Update Round-up:
Christian sends in this link from his blog, on the topic of imagination, art, and catechesis. Smart people would read his blog regularly. He has a really fun post up right now about language and the Egyptian revolution, for fellow word geeks.
(Am I the only one who wishes the wordpress spellcheck function would learn the word “catechesis”? Every time I see that red squiggly underline, I get nervous, and have to go check my dictionary to make sure it is a real word. It is.)
Jeffery Miller (the Curt Jester) posts about pantheism and “centering prayer”. Including this handy link to a This Rock article on the topic. So let’s make sure we are super clear: “meditative prayer” as described on this blog and used by reputable catechists, is not “centering prayer”. Not. NOT.
Here’s what the Catechism has to say about meditation:
II. MEDITATION
2705 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. The required attentiveness is difficult to sustain. We are usually helped by books, and Christians do not want for them: the Sacred Scriptures, particularly the Gospels, holy icons, liturgical texts of the day or season, writings of the spiritual fathers, works of spirituality, the great book of creation, and that of history the page on which the “today” of God is written.
2706 To meditate on what we read helps us to make it our own by confronting it with ourselves. Here, another book is opened: the book of life. We pass from thoughts to reality. 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. It is a question of acting truthfully in order to come into the light: “Lord, what do you want me to do?”
2707 There are as many and varied methods of meditation as there are spiritual masters. Christians owe it to themselves to develop the desire to meditate regularly, lest they come to resemble the three first kinds of soil in the parable of the sower.5 But a method is only a guide; the important thing is to advance, with the Holy Spirit, along the one way of prayer: Christ Jesus.
2708 Meditation engages thought, imagination, emotion, and desire. This mobilization of faculties is necessary in order to deepen our convictions of faith, prompt the conversion of our heart, and strengthen our will to follow Christ. Christian prayer tries above all to meditate on the mysteries of Christ, as in lectio divina or the rosary. This 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.
THAT is what we’re teachin’ the kids. Just so ya know. And they like it.
And speaking of teaching the kids: Dorian’s got week up one of Ask A Catechist, and I am an utter slacker in getting my own my comments posted. But that’s okay, because hooooweeee that was a hairy question, and did I really want to answer it? But don’t worry, my shutting up powers aren’t that strong. I’ll be there soon. Meanwhile I’ll just put this stylish graphic in my post, so that you’ll know that yes, I really am participating.
See. A box. With answers inside. Click and find out more.
Hey, I don’t have all the answers, either – far from it! I think that, a lot of times, we’re all sort of wondering what to do in really tough situations, as catechists, and so I hope this series can be a way to allow us to share ideas and support.
Thanks for linking!
I think it is awesome idea. I’m still planning to put up an answer to question #1, and I promise to look later, maybe tomorrow at this week’s topic. Today I’m out all day on field trips and then teaching tonight. Yay for me, too bad for the blog, hehe.