The “Other” Category of Christian
When asked to categorize my faith, I tend to describe myself simply as “spiritual.” Just as the terms Democrat or Republican immediately become polarizing, and people immediately become either “for” or “against” what you stand for, so too are the labels of “Catholic” or “Baptist” or (oh my) “New Age”. So, cautiously, for those wanting more than “spiritual” or “follower of Christ”, I offer the label “Contemplative Christian,” a label that goes beyond labels.
In short, a Contemplative Christian is a Christian who seeks greater levels of intimacy with God and their fellow man primarily through listening to the still, quiet voice of the Holy Spirit within. You can be a part of any denomination and be a contemplative–it’s more of a way of being than an adherence to any particular creed.
I started out on the contemplative path out of desperation. Life wasn’t all that terrible–I had a healthy happy family and a job (stay at home mom and tutor) that I loved. However, inwardly, I was in a rough spot. I was daily breaking down in front of our young children and the oldest noticed. When asked what I should wish for when I blew out my birthday candles, he requested “that Mommy wouldn’t cry so much.” Ha–that makes for a great birthday conversation starter with your parents.
I knew something needed to change.
I recalled a one-time meditation class I had attended while in college and how it had, albeit briefly, affected me. As a first step to calming the chaos within me, I began a daily meditation practice. Within a few days I started noticing results and small shifts to a more optimistic, loving frame of mind. I soon realized that meditation was more than just a helpful mental health tool. It was also an integral part of the traditions of our Christian heritage (more about that later).
For inspiration and guidance, I began to read deeply of the writings of the Christian contemplatives of the past as well as of the modern contemplatives. One year into my contemplative journey, I was beginning to feel like a new person. My husband knew to hand me my yoga block (what I park my back side on during meditation) whenever he noticed me hitting a rough patch. A couple years into my practice, the same son who had wished for his mom to stop crying remarked,
“What is your secret? Nothing ever bothers you!”
Ah–the short term memories of children.
So, what is so transformative about the contemplative life? What could bring about such radical change in such a short time?
The short answer: Giving God the time and space to change us from the inside. It is God who makes the changes. It is God who redirects our minds and hearts away from the distractions of this world and to the work of the kingdom. As God does his work within our hearts, we become the hands and feet of Christ to the world.
A Rich History
The spiritual practices of the contemplative life are deeply embedded in our Christian heritage. As early as the late 2nd century, contemplatives such as the Desert Fathers and Mothers were seeking the heart of God through silence and contemplation. In modern times, Thomas Keating and John Main have led the way to a deeper, richer relationship with God.
Jesus Himself embodied what we now embrace as the contemplative life. We know from Scripture that He regularly rose before the sun to spend hours in prayer. He probably wasn’t reciting the Torah or running through a laundry list of petitions, although we can’t rule that out.
Father, please help John control his temper today, and maybe could you help them stop arguing so much?
Jesus was well aware that His time on this Earth would be limited. He had three short years to transform the hearts of thousands of disciples. However, time spent connecting to His Father was so crucial that he devoted hours each day to silence and prayer. As a result, His life was an outpouring of divine love, mercy, and compassion. If Jesus, God’s Son, needed that time to connect to His Father, how much more do we?
Although we don’t know the make-up of Jesus’ daily practice, there are some practices used over the ages that are helpful. Contemplative Christians nurture their own relationship with the Father through meditation, mindfulness, and reflecting on Scripture (Lectio Divina), the ins and outs of which we will explore together here. These practices develop a beautiful intimate relationship with God. They are practices that open our hearts to be deeply transformed by God from the inside out.
The Journey Within
The contemplative life is a journey, just like our journey in faith. The desire to have a more personal relationship with God is the starting point. The contemplative yearns for the “peace that passes all understanding” (Philippians 4:7) and a joy that cannot be taken away (John 16:22). So we begin to withdraw for short periods of time from the world to listen to the “still, small voice” (1 Kings 19:12) that is always within us, ready to guide us.
The path inward is like the tide. At first, the contemplative feels the push into the shore, to the presence of God within. Quickly and strongly, however, the draw of worldly concerns draws us back out to sea.
With practice, little by little, subtle differences appear. The soul begins to feel brief moments of the loving gaze of God. We might find that we weather the storms of life more easily.
The journey continues. We spend a considerable portion of meditation time enjoying the close presence of God instead of warding off the constant stream of thoughts.
Soon, the yearning for God grows within and the periods of meditation and drawing inward become the most desirable part of the day. Peace lives within our cores and follows us throughout our day. The Spirit within quickly draws the soul back when it wanders. Our lives are never the same, as we are continually made new in Him.
Extending Love Outwards
As God pours His unconditional love into the soul, this love overflows and we can’t help but give it to others. Often, they notice the difference and they themselves are changed. We become the change we wish to see in the world (Gandhi).
I have been blessed to see this effect first-hand. When my husband was going through a very stressful career change, he fed off of my positive energy and centeredness. Even though the everyday processes of the house were in flux, he found calm by my own inner stillness. In turn, he too became more of a positive presence.
We can take courage from Jesus’ parable of the mustard seed. At first, we may only have a bit of willingness to open our souls to the working of the Holy Spirit. However, when we give that to God, that small seed of the kingdom grows within us, eventually providing shade and comfort to others, and opening their hearts as well.
This is the core of the contemplative life. It is a dedication to an inward connection to the Creator. Our Father loves us in a way that cannot be measured. As we become increasingly rooted in His love, it ultimately overflows the confines of our hearts, blessing others, known and unknown.