Newsletter Table of Contents

Summer 1999 Newsletter

The Fruits of The Spirit

The Fruits of the Holy Spirit are indications of God's presence at work in us in varying degrees and forms. Through them the Holy Spirit is becoming a reality in our lives. By manifesting the fruits in daily life we bear witness to the resurrection of Christ in a most profound manner. It is not so much preaching or teaching, but our rootedness in the Spirit that communicates Christ's life to the people around us-to our family, friends and those with whom we work. If we are rooted in the Spirit, these fruits inevitably begin to appear.

In the presentation of the spiral staircase as a symbol of the purification that gradually takes place through contemplative prayer, I suggested that every time we move to a new level of recognition of our weakness and dependence on God for everything, we experience a kind of inner resurrection. To put it in terms of the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, the more we realize how 'unmanageable' our lives are--how helpless we are to practice the virtues and to imitate Jesus--the more life becomes an adventure in allowing the Spirit to move us and to accompany us in daily life. Our temperamental type, our number on the Enneagram, and all the other things we can find out about ourselves through self-help programs are useful. Still, the main thing we need to know about ourselves is that we are unable to do any spiritual work under our own power. We are totally dependent on the divine Spirit that is present to our inmost being all the time, inviting us to let go of our self-centered projects and to allow the Spirit to be the source of our actions at every level. With that kind of trustful dependence on the Spirit, each time we accept a new sense of our own weakness and lack of virtue there follows an inner resurrection. This is manifested by the experience of the Fruits of the Spirit as the first indication of our transformation in Christ. As we descend the spiral staircase into the depths of our own being and into the center of our nothingness, the Seven Gifts of the Spirit which are even more mature fruits, begin to manifest themselves.

Centering Prayer is a method to become more and more sensitive to the Spirit within us. The Spirit is present within us in virtue of our Baptism when we were anointed with the Spirit. Unfortunately, when we are not available to the Spirit, we think that the Spirit is absent. The power of the Spirit is intensified in the sacrament of Confirmation when the Seven Gifts of the Spirit are explicitly transmitted to us. Our unconscious contains all the emotional trauma of a lifetime that we have repressed as well as enormous levels of energy and creativity. Every significant event of our life history is recorded in our bodies and nervous system. The undigested emotional material of a lifetime must be moved out in order for the free flow of grace and the natural and spiritual energies in the unconscious to manifest.

The Fruits of the Spirit are nine aspects of the mind of Christ. They are listed by St. Paul in Galatians 5. They activate and bring to maturity the graces of Baptism and Confirmation. They are the direct opposite of the bitter fruits of the false self also listed in Galatians 5: promiscuity, licentiousness, enmity, contention, jealousy, quarrels, factions, envy. The Fruits of the Spirit grow together with the theological virtues of faith, hope and charity. The Beatitudes are the ripe fruits of that transformation. "If anyone thirst, let him come to me and drink. Out of his inmost being will flow rivers of living water. This he said of the Holy Spirit whom those who believe in him are destined to receive." (John 7:37-39)

The first fruit of the Spirit is Charity or in the Greek, Agape, which means self-giving love as opposed to self-seeking love. Most of us know love as desiring something or someone. This is the kind of love the Greeks called Eros, a powerful and necessary kind of love, but it is meant to grow into the self-giving love that the Gospel calls charity. Charity is not almsgiving. It is rather a participation in God's unconditional love. As a result we witness our former habitual attitudes unwind and begin to love people whom we normally despise or can't stand. Faith in God's presence in others enables us to overlook personality or character defects that cause us difficulty. We can begin to accept them and perhaps someday we may be able to welcome them. The growth of charity leads to total self-surrender to God and the compassionate love of others. The quality of Christ's love is the source of its vitality; the continual tender and loving awareness of the presence of God is its reward.

The second commandment is to love our neighbor as ourselves and is rooted in the recognition and acceptance by faith that the divine presence dwells in every human being. Perhaps there is someone in our families or at work that we would like to stay as far away from as possible. The first thing that attracts us to those with whom we have difficulties is the fact that God is present in them; we place our faith that God is there. Our efforts to accept people are based on a truth that we can't immediately see or feel, but that we believe. Accepting the movement of the Spirit enables the life of the Spirit to go on increasing in us.

Jesus has given us a new commandment and that is "to love one another as I have loved you." This is much more demanding. It is not simply a movement of faith in the abstract. It is accepting each other in our individualities, in our opinionatedness, in the things that drive us up the wall, in what seems physically or emotionally repulsive in other people. We accept people just as they are because Christ has accepted us just as we are with our grocery list of limitations, faults, sins and hang-ups. God's unconditional love poured forth in our hearts by the Holy Spirit goes on showing love no matter what happens, even in the face of opposition and persecution.

Where does this charity come from? It is being infused into us in the silent seedbed of contemplative prayer. The whole of contemporary society is contrary to that movement. In daily life we meet with the endless projects of people with false selves similar to our own who are seeking symbols in the culture or in their particular environment of survival and security, power and control, affection and esteem and manifesting their over-identification with their ethnic, family, religious and nationalistic group. These attitudes are confining and limited while the movement of the Spirit leads to freedom. Joy is an abiding sense of well-being based on the experience of a conscious relationship with God. It is the sign of liberation from the false self and the growing awareness of the true self.

Flowing from this joy, is the freedom to accept the present moment and its content without trying to change it. The welling up of joy is celebrated by the great Alleluia of Easter. Bliss might be described as the fullness of joy. It is the abiding sense of being loved by God and of being permanently established in his presence. It is the experience of the living water that flows from the divine Source in our inmost being that Jesus spoke about in John's Gospel as the dedication of the temple, "If anybody thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Out of that person's inmost being will flow rivers of living water." John the Evangelist adds, "This he spoke of the Holy Spirit who would be given to those who believe in him." (John 7:37-39).

Peace is the result of the pervasive sense of contentment that comes from being rooted in God and at the same time fully aware of one's own nothingness. It is a state that perdures beyond the ups and downs of life, beyond the emotions of joy and sorrow. At the deepest level one knows that all is well; that everything is just right despite all appearances to the contrary. At all times one can pray with Jesus, 'Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.'

Meekness (kindness) has no energy for hostility, hatred or outbursts of anger. The energy of anger is necessary for human health and growth, but needs to be transmuted into a growing capacity to persevere in the pursuit of the difficult good, especially the immense goods of the spiritual journey and of the imitation of Christ. The growth of meekness opens us to the continual awareness to God's presence and the acceptance of everyone along with their limitations. One does not approve of the harmful things that others may do, but one accepts them just as they are, ready to help whenever possible but without trying to change them. One is even content with one's inability to change oneself as one would like while continuing to do what one can to improve, relying more and more upon God and less on one's own efforts.

Faithfulness (fidelity) is the dynamic expression of meekness. It is the daily oblation of ourselves and all our actions in sacrifice to God and out of compassion for others, especially in service of the concrete needs of others. It is to serve God without dwelling on what God or others are going to do for us; perseverance in giving without thinking of any return. Our normal need for affirmation is coming from a new place: the growing conviction of being loved by God which greatly reduces the desire for human approval.

Gentleness is a participation in God's way of doing things which is at once gentle and firm, sustaining all creation with its enormous diversity, yet without effort. We labor in the service of God more than ever, and yet have the sense of stepping back and watching God make things happen according to his will both in ourselves and in others. Our anxious efforts to serve God and our anguished search for God, cease. Like God we labor and are at rest at the same time. We work very hard, but we know by experience or even by bitter experience, that our efforts are not going to go anyplace except insofar as God makes them fruitful. Hence the elements of vanity, jealousy and contention that often accompany even our spiritual endeavors, are gradually evacuated leaving immense freedom just to be who we are and to serve the special needs of those around us.

Goodness is the affirmation of creation as good together with a sense of oneness with the universe and with everything created. It is the disposition that perceives everything, even the tragic things of life, as manifestations of God's love. It recognizes the beauty of all creation in spite of the damage that human selfishness has imposed upon it. As a result, gratitude to God abounds in our hearts and a happy emotionality characterizes our relationship with others and with the wear and tear of daily life.

Long-suffering (patience) is certitude in God's unwavering fidelity to his promises. Our security is no longer based on anything we might possess or accomplish, but rather on our conviction of God's unfailing protection and readiness to forgive. Hence we are not easily disturbed by the ebb and flow of human events and our emotional reactions to them. Feelings continue to be felt, at times more strongly than ever, but they no longer dominate our awareness or our activity. We are content to wait with confidence for God's deliverance in every situation, especially during prolonged periods of dryness and the dark nights. We have interiorized the words of the Gospel, "Ask and you shall receive. Seek and you shall find. Knock and it shall be opened to you." (Mt 7:7).

Self-control as a Fruit of the Spirit is not the domination of our will over our emotions. It is rather the result of the infusion of God's steadfast love, and our awareness of God's abiding presence. Hence our former compulsive reaching out for security, power or status symbols ceases; in particular, there is no energy for sexual activity apart from commitment and genuine love. When Moses asked God who he was, the answer came, "I AM THAT I AM." This text is still under scholarly investigation, but one likely meaning is, "I am for you." The inward assurance of God's unwavering love enhances our freedom of choice and action. Out of that interior liberty, self-control arises spontaneously. We know in spite of our weakness that God will give us the strength to get through every trial and temptation. "As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you." (John 15:13).

The Fruits of the Spirit are the new wine of the Gospel filling us with the divine energy and with a certain spontaneity. Structures need to be adjusted to this freedom which, as Paul says, is not license, but an ever-increasing sensitivity to the initiatives of the Holy Spirit. The hallmark of the divine action is, to quote Thomas Merton- "mercy, within mercy, within mercy."

The Fruits of the Spirit prove that Christ is living in us and transforming us into witnesses of his continuing presence in the world. To manifest these dispositions of Jesus is the living proof of his resurrection.

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About Contemplative Outreach Ltd.'s Study Program

"I am convinced that Centering Prayer itself is a fairly good representation of the apophatic tradition of the Christian era and that it has a complete conceptual background. If one is going to do it, one needs to find out what that conceptual background is and to continually nourish this from the classics of Christian spirituality."

This quote from Thomas Keating expresses one of the goals of the Contemplative Outreach Study Program in the Christian Contemplative Tradition which began in 1993. The Course has been offered twice a year since-March and September-and has been experienced by people in more than 30 states as well as in several other countries. Another goal of the program is to provide an opportunity especially for those who cannot easily attend a workshop or retreat to undertake a structured experience meant to increase not only their knowledge of the tradition, but to deepen their experience of the contemplative path.

The only requirement for taking the Course is a regular practice of Centering Prayer. The Course is not graded and each person is assigned a mentor to whom assignments are sent and with whom insights and questions can be shared. The Course materials cover contemporary expressions of the Christian contemplative tradition and then moves back in time to the desert monks who were the first systematic practitioners of contemplative life and prayer.

Comments on the Course have been varied and positive. One person wrote that the mentoring experience "aids integration by providing a forum for putting words to feelings, thoughts and learnings. Above all it provides support for the journey and deepens self-knowledge, the aim of the journey." Most people responded with an unqualified "yes" to the question about the Course's usefulness to their spiritual journey.

For more information, or an application packet for September 1999, write Bonnie J. Shimizu, PO Box 584, Snowmass, CO 81654, call at 970-927-3858 or email: bjs@rof.net.

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Annual Meeting of Contemplative Outreach, Ltd

Voting members of Contemplative Outreach-Faculty, Coordinators and Board of Trustees -will meet for the Annual Meeting October 1-3, 1999 at Mercy Center in Burlingame, CA near the San Francisco Airport. Mark Lodico, Susan Komis, Marie Howard, Gail Fitzpatrick- Hopler and Ruth Dundon are the Committee Members. The Coordinators will meet as a group prior to the Annual Meeting. Our schedule will include Centering Prayer, Liturgy, the business meeting, workshops on areas of interest, personal growth and leadership skills, a tour and a concert at the beautiful Episcopal Church, St. Gregory of Nyssa.

Local Contemplative Outreach facilitators, presenters and contact persons will be invited to the day of enrichment on Saturday to hear Fr. Thomas speak on the Spirituality of Service. Gail Fitzpatrick Hopler, the Executive Director will give examples of how Contemplative Outreach has developed and continues to grow as we strive to be open to the Spirit in our work. Mercy Center has a beautiful campus, and facilities that are conducive to silence. A meditation room, outdoor labyrinth, walking paths and a Taize Prayer Service on Friday evening are available.

Our first Annual Meeting was attended by 67 people. Comments indicated the attendees appreciated the opportunity to renew relationships and form new ones, to exchange information, connect with the people in the International Office and other leaders in the network. Praying together and the opportunity to hear Fr. Thomas share his wisdom and insights were other highlights of our gathering.

We hope all the members can make it to beautiful San Francisco.

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Coordinator Segment of Annual Meeting

The Coordinator Communication Committee members are already in the process of "brainstorming" to gather ways and means of providing formation and enrichment for Coordinators/Contact Persons at the Annual Meeting.

The agenda for the Coordinator portion of the program begins on Wednesday evening, Sept. 29 with Orientation and Keynote Address on the "Spirituality of the Coordinator" and the "Ten Principles of Spiritual Leadership." On Thursday, Sept 30, participants will have the opportunity to select workshops and round-table discussions that support them in their personal leadership role and in the development and growth of their respective chapters.

Some topics offered include:

Relationship Skills
Leadership Skills/Team Building
Financial Stewardship
Publicity (including resources)
Practical Computer Help for Coordinators
Practical Help for Facilitator Formation and Centering Prayer
Support Groups
Stages of Prayer as Related to Faith Development (personal enrichment)

Round-table forums will provide ample opportunity to discuss a variety of other issues of interest to Coordinators. The Coordinator portion of the Annual Meeting will close with a panel discussion on Friday morning, Oct. 1.

As the agenda is not yet "set in stone", I would appreciate hearing from Coordinators who want to lend their ideas, suggestions, preferences, etc. To volunteer to help committee members with this part of the program, contact Susan Komis at 888-350-5088.

We look forward to seeing you in September!

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Contemplative Outreach Hispanic Activities

On January 30, 1999 during the Faculty Meeting, we had our first formal meeting with Thomas Keating and Gail F. Hopler. In attendance were Monica Freeman from Louisiana; Isabel de Marion-Landais and Vicky de Acra - Santa Domingo; Adal Henriquez, Carmen Sanchez and Ilse Reissner from Florida.

We agreed

1. On a name - Ministerio Hispano Internacional de  Contemplative Outreach - MHICO (Hispanic International Ministry of Contemplative Outreach; 
2. On having a Conference for Hispanics in Orlando July 17 & 18. Fr. Thomas will attend evenings of July 17 and July 18. Representatives from different countries and Spanish communities in the U.S. will be invited;
3. On establishing a central library with all the material now available in Spanish, and
4. On having an E-mail list and a Website Page.

If you or someone you know would be interested in attending the July Conference, please contact us. If you would like to receive a list of the material available in Spanish, it will be mailed to you. Most important - please keep us in your prayers - the Holy Spirit is at work!

Mailto: MIHdeCO@onelist.com; Telephone 407-767-7567 or fax 407-767-6414.

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Centering Prayer

The Question Corner

Why would one say that the Centering Prayer Method is the first step of the ladder to contemplative prayer?

(excerpted from a paper for the Formation group in NYC by Ann Curley)

Everything starts somewhere! Since all prayer is a relationship with God and contemplative prayer is resting in God in union and intimacy, it is not usually by way of a miracle that we get there. Of course, some people may be directed or called by God in a miraculous way, but most of us need a method to seek intimacy with God.

Centering Prayer asks of us that we set aside some time on a consistent basis each day; that we declare our intention and consent by sitting in silence for twenty minutes two times a day; that we introduce a sacred word whenever thoughts or body sensations surface; and that we intend to give this time to God with our full consent. This Centering Prayer method becomes prayer because of our intent and our consent to be open and present to God, allowing Him to transform us.

As a person living in the Twentieth Century, with all the hustle and bustle of life in New York City, involvement with family, job, friends and Church, we sometimes wish God would just do what He wants to do with us, without much effort from us. But, of course, we find as we journey on the spiritual path, this is not a journey for the faint-hearted.

In our wish to be intimate with God we must give the relationship with God time, consistency and openness of heart. We must sit in waiting with patience and joy. We must enter into the Mystery from which we receive our strength, hope and joy. Entering into this mysterious relationship with God, we must be open to transformation and unloading of our unconscious, which is sometimes a frightening experience if left to our own devices. But the Centering Prayer method accommodates this unloading of the unconscious and this transformation, accepting and embracing it as part of the path to contemplation and intimacy with God.

In this life, God is the Ultimate Mystery, and the more we read and know, the more we think. While knowledge serves a wonderful purpose, thinking, I find, is a hindrance to prayer. True, we have to think on a human level to be citizens of this world, but when we pray in this fashion, we have to let go of our human conceptions and with a humble heart be open to God's mysterious ways. This takes immense trust in God, and Centering Prayer is a beginning step in the path to trust in God and to contemplation.

Speaking for myself, I find that in bringing myself to this prayer as simply and as humbly as I can, with no expectations, God embraces me and leads me. Today, as a result of this prayer, I seem to have this thirst to know more about Scripture, not so much for my own knowledge, but so that I can speak more intimately when I speak of my Friend.

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