Meditation prayer

Translated from the original by Ana Giménez.

1.- Since the beginning of the economic crisis, Spain  has increased  six times the consumption of anxiolytics. Nowadays daily life crosses are fought with tranquilisers. We neither want nor are we prepared to suffer. We just try to take a stand against it by taking drugs.

In the old days there wasn´t another ease against hardships of life than turning to the cross of Christ. People would see in the cross the way to Resurrection. It is not surprising, then, Teresa´s persistence in embracing the cross of our Lord not only in the beginning of spiritual life but also in the seventh mansion. In the beginning, to be able to suffer our pains and to learn to carry our crosses. In the end, to help Jesus Christ in the advocacy of the world´s crucified. That´s why it is of such importance meditating on the suffering of Christ and His passion, death and Resurrection. By granting a privilege to those moments in His life, it was considered that it was in His behaviour where we could learn the great virtues to imitate in our lives (we shall soon see).

2.-Teresa carefully follows the recogidos doctrine concerning the topic of the cross and Resurrection except in one point. Influenced by Greek thought, they believed in meditation of the mysteries of Jesus´ life from His Humanity. They also believed that once one person had reached contemplation prayer, this person should forget about His Humanity and abandon himself/herself to God´s Divinity. Teresa revolted against this very false idea. In her two masterful chapters: Life 22 and The Way of Perfection 6.7, she made her position clear: We never ever must forget about the Humanity of Christ, even in the highest contemplation prayer.

3.-Read one passage of the passion from any of the authors of the Gospels and focus on the two chapters about “the Good Jesus”, they will be an excellent introduction to different ways of meditation prayer.