By Anita Matthews
Kenosis — the emptying of self and the heart of Christian spirituality — was the theme of the World Community for Christian Meditation (WCCM) Malaysia’s annual retreat held recently.
The theme deeply resonated with the 78 seasoned meditators who attended, many of whom discovered new insights into the timeless teachings of Christ. In essence, kenosis is Jesus’ invitation to His followers to let go of ego and self-will in order to embrace humility and find true joy through love and union with God.
The four-day retreat was led by Fr Cyprian Consiglio, OSB Cam, a Camaldolese Benedictine monk, musician, and author, who guided participants back to the heart of meditation — understanding why we meditate and how posture, breath, and the mantra help still the mind and train the senses. The mantra used by WCCM members is the Aramaic word Maranatha, meaning “Come, Lord Jesus.”
Fr Cyprian, who currently serves as the Secretary General for Monastic Interreligious Dialogue in Rome, began each session with psalms, scripture readings, and reflections from spiritual masters such as Bede Griffiths and Bernard of Clairvaux, interwoven with poetry. Through these, he emphasised the essence of kenosis — the call to empty ourselves so that God’s grace may fill us completely.
He drew from Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish’s Think of Others and human rights advocate Václav Havel’s The Voice of Being to illustrate how reframing our minds allows us to experience God’s grace, especially amid today’s global tensions.
Fr Cyprian also challenged prevailing notions of God as a vengeful figure and cautioned against humanity’s fixation on false idols — materialism, social status, intellectual pride, and self-indulgence. “It is easy to overlook these as minor weaknesses when, in fact, they conflict with our relationship with God,” he said, reminding participants that prayer is an act of self-emptying — of sitting in stillness and waiting on God.
Using the analogies of seed, yeast, and salt, he described pathways to personal transformation and spiritual growth: the nurtured seed that grows, the yeast that works from within, and the salt that brings out hidden flavour. “God desires to share His power with us. To receive His grace, we must first humble ourselves. When the seed, yeast, or salt dissolves within us, we are transformed by what we receive,” he explained.
He also shared the story of a Buddhist monk who dedicated hours of meditation daily for world peace, noting, “The dedication of merit through meditation is a powerful act — something each of us can do.”
Participants described the retreat as transformative — a time of renewal that deepened their faith and understanding of kenosis as the foundation of Christian spirituality.
During the retreat, Fr Gerard Theraviam, WCCM Malaysia’s spiritual director, led the prayers and concelebrated the Mass. – Herald Malaysia
