Some confused Catholics believe that they need the Buddhist practice of Mindfulness to deal with anxiety and out of control thoughts that lead us away from peace and the experience of God in the present moment. However, by the grace and provision of the Holy Spirit, the scriptures and Catholic mystical tradition are replete with all the wisdom we need to come to a place of authentic peace and focus on the loving and healing presence of God. This is why we spend a good deal of time and energy practicing and teaching discernment of spirits in Apostoli Viae.
During a recent heavy interior battle related to my Father's passing, I was reflecting on the powerful authentic practices of our faith and was inspired to compose a prayer that I/we could pray in moments when finding this authentic peace can be difficult. This prayer will be added to the new Apostoli Viae prayer book for all who make their first promises this summer and those who have already made first promises. I pray it is a blessing to you and helps you to fight the battle of taking "every thought captive to the obedience of Christ."
Most glorious, kind, and blessed God of the present moment, I beg Your grace and Your presence that I might be able to reject the temptations of the enemy and my flesh that drive my mind to obsess on the past or worry about the future. Help me instead to embrace the sufferings and challenges of the present moment knowing that You are with me in them and that if I surrender myself to You and the duties of this present moment, You will give me all I need to endure or overcome any challenge, take care of all matters that are outside of my control, and will reveal Yourself and Your holy will within and through them. By Your grace I reject, in Jesus’ name, all regrets, laments, frustrations, or other temptations that draw my thoughts and attention away from the duties of this present moment and more importantly, away from Your presence and provision. I affirm, invoke, and implore the power of Jesus’ name against the efforts of the enemy to draw me out of Your presence in this moment, and I, by God’s Grace, His Divine Will, and my human will, through the power of the Holy Spirit, choose to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. Mary, Mother of the Divine Will, pray for me.
Yours in Christ,
Dan and Stephanie Burke
PS: If you want to read a good book that offers an authentically Catholic perspective on Mindfulness, click HERE.
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