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Wisdom Words
"In most of us this [mystical] Heart lies dormant and undeveloped. If it were to be awakened it would be constantly straining toward God and, given a chance, would impel the whole of our being toward him. But for this, it needs to be developed, it needs to have the dross that surrounds it removed so that it can be attracted toward the Eternal Magnet."
*Anthony de Mello. Sadhana: A Way to God.
Comments
A Father and mystic of the Early Church, Origen, exemplifies the essential range of consideration persons take who devote themselves to the centrality of prayer personally and communally; that is, prayer as having first priority for both the individual Christian and each Christian church. These considerations are to engage in what the Early Christians called "pure prayer." In other words, "pure prayer" is not a mistake, but a result of a definite process and intentionally, as well as the right spirit of the one or group praying.
The four considerations for true Christian prayer, pure prayer, or spiritual prayer, are as follows:
1) Inner disposition
2) Place
3) Orientation
4) Time
The considerations form a whole, but of priority is disposition, that the prayer might be what the early Church called "pure prayer." Origen used the Greek katastasis for this disposition of the soul.
Origen, as an example of disposition, refers to I Timothy 2.8: "I want everyone everywhere to lift innocent hands toward heaven and pray, without being angry or arguing with each other" (CEV). Here, the disposition is of a quality of patience, kindness, forgiveness, goodwill, ...; essentially, graciousness toward the limitations and faults of other persons.
An angry, critical, fussy disposition is not prepared for pure, spiritual prayer, or interior prayer. Do we, then, not pray when we have anger or feel argumentative? We do pray. Generally speaking, we pray active prayer, or forms of prayer prior to contemplation, or interior prayer. Indeed, we will likely find that we cannot engage in contemplation until the feelings of anger, with associated attributes, are resolved through confession and the inward application of grace by the Person of the Holy Spirit.
Inward disposition is priority in prayer; yes, in the whole of the Christian life. Spiritual Prayer leads us to face what the Church Fathers called the passions, which lead us from apatheia, or a calm inner disposition. The passions are interior feelings counter the Heart of Christ. These are feelings that bring disquiet to the person, and they are always reflective of a selfishness counter the spiritual Life; which is to say, they do not subsist in the Abundant Life promised us by Christ ~ "A thief comes to steal and kill and destroy, but I came to give life—life in all its fullness" (John 10.10, CEV).
I do not speak down to anyone in this regard, as though I do not struggle with disquiet. For example, as a pastor, I have had struggles with anger and argumentativeness (most often in thought, not in action) in regard to persons I am serving. Being a pastor has led me into remarkable challenges and frustrations in working with people ~ who, at times, can be negligent of respect for persons and processes out of simply not knowing better, and sometimes completely defiant and harmful to both pastor and the church, even to the point of meanspiritedness. So, being contemplative, I have found that interior prayerfulness is disrupted, at times, and I have to deal with the Spirit regarding passion that afflict me in regard to other persons. Anyway, how can I "listen" to the Presence of God, if my mind is fussing about someone else?
Of chief importance is graciousness toward yourself as you face interior passions. Do not be judgmental of yourself, but do not deny your selfish disquiet either. In all this journey of confronting disquiet after disquiet, until you are fully a resident of Inner Peace, appreciate the slow, deliberate Work of the Spirit within and upon your spirit.
Such a remarkable reminder does the late Archbishop of New Mexico City, Luis M. Martinez, offer us on this Patient and Delicate way of the Divine Presence within us!
"The action of God upon His saints is most gentle. How he respects our liberty! How he condescends to our weakness! He does not run or jump or act violently. We, being weak creatures, rush; but God works slowly, because He deals with eternity. We bewail the passage of minutes; but God serenely watches the flow of years. We wish to achieve the goal of our desires with a single rush; but God prepares His work gently, nor does our inconstancy weary Him, nor do our failures startle Him, nor do the complicated vicissitudes of human life overturn His eternal designs."
*Secrets of the Interior Life.
Therefore, recall, our inner disposition is being slowly transformed by the inward Operations of Grace. Our patience with both ourselves and Divine Wisdom is vital to remain true to a life of prayer. This patience and fortitude is as necessary for the spiritual development of a church, with its varied "inner demons," as for persons.
Suggested Reflection
Do you have a particular passion that brings disquietude to you? How do you see that you can address that "inner demon" before God in prayer?
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*Material on Origen derives from Gabriel Bunge. Earthen Vessels: The Practice of Personal Prayer.
*Brian K. Wilcox lives with his wife, Rocio, their two dogs, St. Francis and Bandit Ty, and their fish, Hope, in Southwest Florida. Brian is vowed at Greenbough House of Prayer, a contemplative Christian community in South Georgia. His passion is living a contemplative life and inspiring others to experience a deeper, increasingly-fulfilling relationship with the Christ. He advocates for a spiritually-focused Christianity and the renewal of the focus on the Church toward prioritizing seeking to meet the deeper spiritual needs and longings of persons and empathic relating with diverse spiritual traditions.
For replies and biographical information, and submission to "The Light Shines" daily devotionals ~ a ministry of Christ Community United Methodist Church, Punta Gorda, FL, see next page:
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