John in his first epistle testifies: What we have seen, heard, and touched we proclaim as the word of life which existed "from the beginning"  (1 John 1:1-4). John bears witness to what has existed from all eternity. This "word of life" is Jesus the word incarnate, but also Jesus as the word announced by the prophets and Jesus the word now preached throughout the Christian church for all ages to come. One thing is certain, if Jesus had not risen from the dead and appeared to his disciples, we would never have heard of him. Nothing else could have changed sad and despairing men and women into people radiant with joy and courage. The reality of the resurrection is the central fact of the Christian faith. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit, the Lord gives us "eyes of faith" to know him and the power of his resurrection. The greatest joy we can have is to encounter the living Christ and to know him personally as our Savior and Lord.

"Lord Jesus Christ, you have triumphed over the grave and you have won new life for us. Give me the eyes of faith to see you in your glory. Help me to draw near to you and to grow in the knowledge of your great love and power."

Stages of Growth in Christian Prayer, by Philip St. Romain

Stages of Contemplative Prayer (part 3)

Prayer of ecstatic union. Many, but not all, Christian mystics evidence this state.  In ecstasy, the soul is so  completely united with God that all self-awareness is lost, along with sensory awareness and consciousness of space and time.  The activities of the corporal soul are diminished so that the soul, in a partly body-free state, may more fully contemplate the love and beauty of God.  The consequences of this prayer are many  including deep inner healing and great virtue.  It should be known, however, that there are other experiences of ecstasy besides contemplative ones (aesthetic, sexual, psychic, etc.). The mere fact of ecstasy is no indication of mystical contemplation or holiness.