Contemplative prayer reminds us that we are children of God

Whenever we open our hearts to God in contemplation, we remind ourselves that we are children of God, receiving the love of a merciful Father.

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Sometimes it is easy to forget that we are children of a loving God. We go about our daily business failing to open our hearts to the love God wants to give to us.

This is why contemplative prayer is so important, as it brings us back into relationship with God.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church points this out in its section on prayer:

Contemplative prayer is the prayer of the child of God, of the forgiven sinner who agrees to welcome the love by which he is loved and who wants to respond to it by loving even more.
CCC 2712

The key to contemplative prayer is in receiving the love of God, as well as loving God in return.

Whenever we love God, it is always a response to his love for us:

But he knows that the love he is returning is poured out by the Spirit in his heart, for everything is grace from God. Contemplative prayer is the poor and humble surrender to the loving will of the Father in ever deeper union with his beloved Son.
CCC 2712

If we walk away from our time in contemplation loving God more, then we know it was a success.