What is Contemplative Prayer? (with Fr Mike Schmitz)

Katie speaks with Fr Mike about contemplative prayer as the "highest form of prayer."
Enjoy!
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This is a short clip from Episode 1 of 'Colloquy' with Fr Mike Schmitz - you'll find the full colloquy on our channel.
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[@ctmcatholic]

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[@MsTupton]

As a penance my confessor told me to slow down and do 20 minutes of contemplative prayer. I didn't know what that is. After hearing this video I think I understand. I think it's like this: I recently heard my dad was in the hospital. I live far away. After great lengths and a long car ride I just wanted to sit with him. Not say or do anything. Just be together. I think maybe that's contemplative prayer.

[@KatiraAZ]

In Prayer we talk and ask, in Meditation ( Contemplative Prayer) we are quiet, we listen and we might receive... Meditation is mention in The Bible too. We just need to stay Centered in Jesus and God not into nothingness like some yogis state but always with Jesus in our center and Intention.

[@ploki0123]

Fr. Mike looks like he is flustered when explaining but i can see the joy and excitement in his eyes as if he is in love. I guess thats the work of contemplative prayer. When you just love the presence of someone you love, no words needed. In this case, with God. Thank you for sharing this. It's nice to hear Fr. Mike again.

[@ctmcatholic]

We agree that you can totally see how much Fr Mike loves God, probably the main thing that makes him such an effective speaker!

[@GenXer82]

"Be still, and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10

[@ctmcatholic]

Amen!

[@simonbelmont1986]

What a simple and beautiful verse.

[@karolinaharrington2369]

After a personal tragedy, I wanted to reinvent my life, to move to avoid the pain, but the loving God repeated the message to me, “Be still…” I listened, and He’s blessed me thousandfold since then.🙏❤️

[@catherinehewson3513]

Sometimes we just need a hug, no words necessary.

[@ctmcatholic]

Amen!

[@lmtt123]

I wouldn't be hugging him and wouldn't pick up the soap in the shower either!

[@JavierGarcia-jg5xp]

Very nice! I loved the "Behold and be held." part. (I am an Episcopalian. I am open to all good, spiritual messages from members of different religions.)

[@bernakinch9781]

Behold and be held….love that. Thanks Fr Mike❤️🙏

[@ctmcatholic]

Such a great line. Hopefully we’ll have Fr Mike back on the channel at some point.

[@margaretbingham468]

You explained brilliantly Father, may God continue to Bless, Guide and Protect you Father, Amen: Respect from Dublin Ireland 🇮🇪🇻🇦🕊️ PAX

[@ctmcatholic]

Thanks for watching, Margaret!

[@Spillers72]

Contemplative prayer is simular to mindfulness meditation. It's being totally present in this moment in communion with God.

[@user-wh8pe6gq5n]

Yes, unity and consolation and continued strength; that is why I desire silent time with God.

[@marittapereira1790]

"To behold and be held" - I'm touched... It's so beautiful!!!

[@focusedmeditation1933]

Let the contemplation of my heart be pleasant to you lord.

[@ctmcatholic]

Amen!

[@margaretbingham468]

Beautiful prayer, thank you from Dublin Ireland 🇮🇪🇻🇦🕊️ PAX

[@KingdomIsNow]

Contemplative prayer is when the Christian believer is able to completely shut down their carnal mind, and is so astounded by the loving and benevolent nature of God, thus they cannot express what they feel in words, all that is left is to behold God in amazement. It is another form of deep worship devoid of the mundane.

[@dafnewalker3643]

Your mind goes a thousand fifteen hundred kilometers per hours because you truly have passion for God and people! Never be sorry when you chit-chat! Thank you!

[@patriciaperry7606]

Contemplative Prayer Fr. Thomas Dubay,-The height of prayer is Contemplative Prayer. A prayer which you don’t do the talking. You listen, GOD Does the talking, you’re being Fed by the Eternal Father. You’re out of the Element of Time, you’re in ETERNITY with God. 😢Loving God Forever and ever.. ❤Sweeeet Time forever ❤ St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross were Contemplatives. Fr. Thomas Dubay, R.I.P. He did a grand beautiful job on Contemplative Prayer! Love and God bless. Fr. Mike, Don’t worry about what others think, God said be Holy. You’re good. Amen ❤

[@ctmcatholic]

Beautiful, thank you Patricia ❤️

[@simonjones5413]

Fr Mike, you always speak directly to my heart, and never fail to educate me in the practice of my Catholic Christian faith. You are the Fulton Sheen of our generation, and like him I hope you become at least a Venerable🙏

[@ctmcatholic]

🙏🏼

[@helentesoriero4357]

Centering prayer= stop the give me, give me praying. Just be still & know God.

[@ctmcatholic]

💙

[@fidelisfaber4961]

Thank you Katie. I just saw you on the Catholic Voices webinar and am so impressed: your website is beautiful and this is one of the best and most helpful talks I have heard from Fr Mike for a while. God bless your ministry.

[@ctmcatholic]

Thank you so much!

[@ishouldbesleeping1354]

He went to the father for obedience. There are several prayers of Christ recorded in the Bible. They’re so revealing and beautiful

[@ctmcatholic]

Yes there are 🙏

[@orbeuniversity]

I would like to share that writing your menal prayer down in the first person: that is, you telling our Lord things and asking Him things, and then writing down what our Lord tells you, makes a world of difference. Writing down your mental prayer (conversation with God) helps us to be more attentive and to be more receptive to hearing God's will for us. God uses our minds and thoughts to tell us His will for us. The most important thing in mental prayer is to listen to what God is telling you. I would also like to add that a step towards *contemplative prayer* is to persevere and grow in our mental prayer. When we persevere in our mental prayer, we will discover that moments of contemplative prayer, even throughout the day, are more accessible than we think. We don't need to be specialist to reach contemplative prayer. We only need to persevere in our mental prayer.

[@ctmcatholic]

Thank you for your insight. God bless

[@MrsAChery]

“He was going to get the Father.” That! Nice.

[@ctmcatholic]

:)

[@mimizorz76]

Beautiful!

[@ctmcatholic]

Thank you!

[@carriesaffell8116]

Thank you

[@jimmcdonough5497]

Just sit at His feet and listen

[@helentesoriero4357]

(BE STILL & KNOW THAT I AM )

[@ctmcatholic]

💙

[@dafnewalker3643]

That was a very beautiful video, honestly!

[@ctmcatholic]

Thanks for watching!

[@geraldine5600]

Touched deeply 🌹 Thanks so much!😇 Merry Christmas 🌲❄️⛄

[@ctmcatholic]

So glad to hear that. Merry Christmas to you too.

[@geraldine5600]

Just finished praying my first Rosary 😇🌹 and I got your message. You are all the Best 💚 The whole team! God bless you ⛄🦌🎅🌲🎁 Thanks for your reply 🌹🌹🙂

[@Pamela_330]

“Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.” Hebrews 7:25. The Bible says Jesus lives to make intercession for us. Interceding for everyone would take up a long time which is probably why he spent so much time alone in prayer.

[@hlapatsas]

He was going to show us he is always with the Father and the Holy Spirit because those 3 are 1.

[@ctmcatholic]

Amen!

[@louismariamoreno3039]

Is centering prayer (Fr. Keeting), the same as contemplative prayer?

[@moringaottawa]

It is maybe a calling but it's achievable by anyone. Maybe it's speaking in tongues in a fullness of faith

[@juliettu7]

❤️❤️❤️

[@ctmcatholic]

🙏

[@jeromyabraham4866]

True 💯

[@ctmcatholic]

Agreed! :)

[@naamhaisiddhu]

💖

[@mana7412]

Comforting to know priests can also have distracting thoughts during prayer 🙏🏻

[@ctmcatholic]

We all do!

[@devoradamaris]

🕊🌐🕊

[@ctmcatholic]

❤️❤️❤️

[@bobhawkins2997]

Your definition of contemplative prayer is different than that of Richard Rohr. I have much less disagreement with your definition of Rohr and Foster: I am a sola scriptura guy who is very skeptical of mystical practices.

[@joymoments]

Here is the link to the full conversation: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ipnYhnhoh8Zjf6c

[@ctmcatholic]

💙

[@romaion4024]

Fr. Mike is really cool, and I've learned a lot from him over the years. However with contemplative prayer I think we need to be very careful. "Slowing down" down our thoughts in order to "be with God" is not what contemplation is. It is my understanding that we do not "choose" the when and where of contemplation, and it does not happen through our own will -- it is a gift of God given to us in His own time and in His own Way. I think contemplation is an act of God that often accompanies more traditional forms of prayer (i.e., vocal and mental prayer), and isn't something we just "decide" to do.

[@Micha-Hil]

why it quiet

[@ctmcatholic]

Hi Miles, have you turned the volume up both on your laptop/PC/phone and KZbin?

[@marv6013]

Jesus was the son of man while on earth But why you ask questions from the person who let others call him "father" when bible clearly says don't call anybody on earth father....

[@elmtree33]

Exactly which scripture are you quoting?

[@sylviareeves3447]

Gave this video a dislike because he speaks too fast. I know in the past someone suggested that I can slow down the speed but I’m not computer savvy.

[@kwkw5711]

Pause the video by clicking on it. You should see a cog in top right hand corner. Click on that you should see an option to change playback speed

[@kellysweeney5429]

An easy , non technical solution, is to pause when you need to process what Father is saying. Even rewind of necessary. Father is passionate and has such a strong desire to lead his flock. He is a wonderful, loving shepherd.

[@romandaigle455]

Contemplative prayer is from the enemy and not from God. The Bible always tells us to pray with a sound mind and body. The Bible says never use repetitive prayers( words) and never empty yourself in prayer. The occult and witches and new age uses contemplative prayer, centering prayer. It can cause you to be demon possessed.

[@spiritwarriorstudios]

Bless your heart.

[@bluezy710]

Dangerous teaching. He said a bunch of things that meant absolutely nothing. If you know what happens to your brain when you just repeat words, you'd dump this teaching really quick. It numbs your mind and takes you intro a trance, that's all it does. “When ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking” (Matthew 6:7). The word vain means “empty” or “useless”; so Jesus is warning us that repeating worthless phrases in our prayers will not help them be heard by God. Our Heavenly Father is not concerned with word count, flowery expressions, or mantras; He desires “truth in the inward being” (Psalm 51:6).

[@purplepinetrees5106]

Yeah, that is what the King james version of the Bible says.

[@maryfitz7174]

I didn’t really hear him speak about repeating a bunch of words… not sure what you heard. Maybe listen again with opening your heart to learn how to behold and let God hold you. This is being open to God’s grace. Be still and know that God is God…. It’s all by grace, no argument here.