Translated with literal simplicity, the contemplative life is a "discipline of obedience."

Any takers? ;-)

But translated more expansively, it's "a life-teaching about how to listen."

A contemplative is one who is in the habit of listening to God; one who has listened to God so repetitively, and for so long, that he no longer has to think about praying: prayer is just who he is. Listening to God is who he is.

Which sounds cool. But how does one obtain this habit named contemplation? Are there any masters who can teach us?

There are many such masters, and their teaching is remarkably clear and simple: regularly stop your day and pray; never be far from prayer. Do this faithfully for many years. God will do the rest.

That's it: that's the whole teaching.

This is why the ancients formed monasteries, so that they could help each other pray regularly, every day. Because stopping to listen to God can be very hard to do, and having a community to nudge you to keep listening is very helpful. Community helps transform the hard, stuttering effort of the novice into the gentle, flowing habit of the master.

This is also why the life habit of contemplation has traditionally been relegated to monasteries, because -- practically speaking -- the habit of prayer has required the support of a physically proximate, enclosed community in which members are with each other all day, every day, for years on end, cooperatively tending to prayer.

That has been the tradition. But the tradition is about to change. The entire character of ecclesia is about to change.

You will not be in a monastery. Yet your community of prayer -- the friends who will help you tend to the habit of prayer -- will be with you throughout each day. They will be there to nudge you to keep listening. They will be there to help make sure that you are never far from prayer.

They will be with you on your desk at work, or in your prayer space at home, or in your hand on the subway. Together you will never be far from prayer.

Together you will be with the ancient masters -- the desert fathers and the saints -- practicing their wisdom: you will be a contemplative.

Monastery no longer required.