Christian prayer is much more than Eastern meditation
A few years ago at Mass in another diocese, the priest began a homily on the importance of daily prayer. I was elated. We hear this far too seldom from the pulpit. My elation soon turned to disappointment, however. He talked about being aware of the world around you, and your own thoughts and feelings. Shockingly, he didn't mention God at all! I realized the priest (apparently without knowing it) was not really advocating prayer, but a Buddhist-inspired form of meditation. Both Christians and Buddhists use the term “meditation,” so it's no wonder sincere people confuse the practices of the separate religions. But they are quite different. Keep reading to learn the difference. (I had a problem with my post this morning. If you tried to read this and couldn't find it on my blog, please try again! Sorry for the inconvenience.)