Interior Life (Catholic Theology)
Interior life is a life which seeks God in everything, a life of prayer and the practice of living in the presence of God. It connotes intimate, friendly conversation with him, and a determined focus on internal prayer versus external actions, while these latter are transformed into means of prayer.
According to John Paul II, Jesus' statement "without me you can do nothing" (cf. Jn 15:5) is a truth that "constantly reminds us of the primacy of Christ and, in union with him, the primacy of the interior life and of holiness."
In his first encyclical Deus Caritas Est, Benedict XVI emphasized that man "cannot always give, he must also receive," and pointed to the urgency and importance of experiencing in prayer that God is Love. He taught the Christian's dialogue with God "allows God to work" for God is "the only One who can make the world both good and happy."
Read more about Interior Life (Catholic Theology): Biblical Basis, Thomas A Kempis: Imitation of Christ, Garrigou-Lagrange: Three Ages of The Interior Life, Dom Chautard: Soul of The Apostolate, Josef Pieper, Josemaria Escriva: The Way, John Paul II: Novo Millennio Ineunte, Benedict XVI: Deus Caritas Est
Famous quotes containing the words interior and/or life:
“The exterior must be joined to the interior to obtain anything from God, that is to say, we must kneel, pray with the lips, and so on, in order that proud man, who would not submit himself to God, may be now subject to the creature.”
—Blaise Pascal (1623–1662)
“There’s night and day, brother, both sweet things; sun, moon, and stars, brother, all sweet things; there’s likewise a wind on the heath. Life is very sweet, brother; who would wish to die?”
—George Borrow (1803–1881)