Contemplative Provocations: Brief, Concentrated Observations on Aspects of a Life with God

Author: Fr. Donald Haggerty

A great many religious people undertake a serious dedication to prayer. They are moved by a longing for a deeper encounter with God that beckons them as a distant light at night on the sea. Yet far fewer become true contemplative souls, for it is difficult to continue the quest for God in the face of many obstacles.

For those who are spiritually courageous and full of desire for God, this book will provoke them to persevere in this ultimate adventure in life-the more complete discovery of the living God. Thematically unified by the notion of God's ultimate transcendence to our limited human knowledge, this work offers a rich profusion of insights on the life of prayer and the pursuit of God.

A key to spiritual growth is the understanding that the hiddenness of God becomes a paradox in the experience of a soul seeking him wholeheartedly. Rather than enjoying a more intimate familiarity with God, the soul advancing in prayer is likely to experience more intensely the concealment of God. This surprising truth undergirds true contemplative prayer. It is a reason why every contemplative soul, and every saint, is inflamed with a never satisfied thirst for God.

Fr. Donald Haggerty, a priest of the Archdiocese of New York, serves at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. He taught moral theology and worked as a spiritual director in seminaries for twenty years, and has directed many retreats worldwide for the Missionaries of Charity. He is the author of numerous books on spirituality, including The Contemplative Hunger, Conversion, Contemplative Enigmas, and Saint John of the Cross: Master of Contemplation.