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CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER WITH EDWARD MCCORKELL
L.M.: How would you describe contemplative, or Centering, prayer in the Christian meditation tradition?
E.M.: The Christian or Catholic tradition of contemplative prayer is taught by some of the great church fathers and theologians. But the tradition of contemplative prayer goes even further back to the beginnings of Christianity. It begins with Pentecost, as we read in the Acts of the Apostles. The Holy Spirit came down upon the apostles, this rather motley crew, the first disciples of Jesus. They were united in this wonderful spirit, and that was the launching of the Christian church.
The key had been made clear by Jesus himself when he said: “The Holy Spirit will teach you all things.” The Gospel of John, in particular, provides us with a very good context for understanding the nature of Christian meditation.
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