Wonder,
attentiveness, the Beginning of Contemplation
I am not a learned
philosopher or thinker- just an ordinary human being who hopes for union with
God. Like a child I must begin with love
and trust and move forward as God permits.
I begin with the things I see, the place where I am rooted, in my desire
to please God. I look around and see the
beauty of creation; I see with eyes given by the Creator. My human intelligence tells me it is good; my
will acknowledges creation does not come forth from me, is to be used not for
my personal benefit, but for the good of all.
Most days this is as far as I am able to go.
Yet I wonder. Having a questing spirit, I move from the
reality of sight and sound into the recesses of the intellect where I begin to
“see” the reality of God and how He perceives people and thoughts. Wonder explores faith and truth, not losing
the reality of earth. Wonder moves one
closer to God and away from earthly places and thoughts. It is like being in two places at one time-
your hands and feet are in one place, your mind and heart in another
place. As the water washes away the
thoughts drawn in the sand by a stick, I wonder, “Is this how God washes away the sins I have
committed?”
Simone Weil calls the next
step attention-“concentrated attention” that leads one to truth and fulfillment.
One has to long for truth and perpetually concentrate all his attention upon
its attainment. It is suspending our thoughts,
relaxing our muscles laying all prejudices, distractions aside, “waiting with
expectancy.” That is easier said than
done and requires one to focus only on Him, the Christ, the Teacher, the
Beloved. She says this is the heart of
prayer. Is this not what one does
during Adoration? Isn’t this our
focus? Is not adoration placing our
entire being with Him and listening to Him with prayerful love?
Practice begins with our
“active listening” (my concept) to another.
Really listening is an art that is learned. It begins with children listening to parents
with love and trust. Only 20 percent of
what we hear do we retain and absorb. At
Mills Institute in the 60’s experiments tried to see how this number could be
increased. Retention through listening
alone is highest immediately after listening to instruction. Children listen to instruction by a parent
and immediately comply; yet soon forget. Instruction must be given again and
yet again for full compliance. As adults
we listen to homilies by a priest whom we know is believable. Soon we forget
and truths must be told again and yet again.
Only by practicing truths can our cognition be improved and retained.
Another technique is
touch-like writing on sand which has texture, especially against sensitive
areas of fingertips. Pencil on paper
does not have the same effect. When we touch, meditate on rosary beads in a
quiet setting, we find we understand the mysteries of the rosary.
Active listening applies
to our relationship with others. Simone
Weil expands; she says one must give full attention to each one’s unique
personality. By spending time
understanding where the other person is coming from, one is able to fully and
truly hear the other. It is speaking to
someone without “ourself” being seen.
Most talk to each other as if there is a mirror between them, reflecting
back my thoughts, my prejudices. Truly listening to another-this is true
charity, truly a miracle, as it is seldom done.
Contemplation is the
fulfillment of all the prep work which has gone on in one’s life; it is a
glimpse of something ethereal; it lasts only momentarily, though one wishes it
would last longer. It cannot be recaptured by my will; it is a gift. It is a journey with a happy ending.
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