"About This Life"(Acts 5:20) #1

          In the spiritual life everything is about relationship. Hence, authentic contemplation is always 'relational contemplation'. Contemplation is never meant to be about myself, but about the One whom I discover living within me: Jesus. It is he whom I gaze upon interiorly: "Jesus is the true Face of the Father" (God Day By Day, vol. 3, Paulist Press, 1989, p. 80). In, with and through Jesus we gaze into the very depths of God's Heart. Jesus is my true life. I need a grace to discover him, the "True Treasure", in the "inner field" of my heart (see Mt. 13:44). Contemplation is a coming home to love. In the "inner home" of my heart, I find my true self!

          St. Peter Chrysologus has said, "In choosing to be born for us, God chose to be known by us" ("From a sermon by Saint Peter Chrysologus, bishop"; LH vol. I, p.577). I come to know him (experience him) through contemplation. I come to realize that Jesus loves me more than I love myself. He wants me to seek his presence within my heart, to discover him and to relate to him always: "When you seek me with all your heart, you will find me with you" (Jr.29:13-14). I might add, 'you will find me within you'!

          In John's gospel, Jesus offers a definition of eternal life in reference to knowledge of the Father and himself:

"Now this is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ" (John 17:3)

Even during my earthly life, I am meant to begin to experience these "eternal touches" of God's relational love. Within my heart a whole new "world" is waiting to be discovered, an inner realm of divine Presence of such deep, profound peace, rest and silence. I need to be led there by the Spirit of the Good Shepherd, himself. Here, deep within my heart the past and future fade away. All is still in the present moment Presence of God: An eternal "now" moment of absolute profundity. 

Scriptures: Songs 3:4; 1 John 1:1-3

Question: Am I experiencing God's peaceable kingdom within my heart? If so, how do I describe this? If I am not, I need to pray for this grace.