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Post by Dr. Robert Gotcher on May 26, 2021 2:31:13 GMT
Are consolations in prayer good? What good are they?
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jan
New Member
Posts: 9
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Post by jan on May 20, 2023 17:14:05 GMT
Consolations in prayer are good--to a point. They satisfy and strengthen and encourage the soul on its journey. They are like the milk that a new-born baby desires and needs for initial stages of growth. However, the writers consistently tell of God withdrawing consolations. He does this when He knows the soul, by perseverant prayer, is ready to more fully enter into the mystery of His love. The consolations at that point, can be a distraction, even a deception by the evil one to stop and not continue toward God. For the soul advancing in the life of prayer, the consolations will either wither in attraction, or they will become a Siren, tempting the soul to stop and enjoy, remaining and not growing. And like all life, that which does not continue to grow, will end in decay. So, yes, consolations in prayer are good. And, no, consolations in prayer are not good. Kinda both/and, no?
(the entry below is my amendment...done as a guest cuz i fergot to sign in....)
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Post by jan2 on May 20, 2023 18:31:28 GMT
Consolations in prayer are good--to a point. They satisfy and strengthen and encourage the soul on its journey. They are like the milk that a new-born baby desires and needs for initial stages of growth. However, the writers consistently tell of God withdrawing consolations. He does this when He knows the soul, by perseverant prayer, is ready to more fully enter into the mystery of His love. The consolations at that point, can be a distraction, even a deception by the evil one to stop and not continue toward God. In the absence of consolations, the soul will continue to pursue God out of faith and love for Him. This is more desirable by God, for its end--that is the end of faith's journey--is Love Himself, and not for anything received on the way or before. For the soul advancing in the life of prayer, the consolations will either wither in attraction, or they will become a Siren, tempting the soul to stop and enjoy, remaining and not growing. And like all life, that which does not continue to grow, will end in decay. So, yes, consolations in prayer are good. And, no, consolations in prayer are not good. |
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Post by spaeth09 on May 30, 2023 0:39:57 GMT
Consolations in prayer are good--to a point. They satisfy and strengthen and encourage the soul on its journey. They are like the milk that a new-born baby desires and needs for initial stages of growth. However, the writers consistently tell of God withdrawing consolations. He does this when He knows the soul, by perseverant prayer, is ready to more fully enter into the mystery of His love. The consolations at that point, can be a distraction, even a deception by the evil one to stop and not continue toward God. For the soul advancing in the life of prayer, the consolations will either wither in attraction, or they will become a Siren, tempting the soul to stop and enjoy, remaining and not growing. And like all life, that which does not continue to grow, will end in decay. So, yes, consolations in prayer are good. And, no, consolations in prayer are not good. Kinda both/and, no? (the entry below is my amendment...done as a guest cuz i fergot to sign in....) We talked a bit in class about faith as a virtue, and what virtue would it be if it were easy? I've heard meekness talked about this way as well. Meekness gets a bad reputation as a virtue akin to Weekness or passivity. However, I've heard meekness more closely resembles a war horse that knows when to charge and when to hold make. There is no virtue in someone who is passive because he doesn't know how to or is otherwise incapable of acting. However, meekness is that war horse that knows how to act but doesn't miss-use its own strength. In that example there is virtue! Perseverance in prayer is likewise. What virtue would there be without lack of consolation in prayer? In consolations or lack thereof we must avoid the temptation to call it good or bad (as with many things in life). Our response should be something akin to "We'll see", knowing God can take both good and evil and make all for His glory! |
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Post by dylanmchugh on Jun 6, 2023 23:21:14 GMT
Receiving consolations from God can be viewed as a manifestation of His grace and love. The experience of receiving comfort, encouragement, or a sense of peace from God in times of need or spiritual distress. It can come in various forms, such as a deep sense of peace, a feeling of being loved and understood, or an assurance of God's presence. While Catholics should be open to consolations through God's grace, it should not become the objective of prayer. Many saints, including St. Teresa of Calcutta, reported long "dark nights of the soul", in which they felt no consolation from God. If Catholics reach this spiritual stage, it should not be viewed as an abandonment of God, but rather an opportunity to love God through prayer out of even stronger faith.
Jesus says, "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light" (Matthew 11:28-30). In this invitation, Christ offers us to find peace and consolation in him through our prayer. Consolations in this world exist, but relationship with Christ - particularly in moments of burden, is the ultimate consolation.
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Post by Chris Lauterbach on Jul 18, 2023 20:44:48 GMT
When we do intercessory prayers, aren't consolations good? As Dylan said, encouragement and comfort are what we seek when we ask God to "come to our assistance".
We are encouraged to seek God through prayer, and as we learned this trimester, there are many ways to pray and all of them should be practiced. I think the most common one is intercessory prayer. This is the most basic type of prayer that people learn. We are looking for God to help us and give us comfort. If we get that consolation, I see that as a victory.
St Theresa focused on Meditative prayer, but she still appreciated vocal prayer. I know St Catherine was critical of vocal prayer, but I firmly believe that is the most accessible form of prayer. It gives us an opportunity for dialogue. We ask God for something, so we are starting the conversation, which is important. WE need to start the dialogue, open up our hearts to let God in.
I do not like to use prayer as a way to get what we want. God is not a genie, but on the other hand, when we are afraid or in distress, we ask for help, which is a sign of humility. We are putting ourselves at God's mercy. If we ask God to help us I think is where we start the dialogue. If you receive consolation from God for your vocal prayers, I think it opens up possibilities to different forms of prayer and a different way of getting closer to God.
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