Prayers and Reflections

Mystical Prayer

There is abundant evidence of the resurgent, widespread interest in mysticism in today’s world. Some of the evidence reveals itself in

• the innumerable current writings, books, courses and conferences on the subject;
• the rise of retreat houses, spirituality centres and houses of prayer at home and overseas;
• the search for mystical experience by way of holistic health practices, yoga, centering prayer and the use of the mantra and other practices; and
• increase in the number of non-church-going people who seek deeper spirituality and prayer experiences through Buddhism and Islam in our own culture.

Why the renewed interest?

First, there is society itself. Many social scientists describe our culture as going through a dark time. We seem to be a society out of control. Violence, addiction, family disintegration, divorce, materialism, poverty and homelessness, and human trafficking and are just a few of the problems that governments and the Churches and other institutions seem impotent to solve.

Secondly, the Second Vatican Council, which affirmed the universal call to holiness, was followed by a groundswell of interest in spirituality from the laity who sought to know how to foster a relationship with God in their everyday lives.

What do we understand by mysticism?

The mystic experience is most commonly defined as experience of union with the divine: the heart of mysticism is a relationship with God. Thomas Merton asserts that the mystical life is essentially the normal way of perfection.

Karl Rahner states that mysticism occurs within the framework of normal graces and is not confined to a privileged few.

Frank Tuoti says we are all really mystics at our core and that the contemplative life is nothing more and nothing less than the ordinary Christian life in full flowering ... the normal development of the common grace received at Baptism. (Tuoti 22-23)

Tamburello writes that mysticism has to do with a basic awareness of and experience of the sacred that is open to all people.

In one of the Family Circus cartoons, Dolly tells her brother that “if you listen real carefully when the breeze blows, you can hear God whispering.” God is whispering to us all the time but the secret is in the listening … the solitude, still-ness, silence, and mental freedom called for to enable true listening.

Meister Eckhart, the 14th century German mystic, wrote that the closest thing to God is stillness.

Where can I find the stillness and quiet needed in my own life?

Many of us are often totally alone in our car. We drive on a busy freeway but we can be alone. We can fume at the red lights or cherish the space. We can bring in a noisy programme or play calming music. We can plan and organize the time ahead or we can go within ourselves and allow the quiet of the present moment to bring us back to inner quiet. For lots of people, this is “wind down time” where the tensions of the day are gradually left behind and the mind becomes quiet; then stillness of heart is possible to achieve. This is potentially your prayer time.
                                             
Lots of people walk or jog regularly – using a time of quiet within and recognizing the beauty of the morning or evening … communing with nature ... noting and acknowledging the gifts of God in our natural world.

There are routine tasks in the kitchen, the laundry, around the house and the garden that offer quiet time where it is possible to create a habit of reviewing our lives in the presence of God, giving thanks and seeking help. It is possible to make a habit of ‘turning off” our overactive minds. The heart of mysticism is being with God and the more we discipline ourselves to doing it, the more natural it becomes.

It is a helpful exercise to spend a few moments before going to sleep in looking back over the day to recognize where Divine Mystery has touched your day … this practice promotes the recognition of God touching into our daily lives.

God is everywhere …
let’s look for the evidence and be the evidence!

Pause:

Take time to reflect.

Identify where you can find quiet space in your own daily life.

Read:

Go out into the world rejoicing
God is waiting
to meet you
and surprise you
With the beauty of Divine Mystery

Pray:

In the song of a magpie, the laughter of the kookaburra, the noise and flashing colour of the parrots …

Response: Remind me of your presence, O God.

In the opening of a bud, the fragrance of a flower, the falling of a leaf, and the brilliance of colour in the created world …

Response: Remind me of your presence, O God.

In the murmur of the breeze, the rushing of the wind and the crash of thunder …

Response: Remind me of your presence, O God.

In the rippling of the water in a stream, the cascading waterfall and the breaking of waves on the shore ...

Response: Remind me of your presence, O God.

In the peace that surrounds grazing animals, the expanse and freedom of the hill country and the grandeur of mountains ...

Response: Remind me of your presence, O God.

In the cry of a baby, the laughter of children, the hum of conversation ...

Response: Remind me of your presence, O God.

In the pat on the shoulder, the handshake of welcome, the embrace of one I love, and the smile of the stranger ...

Response: Remind me of your presence, O God.

In the noise of the traffic, the routine of daily work, the bustle of the city streets and shops and the demands of family ...

Response: Remind me of your presence, O God.

All together:

God is here,
God is there,
God is everywhere.

Leader:

Go then and walk with God
In the light of love freely given to you
Towards the fullness of a life enriched by recognition of
God with us.

References:

Experiencing the Goodness of God: Guides For Exploration Into The Franciscan Spirit, Franciscan Modules Committee, Rochester, Minnesota, 1999
Tuoti, Frank, Why Not Be A Mystic? Crossroad Publishing Co, 1995
Tamburello OFM, Dennis, Ordinary Mystics, Paulist Press, 1996

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