Deacon Dave said in his homily last week that there are four types of prayer: Petition, Contrition, Praise, and Thanksgiving. I wonder, is there a priority in these types? It seems the order I gave is the priority. We first ask for our needs, but upon deeper reflection confess our shortcomings. Our penance provokes praise for God's forgiveness, and thanksgiving for his love.
Another way to look at prayer is as a progress from using words to being present to God in silence. Someone asked Mother Teresa what she did when she prayed. She said, "I listen." They asked, what does God do? She replied, "He listens."
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Turn the Other Cheek
It struck me recently what turning the other cheek means. It is to be pro-active in seeking to resolve conflicts and violence. It is not to be passive, to play the punching bag. It is rather to blunt the normal mimetic escalation of violence by lowering the fists, the sword, the gun, by quieting the angry words. This is not passive but extremely active and challenging. I am real good at escalation; not very good at all at deceleration.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Two Great Commandments
I read in Henri Nouen's Here and Now about his visit to Mother Theresa during a time of some spiritual tribulation for him. After speaking to Mother Theresa about his spiritual problems for some minutes, she responded, "There are are only two things you need to do. First, spend an hour each day in adoration of God. Second, never do anything you know to be wrong. Then you will be fine."
Sounds like a good paraphrase of the two great commandments, don't you think?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)