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<\/a>A reader of my blog wrote to me and asked this question:<\/p>\n
What do you see is the difference between Catholic meditation and contemplative prayer?\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
It\u2019s a great question, made complicated by the fact that words like\u00a0meditation\u00a0<\/em>and\u00a0contemplation<\/em> can be used in a variety of ways, especially in society at large.<\/p>\n
For example,\u00a0many people may associate \u201cmeditation\u201d with eastern or secular practices\u00a0such as zen or mindfulness meditation,\u00a0exercises that are primarily a form of self-knowledge or self-healing. Self-care has its place, but for followers of Jesus Christ that\u2019s not the main purpose of meditation. In\u00a0a Catholic or general Christian sense, meditation is prayer<\/em>, which means it is relational \u2014 grounded in, and supportive of, intimacy or union between the person who is praying and God, the source and object of prayer.<\/p>\n
The same holds true for contemplation, which for Catholics is essentially the same thing as contemplative prayer. Likewise, we could say in a Christian context, meditation is actually\u00a0meditative prayer.<\/p>\n
To answer this question, let\u2019s look at the Catechism of the Catholic Church<\/a><\/em>. In the glossary, we find the following definitions (I\u2019ve highlighted several words and phrases in each definition to help us parse out the difference):<\/p>\n
First, for meditation:<\/p>\n
MEDITATION<\/b>: An exercise and a form of prayer in which we try to understand<\/strong> God\u2019s revelation of the truths of faith and the purpose of the Christian life, and how it should be lived, in order to adhere and respond to what the Lord is asking.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
And now, for contemplation:<\/p>\n
CONTEMPLATION<\/b>: A form of wordless prayer<\/b> in which mind and heart<\/b> focus on God\u2019s greatness and goodness in affective, loving adoration<\/b>; to look on Jesus and the mysteries of his life<\/b> with faith and love.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
So immediately we can see that Catholic meditation is a cognitive exercise \u2014 prayer seeking understanding; whereas contemplative prayer sets aside that kind of mental effort, seeking instead a wordless, loving adoration of Christ and his mysteries.<\/p>\n
Put another way: in meditation we think; in contemplation we rest our thoughts and simply love (and respond to love).<\/p>\n
To unpack this a bit further, we can look into the body of the Catechism itself, for further insight into both meditation and contemplation. In sections 2705-8<\/a> of the Catechism we find further insight into a Catholic understanding of meditation. In the interest of brevity I\u2019m only going to post a few key phrases, but look it up in the Catechism and read the entire section:<\/p>\n
Meditation is above all a quest. The mind seeks to understand the why and how of the Christian life, in order to adhere and respond to what the Lord is asking\u2026\u00a0To meditate on what we read helps us to make it our own by confronting it with ourselves\u2026 To the extent that we are humble and faithful, we discover in meditation the movements that stir the heart and we are able to discern them\u2026\u00a0Meditation engages thought, imagination, emotion, and desire\u2026\u00a0This form of prayerful reflection is of great value, but Christian prayer should go further: to the knowledge of the love of the Lord Jesus, to union with him.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Immediately following this (sections 2709-19<\/a>) is the Catechism\u2019s discussion of contemplative prayer. Once again, here are just a few key phrases:<\/p>\n
Contemplative prayer seeks him \u201cwhom my soul loves.\u201d \u2026\u00a0We seek him, because to desire him is always the beginning of love\u2026\u00a0In this inner prayer we can still meditate, but our attention is fixed on the Lord himself\u2026.\u00a0One cannot always meditate, but one can always enter into inner prayer, independently of the conditions of health, work, or emotional state. The heart is the place of this quest and encounter, in poverty and in faith\u2026\u00a0Entering into contemplative prayer<\/i> is like entering into the Eucharistic liturgy: we \u201cgather up\u201d the heart, recollect our whole being under the prompting of the Holy Spirit, abide in the dwelling place of the Lord which we are, awaken our faith in order to enter into the presence of him who awaits us\u2026 Contemplative prayer is the poor and humble surrender to the loving will of the Father in ever deeper union with his beloved Son\u2026\u00a0It is a gift<\/i>, a grace; it can be accepted only in humility and poverty. Contemplative prayer is a covenant<\/i> relationship established by God within our hearts. Contemplative prayer is a communion<\/i> in which the Holy Trinity conforms man, the image of God, \u201cto his likeness.\u201d
\nContemplation is a gaze<\/i> of faith, fixed on Jesus\u2026\u00a0Contemplative prayer is silence<\/i>, the \u201csymbol of the world to come\u201d or \u201csilent love.\u201d Words in this kind of prayer are not speeches; they are like kindling that feeds the fire of love\u2026 Contemplative prayer is a communion of love bearing Life for the multitude, to the extent that it consents to abide in the night of faith\u2026\u00a0We must be willing to \u201ckeep watch with [him] one hour.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\nI love how the Catechism refuses to draw a hard and fast distinction between meditation and contemplation: \u201cin [contemplation] we can still meditate.\u201d Head and heart are both intimate parts of one being. We may seek in contemplation to love and behold God in silence, but thoughts will still dance in our minds. But as\u00a0The Cloud of Unknowing<\/em><\/a> so helpfully teaches us, when meditative thoughts emerge during contemplative prayer, seek to be non-attached. Let them arise, and let them fall. Keep our focus \u201cfixed on the Lord himself\u201d \u2014 in contemplation our intent is to love God, not to think about God; to know<\/em> God rather than merely know about<\/em> God.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, because meditation is an effortful prayer, there are times when we are simply too tired, or too angry, anxious, or whatever, to meditate. Yet contemplative prayer, emphasizing rest and silence, is always available to us. Perhaps most important of all is the recognition that meditation is not the highest form of prayer: contemplation is. Yet true contemplation is always a gift, a grace. It\u2019s not something we achieve, it\u2019s something we receive.<\/p>\n
To summarize:<\/p>\n
\n
- Meditation is a quest; contemplation involves rest.<\/li>\n
- Meditation is mental, cognitive, discursive; contemplation is silent, heart-centered, beholding<\/li>\n
- Meditaiton is important, contemplation even more so.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Do you have any thoughts on the difference between meditative prayer and contemplative prayer? If so, please leave your\u00a0thoughts below. And if you have any questions for me, use my contact form<\/a> to send them along; if you wish, your\u00a0question may appear (anonymously) in a future blog post.<\/em><\/p>\n
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