God’s presence and action within.
3. When engaged with your thoughts, including any sensation, emotion, or image, return ever-so-gently to the sacred word.
4. At the end of the prayer period, remain in silence with eyes closed for a couple of minutes to allow the silence to enter into your everyday life. (Contemplative Outreach).VIDEOS
"What is Centering Prayer and How Do We Do It? (Contemplative Outreach)
"An Introduction to Centering Prayer" (Phileena Heurtz)
"The Method of Centering Prayer - Part 1" (Fr. Thomas Keating, O.C.S.O.)
"The Method of Centering Prayer - Part 2" (Fr. Thomas Keating, O.C.S.O.)
"Christian Centering Prayer" (Rev. Cynthia Bourgeault)
"What is Contemplative Prayer and Why is it Needed" (Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM.)
"The Contemplative Pathway" (Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM)
"The Ways of Relating to the Lord" (Fr. Ian VanHeusen)
"Experience of God in Contemplative Prayer" (Fr. Thomas Keating, O.C.S.O.)
"What is Contemplative Prayer" (James Finley, Ph.D.)
"Desire for Union with God" (James Finley, Ph.D.)
"What is Contemplation?" (Thomas Merton)
""Found by Solitude, Stillness and Silence"
"Contemplative Spirituality" (Phileena Heurtz)
"The Art of Centering Prayer - Part 1 (Rev. Cynthia Bourgeault)
"The Art of Centering Prayer - Part 2 (Rev. Cynthia Bourgeault)
"The Art of Centering Prayer - Part 3 (Rev. Cynthia Bourgeault)
"The Art of Centering Prayer - Part 4 (Rev. Cynthia Bourgeault)MUSIC
"Peaceful Holy Hour"
"Meditation Music"
"Relaxing Mediation Music"
"Gregorian Chant"
"Veni Creator Spiritus"OTHER RESOURCES
"The Method of Centering Prayer: Prayer of Consent" (Brochure; Contemplative Outreach)
"12-Step Outreach—Centering Prayer"(Brochure; Contemplative Outreach)
"Contemplation: A Life's Journey" (Fr. Richard Rohr)
"Contemplative Prayer" (Thomas Merton)
"The Seven Stages of Centering Prayer" (Fr. Thomas Keating)
"Various Articles on Centering Prayer" (Contemplative Outreach)
"The Gift of Contemplative Prayer" (Margaret Silf)
"Contemplation" (Excerpts from the CCC)
"How to Practice Contemplative Meditation" (U.S. Catholic)
"Catholic Meditation and Contemplation: What is the Difference?" (Carl McColman)
"Centering Prayer: Contemplative Practice for the 21st Century" (America Magazine)
"Catholic Spirituality in Practice" (C 21 - Boston College)
Links to other Articles, Videos, Music, practices, and Resources for Lent and Easter
How can participating in the prayer practice of the Stations of the Cross help you to grow in experiencing a more loving and deeper relationship with Jesus Christ?Glory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, in now, and ever shall be.
Amen.
* https://www.contemplativeoutreach.org