 |
| Outside the Church of San Damiano |
'Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on His law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yield its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither - whatever they do prosper.' Psalm 1:1-3
It was 9 Sep 2007 and we spent that week at Assisi to appreciate the life and deeds of St Francis of Assisi. Arriving at the Church of San Damiano we surveyed the Spoleto valley and noticed several sculptures in the garden including one of a Franciscan monk meditating while facing the valley below.
St Francis was near San Damiano when driven by the Holy Spirit he entered the ruins of the old church to pray and meditate. While meditating before the Crucifix, it was written that 'he was invaded with a great spiritual consolation and, as he affixed his tearful eyes on the cross of the Lord, with the ears of his body he heard a voice descend to him from the cross and say three times Francis, go and repair my church which, as you see, is all in ruins!. On hearing that voice, Francis remained astonished and trembling, being in the church alone and, perceiving in his heart the power of divine language, felt kidnapped of his senses.'
The sculpture commemorates this event in the life of St Francis when during meditation and deep in prayer, the saint heard the voice of God.
Father Laurence Freeman, a Benedictine monk and Director of the World Community of Christian Meditation, said "Meditation is a universal human wisdom, sorely needed today in all walks of life and at all stages of life. Although the roots of meditation in a transcultural and transhistorical tradition is not framed in a particular belief system, for those with a religious faith, learning to meditate may also offer surprising new ways of understanding and deepening of their faith" (Ref 1). Christians can practise meditation in the Christian contemplative traditions.
For those who would like to begin the discipline of Christian meditation, I recommend reading the book written by Father Laurence Freeman, Light Within - Meditation as Pure Prayer (Ref 2)
Why meditate? Meditation ushers us into the presence of God. We know that the Holy Spirit is always present in the lives of Christians but the moment of meditation is the time of awareness of God. St Francis in meditation and prayer at San Damiano reached a oneness with the Holy Spirit.
I learned during meditation, to keep my body still, my mind silent, then in that stillness and silence to allow my spirit to soar. These stages can occur sequentially or simultaneously but it will require discipline and practice.
Still. Keeping the body still sets the stage for a perfect reflection or contemplation, as this picture taken of the Black Dragon Pool in LiJiang, Yunnan Province demonstrated.
 |
| A Perfect Reflection, Black Dragon Pool, LiJiang |
I found that keeping the body still is the easiest step to achieve. With the right relaxed posture the body sets the stage, the same way that this pool of still water sets the stage for the image of a beautiful pleasant scenery reflected upon it. Throw a pebble into the pool and it disrupts the image. In the same way, a body movement will disrupt the contemplative moment.
Silence. The next step, keeping the mind silent is more difficult. The body may be still but the mind is always moving, always thinking and always distracting. Those who meditate will suggest to keep away these distracting thoughts by repeating a mantra.
This picture was taken just before dawn from a hotel window in Grenoble, France
 |
| Just Before Dawn, Grenoble, France |
There is a phrase, 'The darkest hour is just before dawn.' I think that the darkness in that phrase is not meant in terms of light but sound; of quiet and peace. Just before dawn, before the world stirs, before the birds sing, is the most peaceful moment of the day. In the same way, if we want to hear the voice of God, we should remove our thoughts from distractions, we should keep our minds silent and peaceful.
Soar. Eric Liddell the Scotsman, Missionary and Olympian said, 'When I run I feel God's presence.' He meant that when he is engaged in his favourite activity he senses a connectivity with God. It is like the bird on the wind, soaring in the presence and oneness with the Creator.
 |
| The Bird on the Wind |
I have not experienced this stage of meditation but those who practice meditation for many years will bear witness; their spirits soar. The Bible teaches that our spirits co-mingle with the Holy Spirit and identifies us as children of God. At that moment in meditation, I hope to pay attention to God and allow my spirit to soar in His presence. Father Laurence shared of the ability to pay attention to a unique person, the manifestation of the Divine, the presence of Jesus Christ.
So Christian meditation is not just about a personal uplifting of the spirit, it involves the Triune God and our spirit communicates with the Holy Spirit. It is silent prayer as noted by St Paul in Romans 8:26 (CEV)
'In certain ways we are weak but the Spirit is here to help us. For example, when we don't know what to pray for, the Spirit prays for us in ways that cannot be put into words. '
On the surface, everything in meditation seem to be centred within that is towards the inner self or going to the inner room. This is a paradox because the post-meditation outcomes are all reaching out towards an others-centredness. In a seminar at DP Architects, Father Laurence shared that meditation
- Creates community and connectedness with others
- Releases the power of forgiveness and reconciliation
- Removes the clutches of fear
- Promotes selfless attention towards others
- Expresses unselfish love
- Heals relationships with self and others.
The discipline of meditation changes a person in two directions, inwardly and outwardly. Inwardly, towards a life of contemplative worship. Outwardly, towards a life of selfless service. Come to think of it, this duality anchored the life of St Francis of Assisi and many other saints and heroes of the Christian faith.
May Christian Meditation set my spirit free for worship and service.
Lionel
Ref 1: Laurence Freeman OSB. Good Work - Meditation For Personal and Organisational Transformation. Meditatio 2019.
Ref 2: Laurence Freeman OSB. Light Within - Meditation as Pure Prayer. the Canterbury Press Norwich 2008
