As prayer deepens within our being we enter into both an attitude of thanksgiving and adoration. It is in these stages our prayer development begins to seek union with God for these levels focus directly upon our God for His own sake and not for our own satisfaction.
When one seeks union with God we begin the journey by way of meditato (meditation), oratio (liturgical prayer), and contemplatio (active and infused contemplation). Many of the great mystical writers of our Catholic faith tradition speak of our relationship with God with these terms and it is at these stages where our personal communion with God begins for they are directly related to relationship. Union, which is the highest level of prayer can be understood as the “mystical marriage” and is open to all people and not just the Saints or mystics. All are invited to participate in the Divine life in a contemplative manner.