On Prayer And The Contemplative Life

Reproduction of the original.

On Prayer and The Contemplative Life

Excerpt from On Prayer and the Contemplative Life And we have been led to do this for several reasons. The Mystical life is the life of union with God, and it is based essentially on Prayer and Contemplation. But prayer and contemplation. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

"On Prayer and the Contemplative Life" is a profound theological work attributed to Saint Thomas Aquinas, one of the most influential theologians and philosophers in Christian history. In this enlightening treatise, Saint Thomas delves into the spiritual practice of prayer and the contemplative life, offering profound insights and guidance for seekers of divine connection and enlightenment. Drawing upon his extensive knowledge of Scripture, philosophy, and Christian tradition, Saint Thomas explores the nature of prayer, its significance in the life of faith, and its role in fostering a deeper relationship with God. He elucidates various forms of prayer, ranging from vocal prayers and meditation to contemplative prayer, guiding readers on a journey toward inner stillness and communion with the divine. Through Saint Thomas's eloquent prose and rigorous theological reasoning, readers are invited to explore the transformative power of prayer and the contemplative life in nurturing the soul, cultivating virtues, and attaining spiritual fulfillment. The work addresses timeless questions about the nature of God, the purpose of prayer, and the pursuit of spiritual perfection, offering profound insights that continue to resonate with believers and seekers alike across the centuries. "On Prayer and the Contemplative Life" stands as a timeless testament to Saint Thomas Aquinas's intellectual brilliance, spiritual depth, and unwavering devotion to God. It remains an indispensable resource for those seeking to deepen their understanding of prayer, cultivate a richer spiritual life, and draw closer to the divine presence.

On Prayer and The Contemplative Life is a classic religious essay by St. Thomas Aquinas. The present generation in the fervour of its repentance is like to cast off too much. So many false principles and hasty deductions have been offered to its parents and grandparents in the name of science that it is becoming unduly suspicious of the scientific method. The message and method of S. Thomas are part of that strange rigidity of the thirteenth century which is one of the startling paradoxes of the ages of faith. It is surely a consolation that these ages of a faith which moved mountains, or at least essayed to remove the Turk, were minded to express their beliefs in the coat of mail of human reason! The giants of those days, who in the sphere of literature were rediscovering verse and inventing rhyme, and who in every sphere of knowledge were bringing forth the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries, were not so blinded by the white light of vision as to disown the Greeks. They made the Ethics of Aristotle the four-square walls of the city of God; they expressed the mysteries of the Undivided Three in terms of the Syllogism. Thus they refused to cut themselves off from the aristocracy of human genius. They laid hands--but not violent hands--on the heritage of the ages. No philosophers have ever equalled their bold and lowly-minded profession of faith in the solidarity of human reason. For this cause S. Thomas, who is their spokesman, has now become an absolute necessity of thought. Unless the great Dumb Ox is given a hearing, our mysticism will fill, not the churches, but the asylums and the little self-authorized Bethels where every man is his own precursor and messiah.

Reproduction of the original.

Saint Paul’s command to “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thess 5:17) can seem impossible for the average Christian living in the middle of this hectic contemporary world. Yet his words are intended as much for those of his time as those of today, and as much for those who labor at home or in the office as for those in monasteries. Indeed, the Catechism of the Catholic Church professes the contemplative life, or in other words, a life of constant prayer, as both necessary and attainable. With a strong foundation in Church teaching and woven throughout with the classic wisdom of the saints, Remain in Me is an accessible guide to a timeless call. Beginning with a careful outline of what is required to build the contemplative life, both in specified prayer times and in everyday tasks, Father Andreas Schmidt confronts the most common difficulties in personal prayer and explores the fruits of contemplation: growth in holiness, a more powerful experience of the Sacraments, increased success in work, and ultimately, a closer and more intimate relationship with God.