{"id":9577,"date":"2026-05-18T05:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-18T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/?p=9577"},"modified":"2026-05-17T21:08:41","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T01:08:41","slug":"day-10-contemplative-prayer-takes-place-in-the-heart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/consecration-to-the-hearts-of-jesus-mary-and-joseph\/day-10-contemplative-prayer-takes-place-in-the-heart\/","title":{"rendered":"Day 10: Contemplative Prayer Takes Place in the Heart"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

READING 1<\/strong>
John 7:37-39<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and proclaimed, \u201cIf any one thirst, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, \u2018Out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water.\u2019\u201d Now this he said about the Spirit, which those who believed in him were to receive; for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

READING 2<\/strong>
From the Catechism of the Catholic Church on Contemplative Prayer<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2710 The choice of the time and duration of the prayer arises from a determined will, revealing the secrets of the heart. One does not undertake contemplative prayer only when one has the time: one makes time for the Lord, with the firm determination not to give up, no matter what trials and dryness one may encounter. One cannot always meditate, but one can always enter into inner prayer, independently of the conditions of health, work, or emotional state. The heart is the place of this quest and encounter, in poverty and in faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2711 Entering into contemplative prayer is like entering into the Eucharistic liturgy: we \u201cgather up\u201d the heart, recollect our whole being under the prompting of the Holy Spirit, abide in the dwelling place of the Lord which we are, awaken our faith in order to enter into the presence of him who awaits us. We let our masks fall and turn our hearts back to the Lord who loves us, so as to hand ourselves over to him as an offering to be purified and transformed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2712 Contemplative prayer is the prayer of the child of God, of the forgiven sinner who agrees to welcome the love by which he is loved and who wants to respond to it by loving even more. But he knows that the love he is returning is poured out by the Spirit in his heart, for everything is grace from God. Contemplative prayer is the poor and humble surrender to the loving will of the Father in ever deeper union with his beloved Son.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

REFLECTION<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n


The grace of contemplative prayer is a grace of pure receptivity. It requires opening the heart and exposing the poverty of a spiritual womb that God has placed there. Jesus said literally, \u201cOut of his\u00a0koilia<\/em>\u00a0[womb]\u00a0shall flow rivers of living water.\u201d A woman\u2019s womb is an organ that cannot fill itself and serves essentially no purpose until it is filled from the outside and serves the most amazing purpose when it becomes the cradle of new life and brings to birth the infinite good of a human being made in God\u2019s image and likeness. There is an analogous place in every human heart with that same kind of poverty that cannot fill itself and feels useless until it is filled with God and serves the most amazing purpose. That spiritual womb in the heart is the place of contemplative prayer. It is a secret place that we can only expose to God through poor and humble surrender.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What secrets lie hidden in your heart? What is it like to encounter Jesus in your heart in poverty and faith? How often do you gather up your heart under the prompting of the Holy Spirit and abide in that inner dwelling where Jesus always awaits you? Do you allow God to pour His love into your heart through the Holy Spirit?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PRAYERS<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Litany of the Fearful Heart
Radiating Christ<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Copyright \u00a9 2026 by St. Vincent Archabbey<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

READING 1John 7:37-39 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and proclaimed, \u201cIf any one thirst, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, \u2018Out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water.\u2019\u201d Now this he said about the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[88],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9577","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-consecration-to-the-hearts-of-jesus-mary-and-joseph"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7bfMR-2ut","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":667,"url":"https:\/\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/spiritual-reflections\/benedictine-spirituality-iii-the-ear-of-your-heart\/","url_meta":{"origin":9577,"position":0},"title":"Benedictine Spirituality III: The Ear of Your Heart","author":"Father Boniface Hicks, O.S.B.","date":"July 11, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"The Ear of the Heart - \u201cattend to them with the ear of your heart\u201d Saint Benedict teaches the monk in the first verse that there is a deeper way of listening.\u00a0 We take in reality through our five external senses (sight, hearing, etc.) but we also learn to detect\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Spiritual Reflections"","block_context":{"text":"Spiritual Reflections","link":"https:\/\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/category\/spiritual-reflections\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/heart2.jpg?fit=1200%2C668&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/heart2.jpg?fit=1200%2C668&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/heart2.jpg?fit=1200%2C668&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/heart2.jpg?fit=1200%2C668&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/heart2.jpg?fit=1200%2C668&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":448,"url":"https:\/\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/spiritual-practices\/marian-consecration\/day-29-knowledge-of-jesus-christ-humility-of-the-eucharist\/","url_meta":{"origin":9577,"position":1},"title":"Day 29 Knowledge of Jesus Christ – Humility of the Eucharist","author":"Father Boniface Hicks, O.S.B.","date":"April 4, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Day 29 - Saints on the Humility of Jesus in the Eucharist A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to John: For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in As the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Marian Consecration"","block_context":{"text":"Marian Consecration","link":"https:\/\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/category\/spiritual-practices\/marian-consecration\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/William_adolphe_bouguereau-the_virgin_lagneau-Editpix-e1522799670778.jpg?fit=1071%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/William_adolphe_bouguereau-the_virgin_lagneau-Editpix-e1522799670778.jpg?fit=1071%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/William_adolphe_bouguereau-the_virgin_lagneau-Editpix-e1522799670778.jpg?fit=1071%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/William_adolphe_bouguereau-the_virgin_lagneau-Editpix-e1522799670778.jpg?fit=1071%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/William_adolphe_bouguereau-the_virgin_lagneau-Editpix-e1522799670778.jpg?fit=1071%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9574,"url":"https:\/\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/consecration-to-the-hearts-of-jesus-mary-and-joseph\/day-9-learn-to-pray-from-the-heart\/","url_meta":{"origin":9577,"position":2},"title":"Day 9: Learn to Pray from the Heart","author":"Father Boniface Hicks, O.S.B.","date":"May 17, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"READING 1Psalm 19:13-15 But who can detect their own errors? From hidden faults acquit me. From presumption restrain your servant; may it not rule me. Then shall I be blameless, clean from grave sin. May the spoken words of my mouth, the thoughts of my heart, win favor in your\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Consecration to the Hearts of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph"","block_context":{"text":"Consecration to the Hearts of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph","link":"https:\/\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/category\/consecration-to-the-hearts-of-jesus-mary-and-joseph\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/sacred-heart-and-holy-spirit.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/sacred-heart-and-holy-spirit.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/sacred-heart-and-holy-spirit.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":338,"url":"https:\/\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/spiritual-practices\/marian-consecration\/day-24-knowledge-of-mary\/","url_meta":{"origin":9577,"position":3},"title":"Day 24 – Knowledge of Mary","author":"Father Boniface Hicks, O.S.B.","date":"March 30, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Day 24 - Mary and the Church A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to John: [S]tanding by the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother\u2019s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Marian Consecration"","block_context":{"text":"Marian Consecration","link":"https:\/\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/category\/spiritual-practices\/marian-consecration\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Raphael-Raffaello-Sanzio-da-Urbino-1483%E2%80%931520-Sanzio-Bridgewater-Madonna-1507-Edit-1.jpg?fit=963%2C920&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Raphael-Raffaello-Sanzio-da-Urbino-1483%E2%80%931520-Sanzio-Bridgewater-Madonna-1507-Edit-1.jpg?fit=963%2C920&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Raphael-Raffaello-Sanzio-da-Urbino-1483%E2%80%931520-Sanzio-Bridgewater-Madonna-1507-Edit-1.jpg?fit=963%2C920&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Raphael-Raffaello-Sanzio-da-Urbino-1483%E2%80%931520-Sanzio-Bridgewater-Madonna-1507-Edit-1.jpg?fit=963%2C920&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":477,"url":"https:\/\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/spiritual-practices\/marian-consecration\/day-30-knowledge-of-jesus-christ\/","url_meta":{"origin":9577,"position":4},"title":"Day 30 – Knowledge of Jesus Christ","author":"Father Boniface Hicks, O.S.B.","date":"April 5, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Day 30 - Mary, the Eucharist and the Incarnation A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke: And Mary said to the angel, \u201cHow can this be, since I have no husband?\u201d And the angel said to her, \u201cThe Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Marian Consecration"","block_context":{"text":"Marian Consecration","link":"https:\/\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/category\/spiritual-practices\/marian-consecration\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/img_2500.jpg?fit=865%2C1015&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/img_2500.jpg?fit=865%2C1015&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/img_2500.jpg?fit=865%2C1015&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/img_2500.jpg?fit=865%2C1015&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9566,"url":"https:\/\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/consecration-to-the-hearts-of-jesus-mary-and-joseph\/part-2-return-to-the-heart\/","url_meta":{"origin":9577,"position":5},"title":"Part 2: Return to the Heart- Day 6","author":"Father Boniface Hicks, O.S.B.","date":"May 14, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"INTRODUCTION Having emptied our hearts of some of the clutter of the world, we reflect in these days on the importance of the heart. The heart is where we find our real self. We make our ascent to union with God particularly with our heart. 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