Meditation & Mental Prayer: Catholics Talking To God.
Meditation & Mental Prayer: Catholics Talking To God.
Acquiring Graces in the Secret Chamber of your Soul. Communion with God
'But thou, when thou shalt pray, enter into thy chamber and having shut the door, pray to thy Father in secret, and thy Father who seest in secret will repay thee.'
in this episode we follow Jesus when He went alone to pray on the mountain.
In today's meditation and mental prayer, let us begin to carry out Jesus' directions when he said, "But thou, when thou shalt pray, enter into thy chamber and having shut the door, pray to thy Father in secret, and thy Father who seest in secret will repay thee." We know that Jesus himself often prayed this way. He would leave his disciples and the great crowds of people who were intent on speaking to him, and he would go off alone to pray in secret.
How do we know Jesus prayed in secret? Scripture tells us, Matthew, Mark, Luke. They relate instances where Jesus separated himself from the world and went to pray alone.
Here is a list of the predominant incidences documented in the Gospels of Jesus praying alone and in secret.
We have Mark, chapter one, verse 35: "And rising very early, going out, he went into a desert place and there he prayed."
Then we have Luke, chapter six, verse twelve: "And it came to pass in those days that he went out into a mountain to pray, and he passed the whole night in the prayer of God."
Then in Matthew 14:23: "And having dismissed the multitude, he went into a mountain alone to pray. And when it was evening, he was there alone."
Mark, chapter six, verse 46: "And when he had dismissed them, he went up to a mountain to pray."
So for our meditation, let's choose Mark's account in chapter 6:46, which is:
"And rising very early, going out, he went into a desert place and there he prayed."
I think we all want to do that, don't we?
Now going into our meditation we close our eyes and imagine you are with the group of disciples at the foot of that mountain place. They want to find Jesus and decide to go looking for him. Let's go with them to look for Jesus. You hear them telling each other how they got up way before dawn and they had gone to the house looking for Jesus. His mother had been there and, smiling softly, told Peter, "He has gone to the mountain to pray." Now they're wondering where on the mountain Jesus could be. They suggest a number of different places to each other where they obviously knew he had prayed before.
Anyway, you hear them decide that they'll break up into groups and go and look in the usual places. They go off in different directions, and you're left alone.
You walk straight ahead, and as you go, you see Jesus. A little further on with his back to you. You see that he is kneeling in prayer. You approach quietly, feeling apprehensive. What if he turns around and looks at you? What will you say? But he doesn't turn around, and you hear him quietly say,
"I have been waiting for you." It is an invitation to go and kneel beside him.
As you kneel, you want to look at him, but he says,
"Close the door."
What door? You wonder. The land around is barren. No house, nothing with a door.
"Close the door," he says again.
And instantly, you know he means the door of your heart. He wants you to close the door against the world and all its worldly thoughts. You know how to close the door.
So you guide your conscious mind, and you close it down to all sensation and drop your awareness to living inside yourself. You are alone now with Jesus -alone beside you. So you stay very silent. No thoughts, just gentleness. But in the back of your mind, you have that one word ready to bring it forward as soon as your mind tries to escape the silence. You stop your mind from trying to wander off by pulling up that one word. And that one word will be your predominant fault. That's one of the main reasons you're here: to bring your predominant fault to where Jesus can gaze on it and give you the graces to overcome it.
There'll be another word too, ready, and that is the opposite virtue of your predominant fault that you're working on. So you'll allow that word to come up, and you'll just dwell on it there with Jesus. You don't need to say anything, make any decisions. Everything now will come from Him. He will guide you.
And now you hear the voices of the approaching disciples. They have found Him, but they hold back for a few moments for they see he is engaged in talking to you.
You have a little time now to thank Him for his wonder in your life because it is a wonder.
Then quickly mention your heart's desire and offer yourself to Him and promise that you will spread His mother's rosary. You will speak of Him at least once a day to friends and family if that is His holy will for you to do so.
Peter can wait no longer,
"Master, they are all looking for you."
Your time with him is over. You watch as Jesus joins his disciples. He is taking them to Galilee as he goes to do His Father's will.
Quickly now, record any lessons you have learned during your meditation. What consolations have you received? Write about them in great thanksgiving. And that, of course, ends your meditation.