Living My Weekend Forward

According to the Jesuits, there are six traditional forms of prayer:

1. Devotional/Verbal Prayer

2. Lectio Divina

3. Meditation

4. Prayer of the Heart

5. Active Contemplation

6. Infused Contemplation

My favorite form of prayer has always been Infused Contemplation, one of the easiest of all forms of prayers, but one that most people think is out of their league. We usually associate this form of prayer with mystics, monks, cloistered nuns and great saints.

The truth is, Infused Contemplation is meant for all of us. Some of us already do it, although not realizing it. It can sometimes be described as wordless experiences such as looking at a starry sky, or a sleeping child’s face. Often it happens when you’re driving a long stretch alone. In these experiences, you are fully “captivated” by something. You don’t try to analyze it, or think it through. You simply take it in.

During my recent weekend at Manresa House of Retreats, I spent the majority of my free time in silence, walking around the 130 beautifully attended acres, while allowing myself to be as one with my Higher Power through Infused Contemplation.

The intangibility of a Higher Power, however, can keep a person from grasping the concept of faith. Trying to communicate with one’s Higher Power may seem foreign and impossible because someone may be looking for something bold to strike from the heavens as a sign.

As much as that may be the standard expectation, a Higher Power is much more subtle than one may think. With this concept in mind, communicating with your Higher Power takes patience, dedication, intention, and some spiritual creativity.

Having been raised a Roman Catholic, I refer to my Higher Power as God.

In the Roman Catholic Church, infused contemplation, also called intuitive, passive or extraordinary, is a supernatural gift by which a person's mind will become totally centered on God. ... The beginnings of this contemplation are brief and frequently interrupted by distractions.

An infused supernatural gift, that originates completely outside of our will or ability, by which a person becomes freely absorbed in God producing a real awareness, desire, and love for Him. This often gentle or delightful and sometimes non-sensible encounter can yield special insights into things of the spirit and results in a deeper and tangible desire to love God and neighbor in thought, word, and deed. It is important to note that infused contemplation is a state that can be prepared for, but cannot in any way be produced by the will or desire of a person. I simply allow myself to be there.

As I spend my time taking in all of the beauty and wonderment of Manresa, I feel the presence of God through my prayers. I allow myself to be in the moment of His Grace and appreciate the beauty all around me.

One afternoon I completely immersed myself into the natural beauty and the flower in the gardens of Manresa, identifying close to one dozen.

Manresa is truly a special place, if I only allow myself to be completely open to allowing Him in.