Thoughts on "Fire Within, Chapter 7: Conditions for Growth: St. Teresa" by Thomas Dubay
“My greatest desire is to walk with you… to have a life free from sin” sings in the background. In the book “Fire Within,” Dubay notes that notes, “We treat contemplation as the result of performing an exercise and forget that it is infused by God who gives His communion only to the extent we are conformed to His Son.”
Contemplation or abiding in the love of God is directly related to our obedience to His will and our willingness to follow Him (1 John 4:16,5:3). While practicing turning to God in every situation is good, we can abide with God at any moment by our immediate obedience. One who truly desires to have a contemplative prayer life that is meaningful and fruitful must live a life that truly follows after Christ.
According to St. Teresa of Avila, as Dubay notes, one cannot be serious about living a life of contemplative prayer unless one is serious about living the Gospel, generously giving themselves entirely to the King.
As noted by St. Teresa, love happily fulfills obligations and is eager to do much more, giving everything to our Beloved. She noted, “Everything we gain comes from what we give.” God will give us growth in our prayer life according to our degree of readiness for it based upon our conformity.[1] “At a snails pace… we shall never get to the end of the road… So for the love of the Lord, let us make a real effort.”
I long to be a person whose prayers are continually spilling out into all that I do. I long for my heart to be so connected to His heart and His will that it shapes and defines everything I am, everything I say, and everything I do.
“My soul does yearn for the closeness of a friend… I always new there must be more” sings in the background this morning. Sometimes I resent not having more time alone to pray and seek God. However, growth in prayer does not depend upon a person’s immediate situation - our marriage, our work setting, our community, etc.[2] There is an opportunity to abide with God in prayer in any given moment no matter how busy or chaotic things around us are.
As St. Teresa notes, this kind of relationship does not happen without conformity to Christ. There is a direct correlation between “the earnest practice of virtue (humility, temperance, patience, love of neighbor and the like)” and a deeper prayer life.
St. Teresa notes that laxity and trivial selfishness both impact one’s prayer life. Dubay writes that “trivial selfishness often center on interpersonal relations: coldness, insensitivity or oversensitivity, insistence on one’s views and ways, unwillingness to be wronged (apparently or actually), dominating of conversations, vanity regarding position or accomplishments, refusal to be admonished or corrected by either peers or superiors.”
One cannot cut corners on the practice of virtue, having a mediocre walk, and anticipate a deeper prayer life only by the practice of continual prayer. St. Teresa notes that detachment from all that is not God and genuine humility (not timid, weak, or passive, but strong, confident and courageous in love) are necessary for a deep prayer life. She notes that the acid test of humility and thus also prayer growth is obedience to human superiors and teachers in the Church. An attitude of I know better than… is arrogant and kills ones prayer life. Also she notes that one must learn to be silent under criticism and not need to defend oneself.
To make progress in ones prayer life, one must have an eternal focus, love others much and give themselves away generously. Dubay writes that generosity is a fundamental condition for a deep prayer life and petty selfishness or trivial indulgences will stifle intimacy with God.
Lord, I say again, I very much long to have a deeper and more meaningful prayer life. Teach me what it means to follow you into this place. “Show me Your ways, O Lord. Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me.” (Psalm 25:4-5)
[1] Dubay, Thomas, S.M., Fire Within, Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA 1989
[2] Dubay, Thomas, S.M., Fire Within, Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA 1989
Contemplation or abiding in the love of God is directly related to our obedience to His will and our willingness to follow Him (1 John 4:16,5:3). While practicing turning to God in every situation is good, we can abide with God at any moment by our immediate obedience. One who truly desires to have a contemplative prayer life that is meaningful and fruitful must live a life that truly follows after Christ.
According to St. Teresa of Avila, as Dubay notes, one cannot be serious about living a life of contemplative prayer unless one is serious about living the Gospel, generously giving themselves entirely to the King.
As noted by St. Teresa, love happily fulfills obligations and is eager to do much more, giving everything to our Beloved. She noted, “Everything we gain comes from what we give.” God will give us growth in our prayer life according to our degree of readiness for it based upon our conformity.[1] “At a snails pace… we shall never get to the end of the road… So for the love of the Lord, let us make a real effort.”
I long to be a person whose prayers are continually spilling out into all that I do. I long for my heart to be so connected to His heart and His will that it shapes and defines everything I am, everything I say, and everything I do.
“My soul does yearn for the closeness of a friend… I always new there must be more” sings in the background this morning. Sometimes I resent not having more time alone to pray and seek God. However, growth in prayer does not depend upon a person’s immediate situation - our marriage, our work setting, our community, etc.[2] There is an opportunity to abide with God in prayer in any given moment no matter how busy or chaotic things around us are.
As St. Teresa notes, this kind of relationship does not happen without conformity to Christ. There is a direct correlation between “the earnest practice of virtue (humility, temperance, patience, love of neighbor and the like)” and a deeper prayer life.
St. Teresa notes that laxity and trivial selfishness both impact one’s prayer life. Dubay writes that “trivial selfishness often center on interpersonal relations: coldness, insensitivity or oversensitivity, insistence on one’s views and ways, unwillingness to be wronged (apparently or actually), dominating of conversations, vanity regarding position or accomplishments, refusal to be admonished or corrected by either peers or superiors.”
One cannot cut corners on the practice of virtue, having a mediocre walk, and anticipate a deeper prayer life only by the practice of continual prayer. St. Teresa notes that detachment from all that is not God and genuine humility (not timid, weak, or passive, but strong, confident and courageous in love) are necessary for a deep prayer life. She notes that the acid test of humility and thus also prayer growth is obedience to human superiors and teachers in the Church. An attitude of I know better than… is arrogant and kills ones prayer life. Also she notes that one must learn to be silent under criticism and not need to defend oneself.
To make progress in ones prayer life, one must have an eternal focus, love others much and give themselves away generously. Dubay writes that generosity is a fundamental condition for a deep prayer life and petty selfishness or trivial indulgences will stifle intimacy with God.
Lord, I say again, I very much long to have a deeper and more meaningful prayer life. Teach me what it means to follow you into this place. “Show me Your ways, O Lord. Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me.” (Psalm 25:4-5)
[1] Dubay, Thomas, S.M., Fire Within, Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA 1989
[2] Dubay, Thomas, S.M., Fire Within, Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA 1989
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