How St. John of the Cross Describes Contemplative Prayer

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What's the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the words "contemplative prayer?"
Maybe you think of a great mystic, like St. John of the Cross or St. Teresa of Avila.
Maybe you picture cloistered nuns praying to their beloved Spouse around the clock in their convent.
Or (if you're like most people) maybe what comes to mind is...not much at all.
Because contemplative prayer is actually really, really hard to define.
That's why, when I had spiritual expert Father Donald Haggerty on the Art of Catholic podcast, I asked him to define contemplation.
And I got a very interesting answer.
Check out this snippet from our discussion to see how he approached it.

[@user-wu7ij6cb7g]

Matthew, your lessons on the Art of Prayer have helped me to deepen my prayer life and has drawn me closer to the Lord. Thank you for this podcast, it confirmed what you have been teaching. Deacon Sam

[@amytovar344]

God Bless you !! Love the video ♥️🙏🏼

[@mikejohnsen6789]

Contemplation seems to be God's speaking to our heart as we sit waiting in complete and uninterrupted stillness in His Presence.

[@maryjokessler127]

I love these sippets. frequently while eating lunch I don't have the time to listen a long podcast but these fit right in and I can take what I learned with me to think about during the rest of the day.

[@MatthewLeonard]

Glad you enjoy them, Mary!

[@judithbenson3081]

The question you asked is the key to more understanding contemplation.

[@gsantos8227]

Pray without ceasing is for me -contemplative prayer with God. Thanks for the videos--ALL great and Your questions are like a deep ocean!

[@aliciaast0rg7186]

God sent me your page! Awesome video, God Bless!

[@dougnorkum883]

Infused contemplation is the process of asking Our Eternal Father a question and then, "Listening intently in the silence of your heart" for His response. Often this will take a great deal of love, humility, and self-discipline to quiet the noisy mind that we all have. There are disciplines that 'saints/masters' have suggested over the years to attain this infused grace. Our Eternal Father wants to have a personal relationship with each one of us--- but we have to do our part. --- In Christ, Doug Norkum

[@irisd9425]

This is exceptional..thank you both!

[@noeldoyle4501]

Thanks for a really good and holy explanation of contemplation. At 4:07 you mention "..our own divinization, our deification..". This sounds too close to the worst New Age heresy that tells people "You are already part of God, you can find your own inner divinity by proper meditation". Souls who believe this heresy quickly turn away from Our Lord Jesus, true God and true man.

[@MatthewLeonard]

Yes, the New Age people have muddied the waters on it, but that doesn't change the truth of the Church. This deification and divinization language is in the Bible, the Catechism (see n. 460), as well as in the liturgy. When the priest mixes the water and wine he says, "By the mystery of this water and wine may we come to share in the divinity of Christ who humbled himself to share in our humanity.” God bless!