Rite of Christian Initiation For Adults
St. Gilbert Parish, Grayslake, IL
Contact:Father Gene Nowak (847) 223-4731
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Introductory Topics |
Meditation Perhaps it is because its form is without word that meditation is a style of prayer that crosses the boundaries of faith and time. Meditation is a prayer of quietness, a prayer of our internal self. It is often intimidating for someone who is new to its form. It is full of subtlety and it is not easily mastered. It calls for a unique sort of letting go in order to attain its goal. The meditator is sort of here and not here, fully aware of the present but seemingly detached. Yet exterior demeanors should not deter you from this wonderfully rich form of prayer. Its universality is not only because its form is without word. Its universality is because of its efficacy: it is uniquely effective in bringing one into awareness of Gods presence and into communion with the Truth. In my talk on prayer, I mentioned several experiences I have been blessed to have of union with the created world and with God. I said that these experiences cannot be precipitated by us, but that we can put ourselves into a state of openness so that when they happen, we are receptive to them and aware of them. The method I have found most rewarding in my prayer life for preparing myself to be aware of these experiences is meditation and contemplation. And it is thus that I must admit my bias toward this form of prayer. Definitions of meditation and contemplation vary, but in my definition, meditation has to do with entering into something and contemplation has to do with entering into nothing. Meditation usually focuses in on an event, a fantasy or a thing. It allows one to channel one's focus in a special way such that one is aware of the holiness of oneself and one's world. Contemplation has been called the via negativa, or the way of nothingness. Instead of focusing on an event or fantasy or thing, it calls for focusing on the "nothing." It allows one to both become acutely aware of the world around one and to escape that world completely as well. It is this detachment from the world that makes some people feel that it negates the value of the body and is therefore un-Christian. As I said, it is full of subtlety and to see it as anti-body is to ignore the sense of balance it gives to those of us who live in a society that is inescapably materialistic. Some people see meditation and contemplation as an "eastern" prayer form and therefore not part of our Christian tradition. We are a catholic, i.e. universal church, that sees value in the prayer forms of Christians both in the west and in the east. Some people see meditation and contemplation as "new age" forms of prayer and therefore not Christian. Many of our Church fathers were "contemplatives" and the entire monastic tradition richly echoes this way of prayer. I find it exciting that the American church of the latter half of the 20th century is again recognizing the value of meditation and contemplation. We will spend the next 3 weeks exploring meditation. And then the 3 weeks after that will be spent on contemplation. These two forms of prayer are distinct, yet their external form is similar. And they both begin from the same place: quieting oneself in order to become aware of God. Thus, tonight we'll spend our time learning one method for quieting ourselves: focusing on the sensations of our body. In the 3 weeks to come, we'll go through some guided meditations: first, a fantasy on finding a perfect place for prayer; second, the repetitive mantra of the rosary; and third, a meditation on the last chapter of John's Gospel. In the 3 weeks that follow, we'll go through some contemplative prayer: first, finding God in our breathing; second, finding God in our body; and third, finding God in all things. At the beginning of each session, we'll all recite a short prayer. Because we've grown up believing that the only valuable things are those things that have clear or tangible results, it's hard to enter into a process that defies tangible results. We tend to want to put value on our ability to achieve or not achieve something in meditation. However, the act of meditating is to let go of our control of our lives, to put ourselves into God's hands and to place the value simply in that. Whatever follows is not our doing, it is God's. And whatever follows may not be tangible or even discernible by us, but it is to God. Moreso than in any other form of prayer, the most important thing in meditation and contemplation is trust. Come, let us enter this prayer together and find God in our quiet. Lord, |