Contemplative prayer requires a certain humbling of the intellect. Our thoughts usually take up too much space in our head and often crowd out or drown the quiet voice of the Spirit. Therefore, contemplative prayer aims at creating an inner silence that allows us to listen.
But we all know how difficult it is to ‘think of nothing’. This is where repetition steps in. Repetitive prayer, rather than being vain (see Matthew 6:7), opens a door within that leads to a place where the intellect does not rule. Like the Rosary prayers or the well-known Jesus prayer (see below), it is the soul that turns to God in these repetitions: No new thought needs developed, no new words found. The intensity of our words is increased in contemplative repetitions, not their quantity. Indeed, repetitive prayer is particularly soul-opening when we pray in a language foreign to us because the intellect has no part in it.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
Domine Jesu Christe, Filii Dei, miserere mei.
Thus, we do not need to empty our mind. Instead, we fill it with praise, petition, or adoration, in short, with prayer. We cannot think our way to God.
“In books we seek God; in prayer we find Him.” Padre Pio
But while we cannot think our way to God, neither can we feel our way to Him. He will not be limited to the extent of our understanding, and neither will He be limited to the capability of our emotions. Feeling ‘good’ during prayer has very little to do with the intensity or ‘success’ of our prayer, much like having found the ‘right words’ to phrase our worries or petitions has little impact on the quality of our prayer. It might help us think differently about a problem and therefore feel differently about it, too, but it takes no prayer to do that: The Stoics expostulated as much, and successfully so.
Contemplative prayer is not a self-help program, in fact, no prayer, vocal or otherwise, can sufficiently be described as such. Prayer turns our gaze away from ourselves. It looks to God, it addresses God, it listens to God.
“Contemplative prayer in my opinion is nothing else than a close sharing between friends; it means taking time frequently to be alone with Him who we know loves us.” St. Teresa of Avila
Nobody can obtain pardon for a sin he does not regret because contrition is a prerequisite for pardon. In other words, nobody can expect pardon who keeps on sinning because he has not understood how much his sin offends God. Consequently, he does not cast off all liking for the sin in question. We must abhorr sin deeply so that repentance can bring about a true change of mind and heart. If we do not see what was reprehensible about our behavior, our attitude, our deed, we are still hardened sinners. Contrition describes the breaking up of something hard or unyielding. Without contrition, there cannot be a true, lasting change of behavior, attitudes, deeds. The swept and empty house will welcome in seven more demons and the latter state is worse than the former.
“Since it is requisite for the remission of sin that a man cast away entirely the liking for sin which implies a sort of continuity and solidity in his mind, the act which obtains forgiveness is termed by a figure of speech ‘contrition’.” St. Thomas Aquinas
But what about forgiving others their trespasses?
Forgiving someone on our part is a different thing. We can forgive another his trespasses without him repenting of said trespasses, as when Jesus calls us to turn the other cheek, or go the extra mile, or hand over the cloak along with the tunic. In such cases, we do something for our own soul: We avoid wrath, and choose humility and forgiveness instead. Thus, the other person’s sins do not become a stumbling block to ourselves. Instead, we prove ourselves true disciples of Jesus who do what the Master Himself did, even from the cross.
Coals of Fire
Now, forgiving someone can do something good for the other’s soul. Our behavior might cause a change of mind or heart – “coals of fire”, you know. But neither is this, nor should this be our motive for doing what is right in the eyes of God. We cannot make people repent of anything. This they must do themselves: Everyone must repent of his own sins first for contrition is the prerequisite for pardon.
Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Dominus Deus Sabaoth. Pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria Tua. Hosanna in excelsis. Benedictus qui venit in Nomine Domini. Hosanna in excelsis.
Credo
Credo in Deum Patrem omnipotentem, Creatorem caeli et terrae, et in Iesum Christum, Filium Eius unicum, Dominum nostrum, qui conceptus est de Spiritu Sancto, natus ex Maria Virgine, passus sub Pontio Pilato, crucifixus, mortuus, et sepultus, descendit ad inferos, tertia die resurrexit a mortuis, ascendit ad caelos, sedet ad dexteram Dei Patris omnipotentis, inde venturus est iudicare vivos et mortuos. Credo in Spiritum Sanctum, sanctam Ecclesiam catholicam, sanctorum communionem, remissionem peccatorum, carnis resurrectionem, vitam aeternam. Amen.
Pater Noster
Pater noster qui es in caeli Sanctificetur Nomen Tuum Adveniat regnum Tuum Fiat voluntas Tua sicut in caelo et in terra. Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie et demitte nobis debita nostra sicut es nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris. Et ne nos inducas in tentationem sed libera nos a malo. Quia Tuum est regnum et potentia et gloria in saecula saeculorum. Amen.
Ave Maria
Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Jesu. Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, Ora pro nobis peccatoribus nunc et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen.
Gloria
Gloria Patri et Filii et Spiritus Sancti Sicut erat in principio, et unc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.
O Mi Jesu (Fatima Prayer)
O mi Jesu, demitte nobis debita nostra. Libera nos ab igne inferni. Conduc in caelum omnes animas, praesertam illas que maxime indigent misericordia Tua. Amen.
Seven falls can represent various sets of seven, depending on the direction of your contemplation. Consider the following three examples of sets of seven.
The Seven Deadly Sins
The Seven Deadly Sins we contemplate so that we can shun them effectively. They are, alphabetically, Envy, Gluttony, Greed, Lust, Pride, Sloth, and Wrath.
The Seven Last Words
The Seven Last Words of Our Lord from the Cross are technically seven phrases. When we contemplate on them in their proper order, we get a glimpse of the progression of the salvation process, and deepen our understanding of Christ Crucified. Without Christ’s suffering, own sacrifices, penenances and mortification would not, could not be meritorious. The seven falls thus stand for Forgiveness, Salvation, Relationship, Abandonment, Distress, Triumph and Reunion:
Forgiveness: Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. Salvation: Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. Relationship: Woman, behold thy son! and Behold thy mother! Abandonment: My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Distress: I thirst. Triumph: It is finished. Reunion: Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.
The seven sorrows of Our Lady
The Seven Sorrows of Our Lady, a popular devotion especially during Lent, recall to our mind the seven swords that pierces the Blessed Virgin’s Immaculate Heart. When we contemplate her sorrows, we align our suffering with hers along with that of Our Lord Jesus. The Seven Sorrows of Our Lady are often prayed alongside the Stations of the Cross, a devotion which was started by the Blessed Virgin herself.
First Sorrow: The Prophecy of Simeon during the Presentation in the Temple Second Sorrow: The Flight into Egypt Third Sorrow: The Loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple of Jerusalem for Three Days Fourth Sorrow: Mary meeting Jesus on the Via Dolorosa, which we pray as the the Fourth Station of the Cross. It is not found in the Bible. Fifth Sorrow: The Crucifixion of Jesus on Mount Calvary Sixth Sorrow: Jesus’s Descent from the Cross Seventh Sorrow: The Burial of Jesus
Contrition, the desire for God over sin, follows repentance, if it is sincere. It is a burning desire to be cleansed by the fire of God’s forgiveness and mercy.
“What is love but fire; what is sin but rust? Hence it is said, many sins are forgiven her because she hath loved much, as though to say, she hath burned away entirely the rust of sin, because she is inflamed with the fire of love.” The Venerable Bede, P.L., XCII, 425.
New to praying the Rosary? Here are the basics you need to know to start. If you have rosary beads to pray with, fine. If not, fine too. God has given us ten fingers to count on!
Introduction
Generally, the Rosary consists of five groups of ten Hail Mary prayers (represented by ten beads evenly spaced from each other), interspersed with one Our Father prayer (represented by one set-apart bead). These groups, or decades, are called Mysteries and relate to stages in the life of Our Lord Jesus and His Blessed Mother. Traditionally, there are three groups of five Mysteries: The Joyful Mysteries, the Sorrowful Mysteries, and the Glorious Mysteries, relating respectively to Our Lord Jesus’ birth and youth, His passion and crucifixion, and His resurrexion and ascension. Saint John Paul II added another set of five Mysteries known as the Luminous Mysteries. They relate to incidents in the life of Our Lord Jesus as recorded in the New Testament.
How to Start Praying the Rosary
Naturally, the Rosary has an introduction that we pray before the Mysteries begin. Rosary beads usually have a cross or crucifix and five beads on the bottom (three evenly spaced, framed by two set-apart beads), which we use to pray the introduction as follows:
Make the Sign of the Cross, saying “In the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit”
Pray the Sanctus (Holy Holy Holy)
Pray the Apostles Creed holding the cross/crucifix.
Pray the Our Father holding a set-apart bead
Pray three times Hail Mary holding one of the evenly spaced beads after the other
On reaching the second set-apar bead, pray a Glory Be and an O My Jesus prayer (also known as the Fatima Prayer)
Then we use the round of beads to keep track of how many Hail Mary prayers we have prayed: Hold the first bead while praying the first Hail Mary, move on to the next while praying the second Hail Mary and so forth. If you have no rosary beads, use your fingers to keep track. After ten Hail Mary prayers we reach the set-apart bead, upon which we again pray a Glory Be and an O My Jesus prayer, then announce the next Mystery, pray an Our Father, and start into the next decade of Hail Mary Prayers. Thus we continue until we have made it around the Rosary.
Praying the Mysteries
These are the Mysteries we ponder while praying the Rosary:
The Joyful Mysteries
The Annunciation
The Visitation
The Nativity of Our Lord Jesus
The Presentation in the Temple
Finding Our Lord Jesus in the Temple when He was Twelve
The Sorrowful Mysteries
The Agony in the Garden
The Scourging at the Pillar
The Crowning with Thorns
The Carrying of the Cross
The Crucifixion and Death of Our Lord Jesus
The Glorious Mysteries
The Resurrexion
The Ascension
The Coming of the Holy Spirit
The Assumption of Our Lady
The Crowning of Our Lady in Heaven
Good to Know
Many people pray one set of Mysteries per day. If so, the general association of Mysteries and weekdays is that
Mondays and Thursdays the Joyful Mysteries are prayed,
Tuesdays and Fridays the Sorrowful Mysteries, and
Wednesdays and Saturdays the Glorious Mysteries.
Sunday is reserved for the Glorious Mysteries.
During Advent, only the Joyful Mysteries are prayed, and
during Lent, only the Sorrowful Mysteries.
There are also many people who pray all three (or four) sets of Mysteries every day, especially after Our Lady encouraged the three children she appeared to in Fatima to pray the Rosary daily.
While praying each Mystery, we contemplate the situation alluded to in the Mystery, and the virtue this meditation can produce in us. Some people add a short description of the situation into the Hail Mary (following the Name of Jesus) in order to remind themselves which Mystery they are praying at the moment.
Repent by a renewal of your mind: That is what Metanoia means in the Christian context.
The Call to Repentance
How does this definition come about? In Matthew 4:17, we read thus:
”From that time, Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”
Matthew 4:17, KJV
Repent – Μετανοεῖτε – this is a call to action! Now, how do we repent? Is it enough to say “I’m sorry. I will do better next time?” Let us have a quick look at the meaning of the Greek word that we translate “repentance” or “to repent”.
The Greek “mετανοεῖτε” transliterates to “Metanoia”, and taken literally, translates to “Go beyond (meta) your mind (nous).” Thus, it describes an insight that goes far beyond the intellect. It denotes instead a profound understanding, in our case a profound understanding of just how deeply flawed human nature is, of just how grievous our personal and communal sins are, and of just how much in need of cleansing each and every one of us is. Nothing impure will hold its own when face to face with God, and so only a movement of the soul that goes far beyond “I am sorry” or “I’ll never do THAT again” can properly be called metanoia, repentance.
How does one repent properly?
What does it mean, then: to repent? Can we even go beyond our own mind? The most common Scriptural books to go to for such “How to” questions are Paul’s letters. Practical advice seems to be largely (although obviously not exclusively) his domain. Only think of the never-ending discussion about head coverings for women, or familial hierarchy, or the qualifications of elders, to name only three. So let us go to Paul, and let him answer our question of how to repent:
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:2, KJV
The key phrase here is “be not conformed to this world”. Paul is not the only one who stresses this. James says
“Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” James 4:4, KJV
How does he know? Jesus Himself said it:
“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 KJV
Now, these days, when they are trying to make you believe that it is money that makes the world go ’round, remember one other verse in this context of the renewal of your mind. Remember that
“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Matthew 6:24, KJV
In short…
The first step on this road is trust in God the Father, trust in Jesus the Son, and trust in
Metanoia starts when you sever yourself from the wisdom of the world and cling to the Wisdom from above. As Paul put it, a renewal of the mind will lead us to “prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” And who will assist us in this metanoia?
“… the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” John 14:26 KJV
