Ministry of Mothers Sharing at Holy Family Catholic Church at 5125 South Apopka-Vineland Rd., Orlando, FL 32819 US - Contemplative Prayer

Praying to God is a difficult task to many. Some of us may view praying as uttering formal prayers which were taught to us during our Sunday school classes while others may pray with their own words. So what exactly is praying to God about? When we are praying, we are communicating with God. Therefore, praying to God reflects our relationship with God. We can use human relationship as a simple example to explain more about our relationship with God. Before the beginning of any relationships, there is always an initial stage where we get to know the person we want to build a relationship with. This stage is when both you and that person are complete stangers to each other. Formal greetings like "Good morning" or "How are you doing?" are already pre-set in our minds either through parental or educational influences. When we meet a stranger, these words are conveyed to the stranger. As time passes by, if we wish to establish a deeper and more meaningful relationship with that stranger, walls surrounding the formal expressions would slowly crumble hence allowing us to use less formal or more natural expressions that comes from our heart. As we grow deeper in that relationship, we begin to trust the other person in the relationship and be comfortable with that person even if there is silence between you and that person. As with our relationship with God, we first establish the relationship through formal prayers taught in Sunday school classes until we wish to form a deeper relationship with Him using words that come from our hearts. As with human relationship, we begin to trust God and be comfortable with Him even if silence prevails. This stage is when contemplative prayer comes in. Resting in the spirit. Meditative prayer. Or other different terms which focus on silence while praying. Contemplative prayer is about establishing a relationship with God at a higher plane beyond any intellectual curiousities while trusting faithfully in Him even when silence is prevalent. Sometimes be it in relationship with humans or relationship with God, we go through a trying and difficult stage when we are challenged either by God or our friends to walk the relationship alone; a phase when we feel like our relationship is starting to wear off or when we do not feel like praying. This stage, sometimes known as "the desert experience" requires each and every one of us to sit down and examine our relationship with God so as to find a stream which fills the thirsts of our souls. On the other hand if we refuse to examine the relationship, we would continue walking the desert, unfulfilled or give up completely the difficult journey. Hence, a need for contemplative prayer. A need to be silent for once and let our heart speak. Our heart, like a flower, blossom with the right consistent amount of water and air. Flowers do not speak yet they freely allow their Creator to work on them. Let us therefore allow God to gently open each petal, water it and breathe into us. Be like flowers for at least 20 minutes a day. Start off with 5 minutes. Let your heart do the talking and your mind be free of all things. It may not be easy to let go of all our worldly cares for 20 minutes each day. If these thoughts come when you are in complete silence, allow them to come, but do not move with them. Keep you heart focused. You can do this by uttering in your heart one or two words which mean the most to you. You can also listen to some light instrumental music. Focus on these words or music but do not immerse yourself in them. Contemplative prayer is a kind of divine therapy which helps soothe and calm our souls. It is perfectly alright to weep or cry during the prayer of silence. Tears cures us of any bitterness, anger, hatred or unforgiveness as in water washes away all the dirty elements on a surface. One will be amazed on how God works on us or stirs our heart through silence. It is a remedy which requires a lot of discipline but works when all things fail. October 2002 Article By Jeannie Clarissa Cotter Copyright 2005 Jeannie Clarissa Cotter

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