markdohle

Whatever quiets the mind is beautiful. Your breathing probably slows down. Yes contemplative prayer is totally focused on seeking God, for the Christian that is a deeper union with Christ Jesus. Peace Mark

You kind of amaze me my friend ;-). Peace Mark

Thank you my friend. It is really called the prayer of quiet and many christian do it, they just do not call it contemplative prayer..... Peace mark

Actually it is a matter of opinion. Contemplative prayer is firmly established in Christian tradition, though in the Protestant tradition it has almost disappeared, which is a pity. I do not expect you to agree with just about anything I write my friend, but many non-catholic Protestants are deeply commited to contemplative prayer. I respect you very much as I do all here, but there is room for disagreement. Christian contemplative prayer dates back at least to the 4th through 6th centuries when the early Desert Fathers and Mothers were active in Egypt, Palestine, and Syria. If a single scripture text can be said to sum the philosophy of these early teachers is was Jesus' teaching that the sum of the Law was to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and mind and your neighbor as your self." At the time of the Reformation contemplative prayer declined or disappeared among Protestants, and went into long decline in the Catholic countries. Under the influence of rationalism, the mystic direct experience of God became suspect. By the 19th century the contemplative prayer tradition had almost disappeared except among the cloistered Catholic religious orders, and it was marginalized even there. Christian contemplative practice began to revive among the Benedictines and other monastic orders. During the mid-20th century interest in contemplative practices increased, with the most popular writer on the subject being the Cistercian monk Thomas Merton. Nonetheless meditation was more generally associated with eastern traditions such as Zen and yoga, and many who wished to explore the contemplative life turned to Eastern teachers who were beginning to establish themselves in the West. Jesus taught no specific method, but did regularly withdraw to be alone with God. The fruits of prayer described by Paul the Apostle are love, joy peace, patience, generosity, faithfulness, kindness, gentleness, self-control, and purity. (Galatians 5:22-23). According to Thomas Keating, the fruits of centering prayer are freedom from self-centered motivation, action in service to others, a sense of interconnectedness with all creation, dis-identification with our self-image, healing of fear, conviction of our basic goodness, and capacity for union with God.

Breathing is what we do, so it is natural to simply pray with the breath. How you get all the above with my post is amazing to me ;-). Is OK my brother. I guess you think that the statement: "Be still and know I am God" is new age as well. We are to pray always, no two people pray alike and Jesus said nothing about how we can accomplish that. If prayer is centered on Christ Jesus then it is Christ centered and not what you call new age. Thanks for sharing. Peace mark

This is a WOW statement testimony on prayer, thank you soooo much. peace mark

Beautiful testimony, thank you.. Peace Mark

Not so my friend. My prayer is centered on Christ Jesus. You can think want, we are all free to do that. Breathe in....Peace Breathe out....Mark

I pray that way much of the day as well. I agree nothing is to trivial to talk to the Lord about. I believe that is what being childlike is about before the Lord. Peace Mark

I agree Willa, I do the same thing. I find it odd that people do not think about the shortness of live more often and more deeply. I love what you said. Peace Mark

This causes harm, you would think we would learn from the fiasco's that have happened in the last few years. I agree with Ezra....the first and probably the last time I will

I am finding apart from the divide between Catholic's and non-Catholic, or least for some of them, there is also a language barrier. Below is something I wrote on prayer and I would like to see how others view prayer in their lives. I do believe that we all belong to the Priesthood of the faithful and when we pray we stand for all seeking the Lord's blessing on all, as well that all may come to know Christ and his love.....for God wills (desires) the salvation of all. 1 Timothy 2:3-4. This is not a teaching but a sharing. If I am breaking any rules, moderator please delete immateriality. How do you pray? What does prayer mean to you? How has it changed over the years as you mature +++++++++++++++ Breathe in; breathe out (the practice of prayer) When I ask this “what do we pray for”, many do not understand what I am getting at. I guess we can start with the question what is prayer? The simplest answer is that it is “raising our heart and mind to God”. But that answer can lead to another question…..what does that mean for me in my everyday life? Prayer, if pursued and the impulses of grace are followed, which is in fact an invitation from the Holy Spirit, can slowly grow over the years to become a deeply ingrained habit. Prayer becomes a form of breathing for the soul. The Holy Spirit breathes in us, and we breathe out prayer. To stop and pray, to be open to the Holy Spirit opens us up to the healing and mercy of “the fire of God’s love’, which is stronger than death. So as the life of prayer deepens we can often find ourselves in a dry desert with only faith and prayer as our guides. Or we find that we discover depths within our souls that block us from living fully in the joy and love of God. Prayer gives us the humility to grow in the knowledge of God’s grace and our total dependence on his mercy and love. So we can find ourselves on stormy seas, without the false luxury of blaming others, or of seeking ways to self medicate that only complicate the matter and pile on more problems. Prayer frees us from being a victim as well as drowning in anger or self pity. The more we understand ourselves, the more we understand the struggle of others and find our hearts becoming the Heart of Christ Jesus. Prayer and our openness to God’s grace makes us aware that Paul’s statement that “It is not I but Christ who lives in me”, is not some abstract statement, or theological principle, but an actual living reality. Fear, bitterness, anger and cynicism are ways that we protect ourselves from the on- slot of life. Sin is the shield that we use to keep life out, which leads to only more suffering and a deepening of our wounds. It is only by letting go of fear that we can understand the healing balm of God’s love. As John says in his 1st Epistle, “Love cast out fear”. The death to self that Jesus calls us to is a letting go of self concern to the exclusion of others. As well as freeing others from manipulation and being made into mere object so that we can feel secure and in control….illusions both of them. Yet when we discover the love of God, its depth and what Christ Jesus went through to save us, we come to the understanding that we are truly embraced in the ever lasting arms of Christ Jesus’ love. We can forget how short our lives are and that we are pilgrims. One good thing about aging is that illusion of “I have plenty of time” is taken away. If someone lives to be 120 years of age, on their death bed, it will seem like a passing dream…..our time is short here. Being 68 (or will be in December) has freed me totally from that illusion. Life is more precious to me as I age, yet I know that ‘soon’ I will move on. What is life for? We need to ask ourselves that question and live from what we discover. Breathe in, breathe out, allow the Holy Spirit to pray in you, through you and let yourselves be used so that our arms, become the Arms-of-Christ, our hearts, become The-Heart-of-Christ and our minds, to become, The-Mind-of-Christ. For in our bodies we make up for what is lacking in the body of Christ. We have a great calling; we are all members of Christ Jesus and belong to the priesthood of the faithful. The more conscious we are of that the more we can allow the Holy Spirit to use us.

I think it was a mistake, bad planning, not apostasy. Though I can understand people being offended.

Yes, that we are to love God with our whole heart, mind and soul and to love others. That trust is a choice and that it can be made no matter what ones inner voices tell them, or what their emotions feel like. That God's love as shown in Christ Jesus is deeper and more intense that they can imagine. The he died for them as if they were the only person in the world. So no matter what they are going through they are in Christ. Peace Mark

I am not trying to change your mind LOL, how could I? Yet communication and sharing is important. Peace Mark

Of course I believe in hell, Jesus taught it, it shows that we choose to respond to grace or not. However I never make any sort of judgment on who is there, I think for my part that would go against what Jesus said about judging. The love the Jesus has for me, he has for all. Purgatory would be for me, if I still have some areas in my soul that need healing, it is a state where my growth in the Lord is completed in the fire of God's love. It is not about a second change. Once we die, our true choices become eternal, we would not change or could we. Rusty I am not trying to convince you of this, I wanted to perhaps give some understanding about a belief that is shared actually by many, many Christians. I make sense to me my good friend, and in no way lessens God's grace. Prayer for the dead is well documented within early Christianity, both among prominent Church Fathers and the Christian community in general. In Eastern Orthodoxy Christians pray for "such souls as have departed with faith, but without having had time to bring forth fruits worthy of repentance".[5] In the Catholic Church the assistance that the dead receive by prayer on their behalf is linked with the process of purification known as purgatory.[6][7] While prayer for the dead continues in both these traditions and in those of Oriental Orthodoxy and of the Assyrian Church of the East, many Protestant groups reject the practice. The tomb of the Christian Abercius of Hieropolis in Phrygia (latter part of the 2nd century) bears the inscription: Let every friend who observes this pray for me, i.e. Abercius, who throughout speaks in the first person. The inscriptions in the Roman catacombs bear similar witness to the practice, by the occurrence of such phrases as: Peace Mark

Thank you Bonnie, I can sense that you truly have he love of Christ Jesus in your heart. Your post about your fellow workers showed that to me. Peace mark

Think you Wayne. Yes there are some Catholics who can sound like some of those good Christians here ;-). I understand. The Purgatory belief for me is simple and makes sense, but I have been a Catholic all of my life, so what is easy to practice and see it as going deeper into the mystery of Christ Jesus mystical Body, for others is some sort of pagan belief. So I was being truthful about not trying to change anyone's mind, but to perhaps give them some understanding about purgatory. I succeeded about the first part, but not about the second LOL I am humbled by your love of the Lord Wane and and you truly mature Child-like-Faith. I am happy that you are here. We are one in the Lord, that I believe and that the division in the Body Of Christ is a sorrow for the Lord, but that is the world we live in. I pray everyday to love everyone and when I pray everyone is there with me......and I do mean everyone. I am a strong believer in the Priesthood of the Faithful. Again thank you my friend. One day maybe we can meet, come for a retreat.....we have many non-Catholics come here from all denominations, they pray with us in our church and come to our retreats. Many Baptists come, minister love it here as well as the laity. They don's seemed bothered when they come to our last prayer service (compline) and we finish with the Salve Regina.....most join in, some don't. Peace Brother Mark

Thank you for sharing my friend, we simply do not agree ;-). Like I said, I was not trying convince, but to share another way of looking at this reality, if I actually did change someones's mind, I would need a drink and I don't drink

Simply talking with someone else and sharing ones faith The greatest way we can show respect for someone is to simply listen to them and not to try to change their minds. I suppose in trying to such a thing would lead to ‘Excedrin Headache #8”, since it is impossible. Howe do I know this? From personal experience when I am communing with others. I have been screamed at by some over the simple fact that I am a Christian believer. I have been reviled by Christians because I am a Catholic. Yet it has had no affect on me. Why should it? If I know this, why would I put someone else through that nonsense? However, when I feel that I am respected I am more disposed to listen and it makes it easier for me to consider what is said to me. Even if it does not change my mind, it allows me to still grow in my comprehension of others and their beliefs. People think that they have good reason to think and believe what they do and who am I to try dissuading them of that? Yet I can share and listen. When people actually communicate and not try to force compliance there is a cross pollination of ideas that can help both parties. Now this is not easy, for tolerance and respect are often a choice and not a fuzzy warm feeling. People have dignity and need to be respected. Of course there are some who need to be limited in what they can do to others, poor souls who have serious emotional and psychological problems. Or just plain mean and power hungry. It is simply living out the ‘Golden Rule’, by knowing how I want to be treated and in turn doing the same to others. This takes self knowledge and a form of mindfulness of what one wants as well as what can stop that from happening. Fear for instance of the anxiety that can arise when speaking to people who live in a different thought or faith world. If it is allowed to run its course things will settle once again. To fight with violent language will only make things worse and ones fear of doubt will never be faced, tamed and used to deepen ones faith and understanding of their path. Christ Jesus is Lord and I have experienced his love, mercy and healing. I believe that all receive the same; we just have to open up our hearts. Just as St. Paul had his Damascus experience, so I believe that all peoples who seek truth and love will have their own. Only God see the heart at its deepest depth. I seek not to be one who slows that process down or blocks it. I have found this to be a respectful place and I want to think those who have shown patience with me. It is good to have lots of brothers and sisters in the Lord.......Praise God.....and thank you all.

I agree and God will also seek all his children out. Just as Jesus did with St. Paul and Jesus is doing today appearing to many Muslims. Before a gift can be rejected it has to be presented.

LOL yeah we are.

You are missing the point my friend, that is ok, like I said I am not trying to convince anyone.

Of course it could. God's fire is purifying, it buns away all dross until only that which is true is left. Judgment does not always mean condemnation.

The problem with the book of revelation everyone has their own take on it, it is a tower of babel. Everyone is right and everyone is wrong who disagrees with them ;-)