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Active Meditations for Contemplative Prayer

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Fr. Keating provides insight and inspiration in brief passages for a wide range of catagories-from centering prayer, thoughts, faith, divine energy, service and scripure. These are great short readings to lead a small group, or quiet yourself for prayer.

This book is essentially a small book of quotes from Keating's other literary works grouped together into small "chapters" based on certain topics. At first I didn't know what to do with this book, as it can be read through in about one hour from cover to cover. Then I thought, "Well, I'll just read one 'chapter' a day before I do one of my practices of contemplative prayer as a sort of mood builder." Well, for all of you who know about centering prayer, mental prayer, and such, "being in the mood" isn't a pre-requisite as prayer is grace - all you have to do is show up - you cannot fail! But still, I like to read one "chapter" a day before one of my prayers of recollection and this was probably some of the best $11 I ever spent.

When I read a book like this, it makes me wish I was a Catholic. The book is a compilation of little quotes from theologian Keating's earlier books. In the forward to the book, Gustave Reininger writes that this book can be thought of as a "minute book," something Keating suggested, a book that one can take along in a pocket or a purse, "a series of short readings---a sentence or two, or at most a short paragraph---from your favorite spiritual writers or from your own journal that reminds you of your commitment to Christ and to contemplative prayer."

Here's one sample, originally from Keating's Heart of the World: "Vulnerability means to be hurt over and over again without seeking to love less, but more."