Contemplative Prayer in the Christian Tradition by Thomas Keating, O.C.S.O

Praying with America: 100 Years of Spiritual Wisdom Contents Introduction James Martin, S.J. Why We Pray ‘Why Do You Pray?’ By William A. Barry, S.J. 7 Does God Communicate With Me? By William A. Barry, S.J. 15 How Do I Know It’s God? By William A. Barry, S.J. 23 ‘I Can’t Pray” The Editors 32 Jesuits Praying in Prison By George M. Anderson, S.J. 35 Why Don’t Catholics Share Their Faith? By Martin Pable, O.F.M. Cap. 52 ii Why Johnny Can’t Pray By James J. Di Giacomo, S.J. 62 What We Most Need The Editors 82 The Credibility of Prayer By Doris Donnelly 85 Prayer and Liberation By M. Basil Pennington, O.C.S.O. 98 Praying By William J. O’Malley, S.J. 112 Surprising Teachings on Prayer By Daniel J. Harrington, S.J. 131 The Walking Cure By Michael Rossmann, S.J. 134 How We Pray Rummaging for God By Dennis Hamm, S.J. 139 Desiring Prayer By Jerry Ryan 150 iii Interrupting Grace By T. B. Pasquale 158 Attempting the Impossible By Robert Inchausti 163 Gateways to Prayer By Stephen Bonian, S.J. 174 The Art of Prayer By Timothy O’Brien, S.J. 183 Shadows in Prayer By James Martin, S.J. 189 A Letter to Young American Catholics By Rev. Robert P. Maloney, C.M. 204 How God Speaks By Edward McCormack 215 The Heart of the Matter By Rev. David N. Knight 223 Contemplative Prayer in the Christian Tradition By Thomas Keating, O.C.S.O. 234 iv The Journey Within By Rev. John B. Healey 253 Mysterious Tools By Karl Bjorn Erickson 266 Persistence in Prayer By Daniel J. Harrington, S.J. 273 Humility in Prayer By Daniel J. Harrington, S.J. 278 When We Pray In Praise of Horizontal Prayer By Frank Moan, S.J. 284 Give Comfort to My People By Richard J. Hauser, S.J. 291 Thanksgiving Day The Editors 315 Praying in a Time of Depression By Jane Redmont 318 The New Year The Editors 345 v Subway Stations of the Cross By Cyril B. Egan 346 Christmas in New York By George W. Hunt, S.J. 356 Unceasing Prayer By Henri J. M. Nouwen 362 What We Pray The Dangerous Prayer The Editors 389 The Quiet Space By David Berry 392 Official Prayer The Editors 398 Praying Policemen The Editors 402 “Above All, Your Prayers” By Gerard F. Giblin, S.J. 405 Prayer For These Times By Rev. Terrence W. Halloran 409 vi The Holy Father’s Day of Prayer The Editors 412 The Great Prayer The Editors 417 Feature “X” By John R. McCarthy 420 For the Intellectuals: To the Wise Men By Evelyn Waugh 427 Comprehensive Prayer The Editors 430 Lectionary, Prayer, and Community By Jacqueline McMakin 432 Companions in Prayer The Secret of the Little Flower By C. M. De Heredia, S.J. 441 A Lesson in Consolation Drew Christiansen, S.J. 451 Friends in High Places By James Martin, S.J. 456 vii Brother Lawrence and the Chimney Bird By Stephen Martin 461 On the Slope with Teilhard By Drew Christiansen, S.J. 469 Friendship is a Prayer By Greg Kandra 480 Sisters in Faith By Kaya Oakes 486 Jewish Prayer By John C. Haughey, S.J. 491 viii Introduction James Martin, S.J. Since 1909, America, the “National Catholic Weekly,” has been widely known as a place where readers both in print and online can look for a smart Catholic take on events of the day. What is less well known is during those same years America has regularly published a great many articles on more overtly spiritual matters. In other words, the editors and writers have turned their attention not simply to current events, but to timeless ones. This new book brings together the best of America’s writings on a particular topic: prayer. Prayer can be a difficult topic to write about, since trying to explain it is something like trying to pin down a butterfly. The more you seek to capture it, the more it wants to escape. In the end, what happens in prayer is incommunicable, as it happens between one person and God. Even the greatest and most articulate of saints have struggled to communicate not 1 only how they pray, but what happens when they do. Often they resort to metaphors that even they admit fail. On the other hand, prayer is beyond no person. Everyone can pray. God desires to enter into relationship with everyone, and one need not be a cloistered mystic to enjoy the fruits of prayer. And so, as the editors have realized since 1909, part of America’s mission is to help people to encounter God, and so to help them encounter God, we are invited to help them to pray. You’ll notice right away how those efforts have changed over the years. Earlier articles are filled with more flowery language than the modern reader may be used to. Likewise, there is in general in the earlier works a more elevated way, as was the custom of the time, of referring to the object and source of our prayer: not “Jesus” but “Christ Our Lord,” not “God” but “Almighty God.” (And here’s a warning for anyone allergic to non-inclusive language: get ready for a lot of “Hims.”) One can also see a gradual shift, after the Second Vatican Council, in favor of a greater degree, of—for want of a better word—relaxation around the topic of prayer. Prayer 2 becomes not so much something that one must do, as something that one is invited to do. Otherwise, much has not changed. The emphasis on trying one’s best to pray no matter what the circumstance, the focus less on self and more on God, and the flexibility that has always marked Jesuits and their colleagues, are evident in almost every article. Several authors take their cue from the Jesuit or “Ignatian” traditions of prayer, that is, those based on the writings, practices and traditions of St. Ignatius Loyola, the 16th-century founder of the Society of Jesus. Many authors make reference to the Spiritual Exercises, the now-classic manual for a four-week retreat written by St. Ignatius. In the Exercises, Ignatius frequently encourages the retreatant to imagine himself or herself within a Gospel scene, as one progresses through the life of Christ, with as much vividness as possible. So you will see frequent references to some aspects of the Exercises. Several writers seem to be making a case for one form of prayer over another. So perhaps this is a good time to remind readers that there is no “best” way of prayer. Whatever works best for you is the best way of 3 prayer. Some may enjoy Ignatian contemplation, others the Rosary, others Centering Prayer, others the examination of conscience. The Mass of course is the “source” and “summit” of Catholic prayer, as Vatican II reminded us, but in addition to the Mass it is important for believers to try a variety of ways to pray, in order to get a taste of a particular practice, and to try them at different point in one’s life, since one’s spiritual tastes may change. But any way that you choose to relate to God is worthwhile. Think of prayer, as one of our writers, William A. Barry, S.J., likes to say, as a “personal relationship.” Friends often relate to one another in different ways—some like to take long walks, some like to see movies together, some like to have cups of coffee in one another’s home, some like to talk on the phone, and so one. At some point every relationship needs intimate, one-on-one time. This intimate, one-on-one time with God is called prayer. But there are many ways to pray. Also, remember that prayer may not always seem “rich.” As many writers admit in this collection, sometimes prayer seems “dry.” This is simply part of the spiritual life. In the end, however, no time spent in the 4 presence of God is ever wasted. For any time spent in the presence of God is transformative. One final note: Much of this book—the selection of the articles, the editing and the grouping under the various chapters—is the work of Joseph McAuley, an assistant editor at America magazine. His quiet, tireless, humble work on this manuscript was a kind of prayer itself. Thanks also to Tim Reidy, executive editor, and Ashley McKinless, assistant editor for all their help on this volume. On behalf of the editors of America, I would like to welcome you into this treasury of writings by authors who have graced our pages and our website. We hope that this little book helps you to pray. We ask for your prayers. And we promise you ours. James Martin, S.J., is a Jesuit priest, editor at large of America and author of many books including Jesus: A Pilgrimage, The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything and My Life with the Saints. 5 Why We Pray 6 ‘Why Do You Pray?’ William A. Barry, S.J. Often people ask, “Why do you pray?” In all honesty, at one time I prayed because I was a Jesuit. In other words, my answer was, “I’m supposed to pray.” Prayer was an obligation and, to be frank, a burden. At times I have prayed in order to placate God—to get God off my back, as it were.

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