...contemplative prayer...

For years I have reflected on and studied the relationship between orthodoxy — what we believe — and orthopraxy — what we do, what actions we take.   Sometime what we believe defines what we do, while other times what we do defines what we believe.   The same is true with our actions and choices and our spirituality.  Without action, our spirituality can become lifeless and bear little or no authentic fruit.   Without contemplation, the things we do can come from our selfish self-centeredness.   But the fact that the integration of action and contemplation is something helpful and meaningful in our life is really our great grace of God.

I believe that only the contemplative mind, only when our quiet prayer before God, only when we empty ourselves each day in the presence of the Lord Jesus christ, can bring forward in ourself a new consciousness needed to awaken a more loving, just, and sustainable world. This is why the mission of our life must include the desire to engage in and introduce to others a Christian contemplative wisdom and practices that support transformation and inspire loving action. The healing of our relationships and the haling of our world require us to be transformed people of love who show up in the world together. Each of us has a part to play in this work – a whole body, a whole community, a whole movement of people on the path of action and contemplation. It is our care of others, our generosity, and our daily partnerships that make the world a better place that will enable this transformation to take place.

Today make this your prayer.  And may the Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God have mercy on me a sinner.

From the Bible:

“What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” James 2:114-17.

“For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly and sisterly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” 2 Peter 1:5-8.