The Augustinian Nuns > Prayer's Journey

Augustinian Contemplative Journey
The flame of the sanctuary lamp burns day and night. So too, the love of God, dwelling in our hearts, burns day and night awaiting us to draw near. The path of contemplation is the road we follow as we seek to open ourselves to God's embrace of eternal love.

Many paintings and sculptures of Saint Augustine represent him as holding his heart that has been pierced by an arrow. Our very human heart pierced by its longing for God, pierced by God's love for us, is the locus of our spiritual journey.

Do not go outside yourself, but turn back within;
truth dwells in the inner person;
and if you find your nature given to
frequent change, go beyond yourself.
Move on, then, to that source where the
light of reason receives its light."
Saint Augustine

Saint Augustine stressed the need to enter into our self and there encounter God. We will find the love and joy we seek because we will find God himself. Our search for God is the quest of the human heart par excellence and will unfold over the space of our lifetime.

"In solitude, if the soul is watchful,
God allows himself to be seen.
In a crowd there is commotion.
Silence is a prerequisite in order to see God. "
Saint Augustine

The path of this inner journey is discovered through silence and solitude. Our observance of external silence allows an inner silence to reveal itself. In interior silence and stillness we hear and encounter Christ.

Both solitude and silence enable us to recognize the "noises" of our heart and the "business" of our mind. In prayer we learn to gently lay aside these obstacles to oneness with God and lovingly be with the Lord. Saint Augustine assures us: "God is closer to us that we are to ourselves."

"Lord, let me know myself, let me know thee."
Saint Augustine

The contemplative journey requires the lifelong task of growing in self-knowledge which, in turn, leads to ever deepening conversion as we avail ourselves more and more to the mystery of God's love and working within our hearts.

By the grace of self-knowledge we will come to recognize the loving plan of God and the work before us in allowing Christ to transform our hearts in his love.

It is Christ who will accomplish in us all we hope and desire.