Next, you select some material to use for reflection. This may be done by considering God’s providence, how He cares for us, or how He lives in us when we are in the state of grace. First, the preparation, that is, putting yourself in the presence of God. It consists in not thinking much, according to Teresa, but in “loving much.”
The memory recalls a subject matter, such as a passage from Scripture, reflects on it and uses it as “fodder” for conversation with Christ. Mental prayer makes use of the intellect and the will. Neither is it spiritual reading, such as when one reads a passage from The Imitation of Christ. Nor is a Divine Mercy chaplet, or devotional prayers said from a prayer book, as valuable as these can be. While the Rosary does contain an element of meditation, the Rosary is not mental prayer as such. Alphonsus Liguori agreed: “It is morally impossible for him who neglects meditation to live without sin.” Use of the Intellect and Will She said, “He who neglects mental prayer needs not a devil to carry him to hell, but he brings himself there with his own hands.” Teresa did not believe contemplation to be merely an advanced state of prayer for a few devout souls, but an essential form of prayer for every Christian. She has also described mental prayer as an “intimate friendship, a frequent heart-to-heart conversation with Him by whom we know ourselves to be loved.” Teresa of Avila, whose many fine writings help us with mental prayer, the Catechism says, “Contemplative prayer … in my opinion is nothing else than a close sharing between friends it means taking time frequently to be alone with him who we know loves us.” ( 2709). Meditation, then, leads to the next step: contemplation, or mental prayer.
While it is of great value, “Christian prayer should go further: to the knowledge of the love of the Lord Jesus, to union with him.” ( 2708) This mobilization of faculties is necessary in order to deepen our convictions of faith, prompt the conversion of our heart, and strengthen our will to follow Christ,” says the Catechism. “Meditation engages thought, imagination, emotion and desire. One can use a variety of books in meditation, such as the Bible or spiritual classics, religious images, and a variety of methods. Meditation is described as a quest in which “The mind seeks to understand the why and how of the Christian life, in order to adhere and respond to what the Lord is asking.” ( 2705) In its discussion of Christian prayer, the Catechism of the Catholic Church distinguishes between meditation and contemplation.
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