A “Deep Dive”

A “Deep Dive”

or

“How do I move beyond my self-concern in order to reach out towards others in lovingkindness and compassion as exemplified by Jesus?”

Often referred to as “Christ consciousness," the ability to act outwardly with the mind of Christ begins with the inward search for self. It is often referred to as “Christian mysticism,” the practice of discerning God in the innermost places of the self, but that designation can be unhelpful. Many people shy away from anything incorporating the word “mystic” out of fear, misunderstanding, or disbelief. Mysticism smacks of horror movies and palm readers, those things (and the like) that many of us avoid. Sadly, in this case, the baby goes with the bathwater.

It is the goal of every Christian to draw closer to Jesus, and people who have taken that on as a life’s work or life goal are often referred to as mystics. The term is meant to describe a person inwardly searching for a deeper awareness and understanding of God. In reality, the process to know Christ better is not an option, but an obligation and necessity. 

Early Christians called it theosis, drawing closer in union to God. Alongside the usual Christian activities such as worship, prayer, study, social action, and others, the Christian uses methods of introspection to further the relationship with Jesus. The deepening of understanding produces a change in perspective and behavior, in the same way when, learning that the dog running towards us is friendly, there is a change not only in our outer action, but in our inward feeling.

Drawing closer in union to God (theosis) is an active process–a decided-upon endeavor, which requires some effort. Over the centuries, Christians have catalogued methods and suggested practices to help everyone draw closer to God. No need to reinvent the wheel, right? Contemplative prayer and meditation are used to calm the mind and better apprehend/experience the divine presence of Christ. These practices not only make God more available, but also make sharing the reality of God easier.


Christian contemplative practices typically fall into an easily accessible framework. You may proceed through these as stages or attend to them as the Spirit moves you.

1. Discursive meditation: Reflecting on an idea or thought or concept. It might just be something you want to explore, or align yourself with, or even something you are struggling with. It could be scripture or another reading, a song, an image, or an experience. Discursive meditation is primarily mental, essentially focused self-reflection, inviting the companionship of Christ.

2. Affective meditation: When thinking stops and spirit ascends. This is a practice well assisted by the use of implements such as rosaries, prayer ropes, or prayer beads. The use of these sacred tools is accompanied by short prayers such as the Jesus Prayer, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me. The practice is one of repetition where you are not thinking about things, but set free from active thought.

3. Contemplation: This is the deepest state of meditation and contemplative prayer, when you allow yourself to just be with God in silence and stillness to experience the divine presence. During contemplation, the primary focus is on the soul/being, and while it is an immensely peaceful, beautiful, and restorative state on its own, it's also when you are most open to the sublime presence of Christ. This is the state of which many have written, having experiences of religious ecstasy (feeling the close presence of God), visions (seeing through the Holy Spirit), and hearing the voice of God. However, these kinds of powerful experiences are not an action you produce, but rather the response to your action by God. 
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So there you have it. As you respond to the call of Christ to grow in the depth of your relationship and understanding, avail yourself of these methods. They bear the test of time.

Reflectively in Christ Jesus,

Fr. Bill+