Session Four

Chapter twenty-nine

1.  God alone is judge.

2. We are not to judge.

Chapter thirty

1. It is very easy for things to go wrong when we judge others.

2. So don’t judge others.

Chapter thirty one

1. Clean house and make amends

2. Then let go of thoughts and memories that come between you and God.

Chapter thirty two

1. What to do with incessant thoughts

1. Pretend you don’t see them

2. Or surrender before them like a captive or coward on the battlefield

Chapter thirty three

1. Persevere through the struggle and pain of the early days of contemplative practice…it will become 2nd nature to you over time.

Chapter thirty four

1. God often chooses life-long sinners for this work to make the point that He can do anything.

2. Contemplation is the gift of love.

3. Do the work of your practice without caring about the outcome - “Knowledge hinders.”

4. Let your “naked desire” rest on God.

Chapter thirty five

1. Read, Reflect, Pray

Chapter thirty six

1. Forget your ability to reason and focus solely on God.

2. Consider your own sinfulness and realize the full depth of God’s goodness which seems to ignore your mistakes and misdeeds.

Chapter thirty seven

1. Choose one little one syllable word and assign to it the “deepest intentions of your spirit.” 

2. Contemplatives pray without a mediator and seldom need words.

Chapter thirty eight

1. God always hears distress cries and helps those in agony.

2. God’s nature is mercy.

3. We become merciful by grace alone.