For the most part, reading - good reading - is far more important than writing. Likewise, thinking - meditation - is far more important than speaking - which is one reason why they say silence is golden.
I think there are very few real contemplatives outside of monasteries and hermitages. That said, I do think there may be many, many, spiritual/religious/devout/prayerful people who have experienced contemplative graces. Some of these good people have from time to time believed themselves to be contemplatives already, because of a particular signal grace, or the delight they find in spiritual things. Presumption is sly as a fox.
What does that mean? Many of us can mistake our so-called spiritual insights to be important.
One cannot turn straw into gold.
That's all.
This morning at Mass I was thinking of the gift of contemplation, and of my upcoming retreat at a trappist abbey where I hope to enter more fully into prayer.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking that it is almost impossible to have a contemplative prayer life while in the noise of the world.
I wish I could become a hermit, and I always pray that that would be God's will for me, but so far it has not been.
Peace
I question anyone that says, "I'm a contemplative." Smacks of someone saying, "oh I'm so humble." I don't get it.
ReplyDeleteWith all humility I want to suggest the spiritual insights share on my blog luminousmiseries and the least of anyone's on the enter Internet. They are unworthy chaff and should be avoided here
ReplyDeleteI further want to share[d] that typeos [are] keep me humbler still
ReplyDelete