Summer Snippets: 3
Kinds of Prayer
Thank you one and all for the kind
words of welcome so many expressed to me last weekend. I truly felt at home. It
was wonderful concelebrating all the four masses with Father Chuck to get a
sense of how worship flowed here and what I needed to do as celebrant to get in
the flow so we’re all rowing in the same direction. Two things were immediately
apparent, though I waited to make a general statement to myself until I had
been to all the masses. As an assembly you folks sing well, you are very devout
in your sacred gestures (e.g. hands at Lord’s Prayer, Communion procession, sharing
the Sign of Peace, etc.) and you are very hospitable with many tending to
linger after Mass to catch up and make new friends.
My first week “on the job” went
well. I had initial meetings with pastoral team members, planned and attended a
regular team meeting, and celebrated daily Mass in the stone chapel. The
biggest challenge I faced was trying to get my MAC talking to the parish
network so I could skype and transfer files easily. Our wonderful technology
person came through with flying colors.
On Tuesday evening I lead an
information night on the Personal Spiritual Deepening Program that I will be
offering one Saturday a month from this July to February. There is some space still
available so if anyone wants a brochure to learn more about it, simply email me
directly at fathernicholasamato@gmail.com.
The all-day retreat (8:00-3:00) is July 12 and the Saturday morning sessions (8:00-12:00)
are on August
18, September 15, October 20, November 3, December 8, and January 12. The
all-day closing retreat (8:00-3:00) is on February 9, 2013. I am pleased to say
that all the gatherings will be held here at St. Francis De
Sales Church.
Speaking of participative
liturgies and spiritual deepening, in this weekend’s bulletin I would like to
share some thoughts on prayer and why it often feels humdrum or unproductive.
Prayer can be broken down into
three types: verbal/vocal prayer, meditation, and contemplation. The first type
is speaking prayer formulas, psalms, or singing songs with others. As examples
of this prayer we might cite Mass, rosary, Divine Office and any of these
shared in a group. Verbal/Vocal prayer uses the mind and the voice. Meditation
uses the mind and, while it can be done in a group as in guided mediation, it
is about the individual and their thoughts and imagery. There may be sharing
after the mediation. Contemplation or contemplative prayer is a deeper level of
prayer because it calls individuals to dispose themselves in such a way that
there is little or no thinking. The goal is more a state of awareness. While
awareness is a cognitive activity of the brain, it is deeper than thought. It
is being in touch with something “out there” but in touch in the sense of being
and openly receptive to what is out there. Think of it this way. When we are
struck by the presence of a spectacular sunset or stunning rainbow that four or
five seconds that holds us captive and speechless is akin to contemplative
presence. Note there is no thinking going on and you and the sunset or rainbow
are one – truly a unitive experience! Now the minute you begin “thinking” about
the beauty before you, you also begin to loose the luster of the union. That is
because you are in fact no longer one with it. In thinking about it you have
separated yourself from it as the “subject thinking” with the sunset or rainbow
becoming the “object thought.” The one has become two. Alas! But the good news
is that you do not have to wait for the next sunset or rainbow. You can dispose
yourself to receive God’s grace of presence more fully right now or in any
moment. There are techniques we can learn, tools we can develop, and obstacles
we can overcome to dispose ourselves to remain in the presence of God for
longer periods.
We all have within us a desire to
see God, to experience God’s glory. It is like having something called thirst
that draws us to water, or fatigue that draws us to sleep, or hunger that draws
us to food. As a way for God to get us to be drawn to living our union with
God, the desire was planted in us when “we were knit in our mother’s womb.” And
as you do not want to eat when you are hungry or drink when you are sleepy, your
desire for God can only be satisfied by God. Unfortunately advertisers know
this and present their products as little pieces of salvation, happiness,
glory, etc. And because they know nothing but the divine will satisfy that
hunger, they can keep coming back to us with the latest up-to-date gadget,
clothing that is being peddled. I look forward to sharing life with you these
three months as we fulfill our desire for God within this community of faith.
Fondly,
Father Nicholas
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