Loading...Blog Post June 2, 2016
It’s hard to believe two years ago I traveled to Assisi to follow in the footsteps of St. Francis. One of the special things I did there was hike two and half miles above the town to a place called the Hermitage. Lying on a steep crag of Mount Subasio, this is where St. Francis and the early brothers went to get away from the noisy crowds of Assisi and spend time in solitude, prayer and contemplation. To get there one can take a steep path through the woods or a road that winds up the mountain.
I chose the latter route comfortably clad in my hiking boots; trying to imagine making the trek in thin sandals or barefoot as Francis would have. I reached the Hermitage to find a peaceful retreat where the mountain air is sweet and the views stretch for miles over the Umbrian countryside. The noise and bustle of Assisi are far away.
St. Francis loved to come here to spend long hours in prayer. We tend to think of St. Francis as one who was always doing something – preaching, travelling. But Francis had a deeply contemplative side as well. He took a clue from Our Lord Jesus who often left his active ministry to go off and pray. Francis knew that long periods of prayer allowed him to come closer to God as well as engage in his ministry with strength and passion. He encouraged his followers to do the same. Each of the original Franciscan brothers selected their own special place at the Hermitage.
I wandered through the woods visiting many of these little “chapels” and just feeling the spirit of prayer that permeates this special spot. The Hermitage is a place that simply feels prayed in.
As I continued to walk; basking in this spirit, I happened to see a stone. Why? Who knows? The piece of gray-pink Assisi limestone about the size of a strawberry reached out to me; grabbing my attention. I picked it up and felt its texture, worn smooth by years of peaceful existence on that Italian mountaintop. Clutching it, I realized it fit perfectly into my hand.
I brought it home and today, the stone sits by the chair where I usually sit to write and pray. I only have to pick it up and my breathing slows. As the stone becomes warm in my hand, my mind slowly goes to a place of peace; of prayer. I delight in memories of the holy ground of Assisi I was privileged to visit. I think of St. Francis and his passion for serving Jesus. I think of Jesus - who often went to lonely, quiet places to pray. Reflecting on these things, and marveling at the warmth of this ancient stone, my mind and my heart open themselves to God.
Using objects such as stones, rosaries, crosses, or icons to help focus prayer and contemplation is called the “katapathic path” or “katapathic spiritualtiy” (the Greek word “kata” means “with”). It has a long history in Christian practice, as does an opposite tradition called the “apopathic path” or “apopathic spiritualty”. In this approach, one tries to get rid of all distractions and completely empty one’s mind in an effort to reach a stage of deep prayer and contemplation that goes beyond words and images.
Neither of these approaches is better than the other. Some people find one more comfortable and very often what is comfortable changes as one’s Christian journey progresses. Most Christians make use of both at one time or another – perhaps without even realizing it.
What is important is that we set time aside for prayer and try different practices until we find what is meaningful to us.. The important thing is to have a regular time to consciously put ourselves into God’s presence. We may not feel like doing it. We may not have words that can express our prayer. The important thing is to spend the time – to show up and see what God will do.
