Progress in Prayer II: Contemplative Prayer

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Progress in Prayer II Contemplative Prayer

• Introductory Course for Spiritual Directors
• Fr. Michael Champagne, CJC

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I. Grades of Prayer in the Mystical Way

• Infused Contemplation or Mystical Prayer (As an
  overall category)
• Definition an experiential knowledge of God
  which involves the operations of the supernatural
  faculties
• Theological Conclusions Concerning Infused
  Contemplation

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• Infused contemplation is not the same as gratia
  gratis data
• infused contemplation is substantially
  supernatural whereas gratia gratis data is only
  modally supernatural
• infused contemplation is ordered toward
  sanctifying the individual whereas the other is
  order toward the good of the Church

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• Infused contemplation requires Sanctifying Grace
  and the Gifts of the Holy Spirit
• It requires the impulse of actual grace and
  charity
• It requires a separate actual grace to move the
  Gifts of the Holy Spirit into action
• It requires the habits of the infused virtues and
  gifts

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• The affective infused virtues (like hope and
  charity) are dispositive and not the immediate
  illiciting principle of contemplation
• Informed faith provides the substance of the act
  of contemplation while the gifts of wisdom,
  understanding and knowledge provide the
  supernatural mode of act
• these gifts give contemplation which becomes an
  experiential knowledge

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• Distinctive Notes which help the Spiritual
  Director recognize infused contemplation and
  distinguish it from other phenomena
• Often gives an experience of the Presence of God
• mystics often witness the loving presence of God
  in their souls
• yet, this is not an essential note because of its
  frequent absence during the passive purgations

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• The invasion of the soul by the supernatural
• Contemplation is a gentle inflow of God into the
  soul (St. John of the Cross)
• It is often expressed by the mystics as an
  inundation or being submerged in God

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• Mystical experience is impossible to be produced
  by ones own efforts
• this becomes well known and realized by the soul
• this is true of all grades of mystical prayer
• The soul is more passive than active
• Contemplation is an experience of the patiens
  divina (Pseudo-Dionysius)
• Soul does not act as mover but as one moved (St.
  Thomas)

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• The knowledge experienced is obscure and confused
• Contemplation gives full security and assurance
  that the soul is under the action of God
• soul normally doesnt have the slightest doubt
  that God is acting upon it
• during the mystical prayer itself the soul has no
  doubts that God is acting upon it, though it may
  doubt the experience after the time of prayer

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• Contemplation gives the moral certitude that the
  soul is in the state of grace
• proof that one is in mystical union is likewise
  proof that one is in the state of grace
  (necessary for the Gifts of the Holy Spirit to be
  active)
• the moral certitude is much greater than that
  possessed by the ordinary Christian when
  diligently examining his conscience

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• Mystical experience is ineffable
• The soul experiences an impossibility in trying
  to express clearly ones prayer experience
• By nature, such an experience cannot be expressed
  in human language
• Soul must resort to images and allegory to
  describe the experience

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• Contemplation admits of various forms
• illumination of the intellect
• inflammation of the will
• It admits of variations and fluctuations within
  the same soul
• duration can be short or long

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• Mystical contemplation frequently causes
  reactions in the body
• this is especially the case in the lower grades
  of mystical prayer
• can cause startling phenomena of the sensitive
  order
• body can become visibly changed
• body participates in the absorption experienced
  by the spirit

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• It often produces a suspension or binding of the
  faculties
• absorption in God frequently results in an
  inability to perform other prayers or activities,
  especially at the moment of the experience

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• Infused Contemplation causes a great impulse to
  the practice of virtue
• one of the surest signs of contemplation
• often soul receives, experiences a virtue that
  never was able to acquire previously
• Mystical contemplation greatly aids the
  sanctification of a soul, but it does not
  instantaneously or necessarily produce a saint
  (Royo, 537).
• Thus, spiritual directors need to be careful not
  to dismiss mystical experience because defects
  and imperfections are still present in the soul

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• Infused Recollection
• Definition ...type of mystical contemplation
  which is especially characterized by the union of
  the intellect with God
• With the operation of the gifts of Wisdom,
  Understanding and Knowledge, the intellect
  penetrates the marvels of God
• Occurs when God wishes, in an instantaneous
  fashion, without previous discursus

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• Concomitant phenomena
• Lively sense of the Presence of God
• Admiration at Gods marvels
• spiritual silence or suspension profound
  humility and deep respect
• vivid light concerning God and His Mysteries

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• Practical Conduct
• Do not cease discursive meditation until it is
  clearly realized that God is giving the
  invitation to mystical prayer
• If meditation is abandoned too soon, aridity
  follows as well as restlessness
• One should immediately terminate discursive
  prayer when the impulse comes toward infused
  recollection

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• The Holy Spirit is subtle in His promptings and
  an inappropriate response can circumvent His work
• The Spiritual Director will have to go through
  great pains to get some souls to abandon their
  devotions and normal prayers and waste time
  with God

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• One should give oneself completely to the
  interior life
• break with attachments
• give complete strength to practice of virtue
• practice interior and exterior silence
• respond to the impulses to practice prayer and
  sweet repose

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• Prayer of Quiet
• Definition ...type of mystical contemplation
  in which the soul experiences an intimate
  awareness of Gods presence which captivates the
  will and fills the soul and body with ineffable
  sweetness and delight (Royo, 541).

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• The Prayer of Quiet especially affects the will.
  
• The intellect and memory are tranquil, but they
  remain free to realize what is happening
• The will is totally absorbed in God
• Mary and Martha are more perfectly realized
• tradere contemplata (St. Thomas)
• Basin of the soul is filled silently from within
  and overflows profusely

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• The effects of the Prayer of Quiet
• a great liberty of spirit
• filial fear of God
• profound confidence in God
• love of mortification and suffering
• deep humility
• disdain for worldly pleasures
• growth in all the virtues

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• Concomitant phenomena
• Sleep of the faculties
• not yet totally captivated but they seem to
  function from some unknown source
• disdain for world souls seeks solely to enjoy
  God
• the intellect and will are united with God but
  the memory and imagination remain free

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• Inebriation of love
• causes a certain foolishness of love
• soul often cries out verbally
• body sometimes leaps with a surge of joy

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• Prayer of Union
• Definition that grade of infused contemplation
  in which all the internal faculties are
  captivated and occupied with God (Royo, 546)
• Even the memory and imagination are captivated
• Only the bodily senses are free
• The intensity of the mystical experience is
  indescribable
• The souls faculties are completely occupied with
  God

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• Characteristics of the Prayer of Union
• Absence of distractions
• memory and imagination are normally sources of
  distractions but they are now suspended, fixed on
  God and held captive
• distractions during prayer of union are
  psychologically impossible
• Certitude of being intimately united with God

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• soul cannot doubt the experience, even after it
  has terminated
• devil cannot falsify this type of prayer
• Teresa of Avila said that this secret prayer is
  unknown to the devil
• Absence of weariness and tedium
• no matter how long the prayer of union lasts, the
  soul never experiences any fatigue

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• Effects of the Prayer of Union
• Soul will gladly die a thousand deaths in order
  to praise God
• Soul possesses vehement desires toward solitude
  and penance
• Soul experiences a great dissatisfaction with all
  things on earth and longs for heaven

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• Concomitant phenomena
• Mystical touches
• instantaneous supernatural impression upon the
  soul which gives it an ineffable delight
• Flights of the Spirit
• strong and unexpected impulses of love leaving
  the soul with a consuming thirst for God

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• Fiery Darts
• certain hidden touches of love experienced as if
  a fiery arrow pierces the soul
• such cause the soul great affliction
• Fiery Darts are normally caused by infused
  knowledge of God through creation

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• Wounds of Love
• these are more profound and lasting than the
  Fiery Darts
• normally caused by knowledge of God through His
  Divine Mysteries

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• Prayer of Conforming Union (Ecstatic Union)
• Definition This grade of mystical prayer
  usually terminates with the spiritual espousal.
  The Prayer of Ecstatic Union adds to the previous
  grade of prayer the suspension of the external
  senses. As a result of the weakness of the body
  and the intensity of the mystical union, the body
  falls into ecstasy.

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• Two components are necessary
• Elevation of the soul to God
• Detachment of the soul from the sensible world

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• Causes of Ecstasy
• Supernatural
• causes by the gifts of the Holy Spirit to such an
  intense charity
• prophetic ecstasy
• simple ecstasy
• rapture
• natural
• fainting or swooning
• somnambulism
• hypnotic trance
• hysteria
• diabolical

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• Effects of Ecstasy
• Body
• Insensibility no awareness through senses
• Natural heat of body diminishes
• Soul
• communication of a supernatural energy
• charity becomes much more ardent
• ecstasy of love produces ecstasy of works
  (St. Francis de Sales)
• The promise of God to lead the soul to marriage
  is normally effected in one such ecstasy of the
  Prayer of Conforming Union (spiritual espousal)

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• Prayer of Transforming Union
• Definition this grade of prayer is a total
  transformation of the soul in the Beloved, in
  which God and the soul give themselves completely
  to each other with a certain consummation of
  divine love, so that the soul is made divine, so
  to speak, and participates in God as much as is
  possible in this life (Royo, 556 cf. Spiritual
  Canticle, stz. 22).

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• Transformation in the Beloved
• soul appears to be God and have all that God has
• soul is distinct from God but is God by
  participation
• soul is in the furnace of Divine Love like an
  iron plunged into a furnace of fire

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• Mutual Surrender of Love
• like two spouses in an act of love mutually
  surrendering themselves to one another (the two
  shall become one)

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• Permanent Union of Love
• transforming union is superior to all other
  grades of prayer in that, among other ways, it
  brings to the soul an awareness of the permanence
  of this mutual love experienced
• in the transforming union the soul is confirmed
  in grace God gives a special grace to the soul
  so that it avoids all future mortal sins
• the transforming union is not the beatific vision
  but it is the prelude to it

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• Effects of the Transforming Union
• Forgetfulness of self
• no desire whatsoever remains of self
• only the Glory of God dwells here (what was
  first in the order of intention is last in the
  order of execution)

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• Great desire to suffer
• nonetheless, to suffer or not to suffer, either
  is readily accepted and embraced
• Delight in persecution
• no enmity is felt when persecuted, but rather an
  increase in joy and peace and love for the enemy

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• Intense desire to serve God
• from I want to see God to I am a daughter of
  the Church
• example of St. Teresa of Avila during her last
  ten years and Mother Teresa during her last 40
  years
• soul here desires not to die as it previously had
  but to live and suffer for many years in order to
  glorify God

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• Complete detachment from creatures
• constant interior recollection
• tranquility of soul admitting of no doubt of its
  cause
• Absence of ecstasies
• God gives special strength to body
• Thus, few, if any raptures