Daily Catholic meditation is important for the health of a Catholic’s spiritual life.
Catholic meditation may be defined simply as mental prayer by which the soul enters into a dialogue with God–most often, the person of Jesus Christ. While the emphasis is on dialogue, it may or may not include simultaneous recitation of memorized prayers (such as the rosary).
Catholic meditation is distinguished from some types of eastern meditation, which empty the mind for the purpose of relaxation, in that it is designed rather to fill the soul with the personal love of the Omnipotent.
Daily Mass readings are a magnificent subject for meditation, but other sources can be used as well, including good spiritual books.
The term dialogue here is used broadly as “communication between” and does not necessarily include an exchange of words; some deeper experiences of Catholic meditation are true dialogue but exclude actual words. Asked what transpired in his Eucharistic adoration, St. John Vianney famously answered, “I just look at Him, and He looks at me.”
Sometimes, even for extended periods of time, we may feel like Catholic meditation is not a “dialogue,” but a one-way conversation; even, that we are talking in our heads to no one. This is where faith enters in. Even during such periods, where the state of grace is present, Catholic meditation brings great fruit of union with God, whether we perceive it or not.
Still, make no mistake: Over the long term, consistent daily meditation brings about a profound, palpable encounter with God.
There are three key, indispensable elements of Catholic meditation: 1) God; 2) The human subject; 3) Exclusively dedicated time.