The Contemplative Hunger
The Contemplative Hunger

Author: Fr. Donald Haggerty

Publisher: Ignatius Press

Published: 2016

Total Pages: 261

ISBN-13: 1621640337

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A soul desiring to give itself in love to God faces great challenges that require understanding and some encouraging advice. Written in a style of short and effective meditations on prayer and contemplative spirituality, the concise reflections in this book address the heart of a soul's interior response to God. God's desire to draw souls to a deeper gift of themselves is inseparable from his desire to draw them into a deeper encounter with the sacred mystery of his presence. Offering an abundance of insights into the value of silence, deep faith, trust and interior surrender to God, Father Haggerty also illumines the link between contemplation and love for poverty and the poor, and makes a strong appeal to the importance of prayer as the primary answer to the crisis of faith that afflicts so many people today. The longing of souls for a deeper contemplative encounter with God is indeed a sign of the times. When it is nurtured properly and begins to burn as a passion of the soul, the love for prayer becomes a lifelong quest.

Contemplative Provocations
Contemplative Provocations

Author: Donald Haggerty

Publisher: Ignatius Press

Published: 2013-01-09

Total Pages: 144

ISBN-13: 1681491109

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A great many religious people undertake, at least for a time, a serious dedication to prayer. They are moved by a longing for a deeper encounter with God, and the possibility of this beckons them as a distant light at night on the sea. Yet far fewer in number become true contemplative souls, for it is difficult to continue the quest for God in the face of many obstacles. For those who are spiritually courageous and full of desire for God, this book cannot but provoke them to begin or to persevere in this ultimate adventure in life-the more complete discovery of the living God. Thematically unified by the notion of God's ultimate transcendence to our limited human knowledge, Contemplative Provocations offers a rich profusion of insights on the life of prayer and the pursuit of God. A key to spiritual growth is the understanding that the hiddenness of God becomes a paradox in the experience of a soul seeking him wholeheartedly. Rather than enjoying a more intimate familiarity with God, the soul advancing in prayer is likely to experience more intensely, more provocatively, the concealment of God. This surprising truth undergirds true contemplative prayer. It is a reason why every contemplative soul, and every saint, is inflamed with a never satisfied thirst for God.

Contemplative Enigmas
Contemplative Enigmas

Author: Donald Haggerty

Publisher: Ignatius Press

Published: 2020-01-01

Total Pages: 283

ISBN-13: 1642291056

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Despite signs in recent decades of a crisis in the Church, a countercurrent of intense interest in prayer and a close relationship with God is clearly at work today. A deeper esteem for contemplation has accompanied this turning to prayer, and many people desire spiritual direction and guidance. Written by a recognized expert on contemplative prayer, this book concentrates on the interior hardships experienced by souls who give themselves to God wholeheartedly. More than a summary of the symptoms of interior trial, these poignant observations are the fruit of the author's many years in retreat work. Personal experience, not simply knowledge of the spiritual tradition, inform his concise, carefully crafted comments. Throughout the book, the writing invites the reader to ponder the subject of spiritual darkness, perplexity, and other struggles in the spiritual life always in the light of the loving God, who draws souls into greater surrender to himself.

Answering the Contemplative Call
Answering the Contemplative Call

Author: Carl McColman

Publisher: Broadleaf Books

Published: 2021-11-16

Total Pages: 194

ISBN-13: 1506485804

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The mystical path is not some sort of static experience for the select few, says Carl McColman, rather, it is a living tradition, a rich and many-layered dimension of spirituality that is in large measure a quest to find the mysteries at the heart of the universe, paradoxically nestled within the heart of your own soul. McColman first introduced readers to Christianity's lost mystical roots in his popular book, The Big Book of Christian Mysticism. Now McColman is back with Answering the Contemplative Call, to show readers how to apply the riches of the mystical tradition to daily living. McColman quotes from the great mystics of the Christian tradition who have also traveled this path, including Teresa of Avila, Thomas Merton, Evelyn Underhill and more. In Answering the Contemplative Call, McColman offers a practice that will help readers come to a place meaning and purpose in their lives.

Hunger and Happiness
Hunger and Happiness

Author: L. Shannon Jung

Publisher: Augsburg Books

Published: 2009-06-01

Total Pages: 162

ISBN-13: 1451412762

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In a world where there is so much food, why are so many people hungry? Amidst so much plenty, why aren't people happier? L. Shannon Jung insists that the two questions-one having to do with physical hunger, the other with spiritual want-are related. Hunger and Happiness exposes the atrocities of a global food system whereby the affluent "feed" at the expense of others, but then goes on to explore how complicity in the hunger of others contributes to the "spiritual malnourishment" of those who otherwise are well fed. Chapters address particular aspects of a global food policy that insures cheap food for some at great expense to many others. Jung considers the psychological and theological implications of such policy and after assessing the moral ramifications of cheap food, offers possibilities for alleviating physical hunger in the world and spiritual malaise in our lives.

Soul Recreation
Soul Recreation

Author: Tom Schwanda

Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers

Published: 2012-04-11

Total Pages: 315

ISBN-13: 1610974557

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Spiritually there is a great hunger today for contemplative and more satisfying experiences with God. Puritanism might seem to be an unlikely source for this, yet few groups in the history of Christian spirituality have written more extensively or wisely on the subject. Isaac Ambrose (1604-64), a relatively forgotten English Puritan, developed a theological foundation for the spiritual life based upon the Christian's intimate union with Christ, which the Puritans often called "spiritual marriage." Schwanda demonstrates that this vibrant relationship of union and communion with Jesus, inspired by the Holy Spirit, was manifested in a deep contemplative piety of gazing lovingly and gratefully upon God. At the same time, Ambrose did not neglect loving his neighbors. This study reveals how heavenly meditation was one of the significant practices engaged by Ambrose to cultivate spiritual intimacy and enjoyment of God. Further, his experiential reading of Scripture, in particular the Song of Songs, provided him with a language of ravishment and delight in God. This book provides a distinctively Protestant foundation for recovering the contemplative life while recognizing the significant contributions of the Western Catholic tradition.

The Big Book of Christian Mysticism
The Big Book of Christian Mysticism

Author: Carl McColman

Publisher: Broadleaf Books

Published: 2021-11-16

Total Pages: 322

ISBN-13: 1506485766

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In popular usage, "mysticism" typically refers to New Age or Eastern forms of spirituality. However, the mystical tradition is also an important component of the Christian tradition. At its heart--and much like its expression in other faith traditions--Christian mysticism is an ancient practice that incorporates meditation, contemplation, worship, philosophy, the quest for personal enlightenment, and the experience of Divine presence. This volume is a comprehensive introduction and guide to Christian mysticism. It is a big book about a big possibility: the hope of achieving real, blissful, experiential unison with God. Among the topics covered here are a general introduction to mysticism, the Bible and mysticism, the history and types of Christian mysticism, biographical sketches of leading Christian mystics, and practical instructions about practicing mysticism today. This is a breathtaking work that explores a form of spirituality that has changed lives over the course of 2,000 years. Learning about Christian mysticism and how it has been articulated through the centuries will prove inspirational for today's seekers, regardless of the faith tradition. "The mystic is not a special kind of person; every person is a special kind of mytic." --William McNamara

Hunger for Hope
Hunger for Hope

Author: Simone Campbell

Publisher:

Published: 2020

Total Pages: 160

ISBN-13: 9781626983786

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"The chaotic individualism of these times demands a prayer practice that summons a communal prophetic action with those who are marginalized in our fractured economic system and broken world. Hunger for Hope explores the quest for a justice that works for all...not just the right and explores what it means to be "holy" in today's world"--

Contemplative Prayer
Contemplative Prayer

Author: Thomas Merton

Publisher: Image

Published: 2009-11-17

Total Pages: 130

ISBN-13: 0307589536

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In this classic text, Thomas Merton offers valuable guidance for prayer. He brings together a wealth of meditative and mystical influences–from John of the Cross to Eastern desert monasticism–to create a spiritual path for today. Most important, he shows how the peace contacted through meditation should not be sought in order to evade the problems of contemporary life, but can instead be directed back out into the world to affect positive change. Contemplative Prayer is one of the most well-known works of spirituality of the last one hundred years, and it is a must-read for all seeking to live a life of purpose in today’s world. In a moving and profound introduction, Thich Nhat Hanh offers his personal recollections of Merton and compares the contemplative traditions of East and West.