Why contemplate God?

"By meditating ceaselessly on eternity, the soul is transformed into a divine thing, for there is no nobler science, no more useful occupation than that." - Saint John of the Cross

We're all driven by the same quest for beauty and the absolute. Whether we're atheists, believers or faithful followers of a religion, we have this desire, inscribed deep in our souls, this search for transcendence. In this quest for the absolute, and for happiness, man actually seeks to unite with God, to find refuge in suffering, and to restore his relationship with Him, hindered by original sin. Through their intelligence, human beings can contemplate something of God, notably through His work of creation. Jesus himself was a great contemplative. He had this very special attitude of bringing the things of the world directly into relationship with God. He showed us different ways of approaching the Father, one of which was by contemplating the figure of the Father in heaven.

The importance of contemplation today

Between technical progress, the quest for scientific truth, and the materialistic thinking on which most of our Western thought patterns are based, which attaches importance only to matter, there's nothing to encourage us to contemplate on a daily basis. And yet our soul is profoundly made to contemplate the absolute, i.e. God.

A soul made to contemplate the absolute, i.e. God

In a world of information overload, accelerating technology and entertainment is omnipresent, the importance of contemplation as an inner refuge is more crucial than ever. Indeed, contemplation enables us to cultivate gratitude, and explore what our soul craves: beauty, truth, the absolute, in other words: God. Contemplation invites us to slow down and admire the natural rhythm of the things around us, whether organic (living beings) or artisanal (human creations). But contemplation is not simply a path to inner peace and mental equilibrium. It is considered by Christians to be a form of prayer in its own right, nurturing our relationship with God. As St. Augustine tells us in his Confessions: "You have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you" (Book 1, chapter 1).

Practical tools for practicing contemplation in everyday life

Contemplating God through nature

It's perfectly possible to take a few moments, at a convenient time of day, to stop and admire scenes from nature. Here are a few examples:

• By concentrating on your breathing, you can admire the life force within you. You can then give thanks to God for the life he gives you at every moment.
• The meditative walk: as you walk, you can become aware of each step that gives rhythm to your walk, and contemplate this functional and complex body, which is God's work.
• Through silent observation, you can settle down in a propitious spot, and admire the scenes of nature that unfold before your eyes.
• Through sound contemplation, you can close your eyes at any time and listen to the sounds around you: are they natural or artificial...?

Find out more about contemplation in nature.

Contemplating God through art

If you're particularly sensitive, you can also contemplate the beauty of religious art. After some inner preparation, you can choose a work of art that speaks to your sensibilities. Here are a few guidelines:

• By observing a painting attentively, you can distinguish the different planes that appear on the work, and look (if possible) for the scene of  Scripture that the painting represents. You can then meditate on what the artist is trying to teach us through his work. In this way, you can ask yourself theological questions, in line with the work and your own sensibility.

For example, by admiring Michelangelo's The Creation of Adam, we can contemplate the specificity of man in relation to the rest of creation, since he was made in the image of God.

• After this reflection, you can entrust to God your thoughts and questions about what came to you while contemplating this work.

Find out more about contemplation through art.

Contemplation as Christian prayer

In Christianity, this quest for the good is embodied in the sacraments such as confession, the Eucharist, but also contemplative prayers such as eucharistic adoration. In his Letter on the Contemplative Life , Gugues II the Carthusian defines contemplation as follows: "Contemplation is a certain elevation in God of the soul, drawn above itself and savoring the joys of eternal sweetness". This consideration of contemplation as centered on Scripture brings to mind Lectio Divina, a type of prayer based on the slow reading of the divine word. The mind is ready to contemplate a truth that it reaches after long meditation on the Word of God. Lectio Divina is an excellent way of accessing contemplation through prayer, but there are other ways of contemplating.

We can also think of  a prayer in which we allow God to dwell in our hearts. This Carmelite-inspired meditation helps us to remain attentive to God's messages for us.

Or, more simply, we can contemplate the image of God present in each person as a child of God.