The Thomistic Institute Sacred Study | Father James Brent, O.P.
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Aug 29, 2023 Fr. James Dominic Brent, O.P., discusses the essence of the contemplative life and the primary object of contemplation: God. He explores the acts of contemplative prayer and the pursuit of divine intimacy, as well as the challenges of distractions and temptations. The virtue of study and the vice of curiositas are also discussed, highlighting the importance of developing the virtue of study and incorporating prayer into academic pursuits. The struggle of a wandering mind and the path to contemplation are explored as well.
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Healing Egocentrism in Contemplation
- Human egocentrism from the fall causes a tendency to prefer ideas and words over actual things.
- Healing this involves purifying the soul to love and know things themselves rather than just theories.
World as Divine Effects
- Everything we contemplate besides God are divine effects that point back to God as their source.
- Recognizing this transforms the world into a manifestation of God, enriching contemplative appreciation.
Two Ways to Know God
- Knowing God from effects is natural and possible even for pagans, but imperfect.
- Christian revelation enables us to know God personally and immediately by faith, surpassing merely inferential knowledge.