The two types of contemplation
Two areas of our being can contemplate: the mind/soul and one that belongs to the heart/spirit. The first area is conscious (you are aware of what you are contemplating, you understand it), the second is supra-conscious (it affects us in a deeper, or higher level but still fundamental).
Contemplating is “eating”
Contemplating nourishes the two areas of our being. Contemplation is about receiving God himself in us.
Jesus is our Bread. He came to give us Himself. He does it in two forms (we have them in the Mass):
First food: his Words that are Spirit and Life
Second food: His Body and Blood.
This means that we have two types of contemplation
The Mass in the central moment where we receive these two types of meals. We often don’t have enough time to digest, this is why we extend the digestion that is supposed to take place in the Mass in two activities, one for each type of food:
The first one is contemplating the Word that Jesus wants to give us today. This is Lectio Divina.
The second contemplation: is digesting the Body and Blood we receive, through immersing us in the last Communion we received. That is Prayer of the heart.
Contemplation is a direct contact with Jesus
These two types of deepening allow us to enter in a direct contact with Jesus. 1- A direct contact through a Word He is giving us. 2- A direct contact with His Divinity, through His Body and Blood.
Practising the Lectio divina and the Prayer of the heart is our way to answer to the daily Gift of Jesus. Mind you, we ask for it, we ask for contemplation but we don’t really sit down in order to “contemplate” and feed ourselves. “Give us this day our daily Bread (Jesus, in His two forms).”
Contemplation is an invitation from Jesus
We didn’t invite ourselves to this banquet. Jesus invited us, to come, sit down with Him and listen to Him, and receive Him entirely.
Contemplating heaven, enriching the earth
We do ask everyday: “your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven”. This means that we are first invited to contemplate the will of God “in heaven” i.e. “in Him”.
It means as well that after having been admitted to “see” the Will of God “in heaven” we seek the help of God to make it come down, and incarnate “on earth”. It is not enough to “see” the Will of God “in heaven”. We need to receive His Help, in order to “make it happen” “on earth”.
This is one of our greatest tasks in life: to make heaven come on earth, to let the earth be transfigured by heaven.
Mary presides contemplation
The best realisation of contemplation in any disciple of Jesus happened in Mary. Not only that but she is the “mother of contemplation”. She is the only one that achieved it in fullness and with fruits. The Holy Spirit realised in her His will, fully and perfectly, in incarnating Jesus’ Words and His Body and Blood. The Holy Spirit, united in Mary heaven and earth, and this gave us Jesus and continues everyday to give us Jesus’ Body: us.
Contemplating is giving time to God to incarnate
Contemplating is giving time and space in us to God, so He can come and act with us and through us, changing us and the world around us.
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