Spiritual Change – 2 of 4: Prayer

We continue our 4-part series on spiritual change in 1. Virtue 2. Prayer 3. Purification and 4. Spiritual Accompaniment.

In Philippians 1: 3-11 St. Paul says: God “who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” Conversion is not a one-time event, but an ongoing process; for St. Paul speaks of knowledge, love and perception that “never stops growing.”

I shared earlier an experience of my changing perception of God and his love for me. Now let’s see the changes that take place along the entire spiritual journey.

This overview of 9 stages of prayer is taken from several works of St. Teresa of Jesus, with the help of Jordan Aumann. [Commentary in brackets are his. Here is a link for in-depth reading.]

1. Most children learn their first VOCAL prayers from mommy at the bedside. The Our Father, for example, is repeated without experiencing a profound response from God.

[Vocal Prayer, with attention to what one is saying or reading and God, whom one is addressing]

2. Desire for more is satisfied by READING and REFLECTING on the Bible and on spiritual books, such as “Imitation of Christ.” This calm reflection leads to simple colloquies with God and is accompanied by alternating Consolations and Dryness.

[Discursive Meditation: consideration of a spiritual truth; application to oneself, and resolve to do something about it]

3. As the soul makes its own the principles of the Gospel it needs less intellectual food. Ideas begin to take root in the heart. One can thus remain longer in LOVING REFLECTION ON A SPIRITUAL IDEA. Recollection become easier, although there are still periods of dryness.

[Affective Mental Prayer: one turns to "other," namely, God, and prayer becomes "the language of love"]

4. In a natural way love for God and spiritual things becomes SIMPLE. With a few ideas and a fervent heart we can remain in God’s presence with love. This is ACTIVE RECOLLECTION and consolation and spiritual dryness both continue.

[Acquired Recollection: also called prayer of simplicity, prayer of simple regard, acquired contemplation, the loving awareness of God]

… Just like we saw with the virtues, as of a certain point in the spiritual life, God begins to take over …

5. The soul begins to be taken up by God into a PASSIVE RECOLLECTION. Experience and especially an “awareness” of God’s active PRESENCE are a gift from God. A presence that one cannot sense, but that is nonetheless real, fills the soul with strength, peace and light. Prayer alternates between God’s action and the soul’s own efforts.

[Infused Recollection: the first degree of infused, mystical contemplation]

6. Later God takes over in the PASSIVE RECOLLECTION more and more, such that the soul allows God to act almost continually.

[Prayer of Quiet: the will is totally captivated by divine love; sometimes all the faculties are likewise captivated (sleep or ecstasy)]

7-9. In the last three stages, St. Teresa speaks of an ever increasing union of the soul with God. At least for now, I think it suffices to list them according to Aumann:

[Prayer of Simple Union: both the intellect and the will are absorbed in God]

[Prayer of Ecstatic Union: this is the "mystical espousal" or "conforming union"]

[Prayer of Transforming Union: also called the "mystical marriage" because it is the most intimate union of the soul with God that is possible in this life]

As we shall see more and more, virtue, prayer, and purification are intimately related. No area grows or weakens without affecting the others.

By Father Nathan