Mystic Prayer

Mystic devotions all involve prayer, because all prayer is communication with God. But mystics expand the conventional meaning of prayer to include any activity that is God-toward. The more God is in the forefront of your mind, the more you're praying and the better off you are. Study is prayer when it's God-centered. Work is prayer as long as it's work that pleases God. Writing is prayer when it's God-inspired. Daydreaming is prayer when your mind is already steeped in the things of God. It all comes from the intuitive mystic recognition of God in your every life-aspect -- in you, around you, and through you.

Practicing the presence of God is nothing more than living God in your every thought and action, which is continuous prayer. The mystic devotions outlined here are a few of the structured ways you honor your right-relationship with God, which is evidenced by practicing His presence. Some pray-ers do better with a set ritual; with set prayers or a set method, at least for a time. Some return to prayer as a rite even after they have elevated their devotions.

So how do you pray? Any way that feels right to you. Some like to read written prayers to themselves; some like to read them out loud. Some like to recite formal prayers; some like to make up their own to say. Some sit in silence; some say "God, help me!" a hundred times a day as they go about what they do. Some talk to God in confidence like a sympathetic friend; some are only comfortable in a noisy crowd of the prayerful. Some sing their prayers; some cry them. As long as prayer is sincere there's no unacceptable way of doing it. You are doing the one and only thing God has ever asked of you -- desiring to get back the right-relationship with Him that sin has destroyed.

KINDS OF PRAYER

Verbal -- prewritten prayers and hymns said out loud or to oneself

Spontaneous -- words to the Creator at moments of great emotion

Mental -- talking with God from the spirit

Meditative -- quiet, inward reflection on devotion-based thoughts, reflections, and occurrences

Contemplative -- passive receptivity to the input of God

HONORING THE PRESENT MOMENT

Mystics are concerned with the only thing that doesn't die – the spirit. Everybody has one, and will throughout eternity. We don't “do” anything to it to make it most beneficial -- it is filled by its Creator; the grace of His presence. What we can do is recognize what's already in our spirit – the way to do that is to tune out everything else, and to do that we must live in the present moment. The fact that there are great personal benefits to be derived from this focus doesn't take away the beauty of mystic spirituality as the perfect worship of God.

Take a moment to go to someplace quiet. Settle back into a breathing rhythm that feels soothing to you. Think about this very moment, to the exclusion of everything past and present. The only thing worth noting about the past or present is that they don't exist if you live for the present only. Now keep the present moment in mind as seen through the eyes of God; as God within your spirit.

Nothing else matters. Everything is taken care of for you. Nobody can hurt you; nobody but your Creator can help you. You live for God, and that is possible because there are no time considerations. What you and God are at this moment is all there has to be. You have everything you need. You have only what you need. Nobody can take this relationship away from you. Now thank God for this moment, in any way that feels right for you. Remain in His presence for as long as you can; when other thoughts intrude, calmly go back to the world.

You will soon look forward to doing this – sometimes when the perfect opportunity presents itself, and sometimes in the middle of being shuffled around a noisy airport. For God, there is only one time, and that time is now. Visit Him in the now as much as possible; with His grace it will get easier and it will color your world the beautiful color of rightness. It will put a new face on what you do; it will remind you of what is truly important as you go about your worldly existence. You are not abandoning your responsibilities, only ordering them into perspective by promising yourself to acknowledge God in your spirit at any time and at all times.

INTROSPECTION

This is a combination prayer and meditation during which you meditate on the seven deadly sins and the seven virtues that overcome them. Apply deep thought the list of sins and remedies as they apply to your life, and ask God to help you overcome.

  
MORTIFICATION           ILLUMINATION

gluttony                          self-denial

pride                               humility

covetousness                  generosity

anger                              patience

envy                                kindness

sloth                               diligence

lust                                 chastity

LECTIO DIVINA

Lectio Divina is an ancient art of study, reflection, and prayer with the aim of intimacy with God. It's been practiced extensively by Eastern and Western peoples of all scripturally-based religions since words started to be written down. Though it brings to mind personal sessions in hermitages, it can be practiced in groups as well as privately. There is a freedom to this form of worship and communication that makes daily Lectio Divina a perfect practice for today's busy person. You do as much as you need to do or want to do, and it's up to you what you're willing to get out of it. It's a quiet art even when the reading is done out loud, because it always ends in pure contemplation. It's a comfort because the feeling of things being between just us and God allows us a satisfaction no one can take away.

Lectio Divina means literally divine reading, but of course it's much more than that. It means a personal communication with God by giving Him center stage and keeping our own participation to a response to His. It's done in four stages after you have taken your copy of scripture to a quiet place, connected yourself mentally with the presence of God within you, and made yourself receptive to the grace of the Holy Spirit:

Lectio: The reading of the scripture you have picked out, with emphasis on hearing what God has meant for you to hear in the words. When you come across a word or phrase that you think may enhance your daily life, it's time to stop reading.

Meditatio: You ponder the word or phrase over and over until it becomes “yours” in that the understanding that you have of it makes it a comfortable friend.

Oratio: This is your heartfelt response to what you've experienced in your reading. It could be a short prayer, a phrase of thanksgiving, or you're telling God that you intend to use His knowledge and grace for good. There's no right or wrong way to respond – it's just an earnest reaction to your experience.

Contemplatio: The part where you remain quiet and unthinking, with just the awareness of the presence and love of God that your session has provided you through His work.

The practical application of Lectio Divina is that you will return to the word or phrase that has stood out for you in your reading throughout the day. Many times you'll find that there are instances during your daily life that lend themselves to your word or phrase, and you will naturally fit the two things together. This being aware of how God's word fits into your routine will make you receptive to the work of the Holy Spirit. In this way you further your relationship with God, not for what you can get out of it but so that you can serve Him better by knowing Him better.

CENTERING PRAYER

This is the method behind contemplative prayer as practiced by monks and nuns throughout the centuries and the transcendental meditation that brings to mind the “OM” of Eastern religious experience. The point recognized by every civilization from every point of the globe is that try as we might, it's infinitely hard to stop thinking in order to let the supreme divine entity through. Contemplation can't be perfect because we as humans cannot have perfect concentration, but it's well worth it to come as close as we can. Through centering prayer we communicate to God our humility and desire to transcend human weaknesses in order to worship Him.

Centering prayer involves three things we do:

1. Find a quiet place and comfortable position in which to put attention on the loving presence of God
2. Gently present to our consciousness our pre-determined word or phrase that best represents love to our minds, with the goal of, without thinking about doing it, emptying our minds in order to make them available to God
3. When stray thoughts start to creep in, we bring back our focus word until the mind relaxes again and returns to pure contemplation.

A note about the difference between meditation and contemplation in the spiritual realm. Meditation is an active practice by which we use our own intellect to pray or reflect. Contemplation is the passive offering of our consciousness to receive whatever divine impression is in store for us. It's a simple distinction that gets confusing only because we insist on using the terms interchangeably.

 EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE

From Father Pat's Place at http://frpat.com

reprinted by permission of Father Pat Umberger 11/28/07

 
The first Commandment: I am the Lord your God; you shall not have strange gods before me.

Do we truly love God above all, or do we sometimes give greater importance to things of this world: money, image, looks, clothes, popularity or selfish desires?

Do we claim to have good values, but often bend or abandon them in order to fit in and be "part of the group?"

Do we turn to God in thankful prayer, or do we pray mostly when we want something?

Do we really want to be transformed by the will of God, or do we just use our religion in order to "look" like good Christian people?

The Second Commandment: You shall not take the name of the Lord in vain.

Do we show disrespect for God's name by misusing it out of frustration or anger or to look "tough" to others?

Do we hesitate to mention God's name in appropriate situations, in conversations with friends and family members?

Do we continue to learn about God by paying attention in Church, Religion Class and through reading the Times Review and paying attention to Catholic periodicals, articles on religion in the secular press and television programs?

The Third Commandment: Remember to keep holy the Lord's day.

Do we come to Church to celebrate the Eucharist on Sundays and Holy Days? Do we attend Mass only when it is convenient or when it will make us "feel good?"

Do we participate in the Eucharist by praying and singing, or do we simply sit as spectators and wait to be entertained?

Do we pay close attention to the Word of God and open ourselves to God's call to allow His word to take effect in our lives?

Do we acknowledge the "true presence" of Christ in the Eucharist and receive Holy Communion with respect and reverence?

The Fourth Commandment: Honor your father and your mother.

Do we help bring peace and happiness to our families, or are we disrespectful of others and a source of hurt and division for those who are closest to us?

As parents, are we generous and patient with our children? Do we spend time with them and give them the attention they need? Do we set responsible limits for them and make sure they follow rules that will help them grow into responsible adults?

Are we willing to say "no" to our children, or are we more likely to ignore problem behavior and hope it will "go away?"

Do we listen to our children carefully and treat them with respect?

As children, are we loving, respectful and obedient to our parents? Do we appreciate the many sacrifices they make for us? Do we say "Thank you" and "I love you" often enough?

Do we do our chores without being asked, or do we wait for our parents to become upset before we move away from what we are doing?

Do we listen to our parents' reasoning when they say "no" to us?

The Fifth Commandment: You shall not kill. *

Have we injured another person through carelessness or fighting?

Have we placed ourselves or others in danger because of reckless use of alcohol or other drugs? Have we caused difficulties for ourselves or others because of their use?

Have we risked our lives by driving or riding with someone under the influence alcohol or other drugs?

Do we strive to forgive those who have hurt us, or do we hold on to resentment and desire for revenge?

Do we use our powers of influence well, especially our voting rights, in order to fight war, oppression, abortion and injustice, or do we allow those evils to continue by our apathy and our silence?

Have we been violent or abusive either in action or in speech? Have we been verbally abusive to our children or other family members?

Do we share what we have with those in need? Do we support the life and mission of the Church by responsible stewardship - sharing our time, talent and treasure?

Do we bring our Christianity to every day situations, or do we stand on the sidelines and complain about every flaw we can detect in others?

*Those who have had, procured or assisted in an abortion, see the end of this Examination of Conscience, or  Click Here.

The Sixth Commandment: You shall not commit adultery.

Do we respect the dignity of the human body and the holiness of Christian marriage? Do we show that respect in our speech, or are crude language and jokes often part of our conversations?

Do we understand and appreciate the gift of our sexuality as a means of expressing our love [and God's love] in the Sacrament of Marriage?

Have we been faithful to our marriage, priestly or religious vows? Do we keep our commitments simply because we said we would, or do we seek to nourish ourselves and others through our lifetime commitments?

Have we dishonored our bodies by fornication, impurity or unworthy conversation or thought leading to impure actions?

Have we encouraged others to sin by our failure to maintain good moral standards?

The Seventh Commandment: You shall not steal.

Do we respect the property of other people? Have we stolen, damaged or vandalized the property of others?

Have we cheated at work or in school? Have we encouraged others to sin by pressuring them into helping us cheat?

Are we honest and hardworking in school and at work?

Are we faithful to our promises? Can we be trusted?

The Eighth Commandment: You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

Have we lied to stay out of trouble or to avoid a difficult situation?

Do we gossip about others? Have we damaged the reputation of another person by exaggeration or making up stories about them?

Can we be trusted with a secret?

Do we stand up for those unjustly accused, or are we merely a channel through which rumors pass, whether or not they are true?

The Ninth Commandment: You shall not covet your neighbor's wife.

Have we weakened or damaged our marriage commitment through our obsession with another person?

Do we respect the commitments of others and help them remain faithful to their promises?

Do we treat our marriages casually in our conversations and attitudes? Have we said or done anything which made a mockery of our sacred promises?

The Tenth Commandment: You shall not covet your neighbor's goods.

Are we satisfied with what God has given us, or are we jealous of those who seem to have more?

Do we try to prove we are better than others by bragging or buying more things?

Do we appreciate our own good qualities, or do we constantly compare ourselves with others and become resentful or bitter?

Do we cope well with the problems that confront us and maintain our Christian hope in spite of hard times and difficulties?

Do we truly "seek first the Kingdom of God" in our lives and place our trust in Him?

Do we reflect the peace, hope and joy of a people redeemed and made holy by the Blood of Christ?