Surrendering our faculties
Hedwig Lewis SJ
The word “contemplation” as derived from the Latin root contemplari, which means “to look at”. St
Ignatius uses it on the sense. He distinguishes three levels: looking in terms
of focusing – shutting out distractions – sights, sounds, that come through our
outer senses (SE 75, 131, 239): looking through application of the inner senses
and faculties (SE 121-126, 253-254), and looking with
pure consciousness, pure attention, by surrendering
the three classical faculties: memory, intellect and will (SE 234). Only our attention,
our awareness, remains, since it cannot be given away. This we now direct to
God.
The third level is the purest form of ‘acquired contemplation’. It
is called ‘acquired’ because it pure grace. It cannot be achieved through
any effort on our part.
The prayer “Take and receive” disposes us for this grace. We let go of inward
mental activity, till nothing is left but pure consciousness making space for
God’s intervention.
Such surrender is realized in formal prayer
when our attention is focused on the relationship
between ourselves and God. Otherwise, as contemplatives in action, our attention is directed to God’s presence, so as to love and serve him in everything.
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