571. What is contemplative prayer? (part 2 continuation)
(Comp 571 repetition) Contemplative
prayer is a simple gaze upon God in silence and love. It is a gift of God, a
moment of pure faith during which the one praying seeks Christ, surrenders
himself to the loving will of the Father, and places his being under the action
of the Holy Spirit. Saint Teresa of Avila defines contemplative prayer as the
intimate sharing of friendship, “in which time is frequently taken to be alone
with God who we know loves us.”
“In brief”
(CCC 2724) Contemplative prayer is the simple expression of
the mystery of prayer. It is a gaze of faith fixed on Jesus, an attentiveness
to the Word of God, a silent love. It achieves real union with the prayer of
Christ to the extent that it makes us share in his mystery.
To deepen and explain
(CCC 2712) Contemplative prayer is the prayer of the child
of God, of the forgiven sinner who agrees to welcome the love by which he is
loved and who wants to respond to it by loving even more (Cf. Lk 7:36-50;
19:1-10). But he knows that the love he
is returning is poured out by the Spirit in his heart, for everything is grace
from God. Contemplative prayer is the poor and humble surrender to the loving
will of the Father in ever deeper union with his beloved Son. (CCC 2713)
Contemplative prayer is the simplest expression of the mystery of prayer. It is
a gift, a grace; it can be accepted
only in humility and poverty. Contemplative prayer is a covenant relationship established by God within our hearts (Cf. Jer
31:33). Contemplative prayer is a communion
in which the Holy Trinity conforms man, the image of God, "to his
likeness."
Reflection
(CCC 2714) Contemplative prayer is also the pre-eminently intense time of prayer. In it the Father
strengthens our inner being with power through his Spirit "that Christ may
dwell in [our] hearts through faith" and we may be "grounded in
love" (Eph 3:16-17). (CCC 2715) Contemplation is a gaze of faith, fixed on Jesus. "I look at him and he looks at
me": this is what a certain peasant of Ars used to say to his holy curé
about his prayer before the tabernacle. This focus on Jesus is a renunciation
of self. His gaze purifies our heart; the light of the countenance of Jesus illumines
the eyes of our heart and teaches us to see everything in the light of his
truth and his compassion for all men. Contemplation also turns its gaze on the
mysteries of the life of Christ. Thus it learns the "interior knowledge of
our Lord," the more to love him and follow him (Cf. St. Ignatius of
Loyola, Spiritual Exercises, 104). [IT CONTINUES]
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