Meditation weekend - March 2002
A large crowd gathered at Gennazzano College in Melbourne, to hear Fr Laurence Freeman OSB speak on 'Meditation - new holiness.'
Fr Laurence is the director of the World Community of Christian Meditation, based in London. Today there are more than 1,000 meditation groups around the world in 50 countries, and 27 Meditation Centres.
In the last 50 years there has been a rediscovery of the contemplative dimension. Fr Laurence spoke about a new global consciousness; that today we live out our uniqueness in a world that is now interdependent and explicitly universal. There is also a new type of saintliness. Holiness is not just about conformity; it sees the universal complementarity of men and women. It recognises the spiritual value of ecological movements, and those committed to peace and justice around the world.
Monastery wall
We can hope for a global spirituality - not a global religion. We can experience how we are inter-connected. Today the churches need less talking and more emphasis on the inner experience of unity with other faiths.
The churches respond to the spiritual hunger of society by recovering their own spiritual tradition and by following the lead of the people, to recover the great mystical and spiritual traditions, not just the moral teachings.
In the face of world problems, what can I do? Start a small seed growing - a small group. The contemplative dimension of prayer has spilled out over the monastery wall. It is a spiritual gift which needs to be shared.
Meditation is as natural to the soul as breathing is to the body.John Main
Sr Philomena may be contacted on 6234 7830.