As you go through the Quarantined experience, you may begin to notice some recurring themes from week to week. We have chosen to use the six traditions from Christian history as a guide to help us grow in a more balanced spiritual life. These are the core characteristics of the life of Jesus. On Saturdays, we will define one of the six traditions or streams to help you better understand what you might find during the week.
This week, we look at the Contemplative Tradition.
Prayer-Filled Life: Our heart’s steady attention on God
The Contemplative Tradition continually draws us into love for God, reminding us that the Christian life is less like a rule book and more like falling in love. It stresses the value of silence, solitude, and prayer as ways we engage with God’s presence, whether we take a silent walk in the early morning, ride the bus to work, wash dishes while the kids nap, or even take a nap ourselves. As Teresa of Avila described, contemplation is “an intimate sharing between friends,” in the time or manner that works best for you and God.
“Put simply, the contemplative life is the steady gaze of the soul upon the God who loves us.” Richard Foster, Streams of Living Water
Copied from Renovare, https://renovare.org/about/ideas/the-six-streams
One Comment
Steve Rogers
With all the interfering “noise” of modern living, it has been such a boost to me, personally, to have this shepherding to “lie down in green pastures” of solitude and reflection. Thanks pastors.