Manufesting the Spirit

I think that we cannot find the truth until we take life, faith, and commitment deeply serious. Because it is only when we are earnestly seeking something that we find the flaws, the shallow spots, the inconsistencies inherent in it. And in that learning, we grow into a practice that has nothing to do with custom, and all to do with love.

In the spiritual life there are many practices. Once you have learned the essentials, you are meant to go forth into the deeper aspects of spirituality. But if you don't approach the beginning stage with an intensity of heart, with a purity and sincerity meant for serious following, you will not go much further. Nor will you find out which flaws you need to avoid, where the shallow spots are that you want to pass by or the inconsistencies that lie in all good spirituality, but which you can only discover yourself. 

To have a deep spirituality, you must do more than simple following along. For to just follow will be to remain stagnant. You must live spirituality with an intensity that challenges all perceptions. Then and only then will you find that the deepest and authentic aspects of the spirit will be made manifest to you.

Personal Encounter is the Way

In life, we know the distinction between an author and his works. This is especially true when we've read works by an individual, and then had a chance to meet her. No matter how good the writing, it is never a substitute for the real thing. At its best, it is only hints.

Knowing Jesus is the same. We can read and even memorize scripture. But it can only bring us so close to Jesus. We must learn to know him by personal encounter, through prayer and grace. Erasmo Leiva-Merikakis writes The written Word, even when profoundly meditated upon, can at best bring us to the threshold of the living person of Jesus. Nothing can substitute for this personal encounter, this merging of the horizons of the person of Jesus with my own, this convergence of my and our existence with his, here and now.

Advent is a good time to sit and have a chat with Jesus. As with any relationship, it takes time. Isn't it good to get started?

Turning Toward the Light in Preparation

Advent. A time when darkness reaches its longest day, and then recedes. At least in our hemisphere!

Advent is traditionally a time of preparation. In monastic traditions, it is a season rich with customs and advent practices, all meant to put the mind and heart of a person in readiness for a new awareness of the Divine. There is greater silence, fasting, good deeds, and prayers calling the Lord to come.

In this time of preparation, here in this busy world of ours, we too need to make a corner for some monastic Advent practice. An extra 15 minutes in the morning for quiet reflection and scripture reading. Or a time set aside during the day when we can recollect our thoughts and remember the real reason for this season. Take the time now to make a resolution toward this end. Check daily to see if you are faithful in keeping it.

Darkness yields to light. But only if the earth is rotating on its axis. We too need to turn on the axis of our existence, turn away from the darkness of everyday living, and seek the light of God's presence and his truth. For light is more in our hands than we realize, and our actions do make a difference in our journey and in our search.

Finding Peace Within

 

Peace. It's what should distinguish a believer from a non-believer. That ability to remain calm and tranquil no matter what may be happening. Peace is the gift God gives to those who seek him, peace that the world cannot take away. Yet, we know that this distinguishing mark no longer characterizes us as it did the early century believers. Why?

St.John of the Cross writes It is sad to see many disturb their soul when it desires to abide in this calm and repose of interior quietude where it is filled with the peace and refreshment of God.  St. John maintains we are our own worst enemy of peace, taking our soul out of quietude and forcing  it into restlessness and distractions. 

True, in our day of busyness, it is hard to find that interior place where we can remove ourselves even momentarily, to recollection and prayer. It is good to find a friend or two who can encourage us in this manner of acting, even a group. By a collected effort, we can bring back the mark of the early Christians, those who portrayed their beliefs through the peace and calm of their lives. We can be that sign, we can have the gift of God within our heart.

Color your perception with Self-Reflection

Perception. It colors everything we see, and that colors our opinions. Jesus would have us see things in truth. But truth is very abstract, and subject to various interpretations.

I think the secret to a good perception is the ability to self-reflect. How easy it is to see the faults of others. But self-reflection helps us to put ourselves into the picture as well. And that in turn helps us bring the picture into reality.

Jesus was considered kindhearted except to those who considered themselves righteous. Those were the leaders of the people who felt they were above the rest. Obviously, they could not self-reflect. If they had, they would have listened to Jesus parables, and realized where they stood. And they would not then have stood so firmly in their judgements.

Perception, self-reflection, following Jesus. All should make us kinder individuals, giving a more gentle approach to life, willing to extend a hand instead of a boot.

Teach me to Pray

One of the most interesting lines in scripture are the words of Jesus disciples, "Lord, teach us how to pray." They had the whole Jewish cycle of prayer, they had the law, they had the customs of their day. Yet, when they saw Jesus pray, it was different, he was different, and they wanted to know what he was saying in prayer that caused him to experience the Father in a way that was real and tangible.

Simon Tugwell says when we come to God, it is not to force our moods or our interests onto him, but to receive his interests and to let him, in a sense, share his moods with us...

In other words, prayer is when we become more a part of God. Is not this what caused the disciples to ask Jesus about his prayer? He became different. They wanted to too.

In our prayer, it is most important that we have this openness to God, this ability to take on his interests and to let him share with us. It is interesting that many who go to God in prayer hope for answers, but forget God wants to share himself with us. We should leave prayer with a greater sense of God, with a greater peace, a more wonderful hope.

I'd like to close this thought with another quote from Simon Tugwell on prayer: It is not the immediate feeling that is important; that may or may not come. What matters is that we should be, slowly and quietly, molded by  this rehearsal for and anticipation of the worship of heaven. It is a schooling for paradise.

The Only Mistake is to Succumb to Fear

If  you read the psalms daily, you will find certain ones speak to you at different times. Recently, reading psalm 25 struck a cord in my soul. It reads in part:

Make known to me your ways, Lord teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my savior.

Early on in my life, I was concerned about the need to be perfect.Only later did a holy person tell me this verse, and suggest I make it my mantra. I did, and gradually learned the havoc such a verse can create in the soul. Truly amazing!

The psalmist here is crying out to the Lord, that he may to learn his ways. But to do so, he realizes he must be committed to truth. But what is truth? Here I'm not speaking of the doctrine of truth, but of the truth each one of us needs in order to discern that path we are destined to follow. Only the individual can find that truth, through earnest prayer, contemplation, reflection and discernment.

When I read this psalm, my own wondrous journey comes to mind, the the marvelous things that were planned for me, things I could not grasp until I let go of my concept of perfection. Once I did, I began to do courageous things, believing in God's guidance and forgiveness. And what amazing things began to happen in my life!

If you are restless, dissatisfied with your life, feel something is missing or that you need a change, take this psalm and make it your mantra. Then go forward with courage, knowing the only mistake you can make is to stay where you are because you've succumb to your fear of making mistakes.

Power and Consequences

Choice. We make it every day, many times a day. It's the authority God gives to us, the free will that has real power and consequences. Yet, it is easy to let this slip, to fall back, to follow when we should counter, to agree when we should ponder, to ignore when we should take notice.

No major change in life will come from a life lived to the dictates of easy flow. Major change can only come from someone who regularly exercises choice. The more we confront our own issues, make the hard decisions, step out even when we are not sure, the greater our ability to move forward when life reaches that crucial point and we must do something or die. And I mean, die spiritually, cease to exercise rationally, lose our intuition and discernment. It means knowing when the trials you are suffering are telling you to change instead of accept, especially when such change will bring insecurity and an unknown future.

Each of us has to live by our decisions. So let's make it work toward our growth, let's keep it based on what is important in life, let's never surrender its power over to anyone else.

Dissatisfaction and Desire

We all have times in our lives when we are dissatisfied with how things are, and seek for something different, something better. Sometimes it is just a stage we are going through. But sometimes it is an invitation to rise higher.

In Bernard Bro's book Happy Those Who Believe, we read Consider Zacchaeus, who struggled against the prison of his conscious; Mary Magdalene and the Samaritan woman, who struggled against the prison of their heart...All sensed a call. They were in a state of dissatisfaction...we would never have dared to imagine these preparatory cries of the Old Testament when God said to Daniel: "I came to you because you were a man of desire." And in Jeremiah: "I will put them in anguish so that they may find me."

I think the key here may be desire. Life can weigh on us, it can flatten us down, it can take away the sparkles we once had in believing all things possible. We become matured, we know we won't get everything we dream about, we accept fate, or circumstances as though it is normal to get that flat tire and drive through life on the rim. But we shouldn't. We should keep the flame of desire alive. How?

It depends on our spiritual life, how active it is, how deep it has penetrated into our consciousness. Such a life will fan that desire to continue believing, continue hoping, continue dreaming through the reality. We will know life isn't about giving up these things; but in letting them mature and become more realistic.

One thing we must never forget: we are called. We have a mission, and in all the chaos, we will  discover it. So never settle for that flat tire. Change it, and continue on. Show the world that all things can conspire to increase  our longing, that our dissatisfaction itself signals there is more to be had, and we can have it. Then will dissatisfaction work in your favor; then will you bring out of chaos something of your dream.

Who is God for You?

In the old testament we hear of the great sin of idolatry, making gods out of stones or jewels or whatever fashion came in handy. Yet for all of us, the God we worship or adore is made out of our perceived concepts. It's all we can do. I think the real secret in finding God is that our perceived concepts come closer and closer to the reality. 

Who is God to you? How does that concept influence your life and more importantly, the way you live?  Those are the questions we need to ask ourselves. And this is the purpose of scripture-to give us glimpses of that God to inform our own image.

"I AM" God said to Moses. Meaning God is alive here and now. "Who do you say that I am?" Jesus asked his disciples. Meaning Jesus respects our notions of him even as he helps us come to a better understanding.

We need time to comprehend, to study Jesus, to learn the great I AM. That is why you cannot have a spiritual life without silence, prayer, meditation. That is why externals are only so useful, and internals are indispensable. That's why no matter how long we seek, we still have more to find.

Putting Faith to the Test

Believing. Often time when we say we believe, we mean rather that we have been convinced of a truth. It is the convincing that requires time, reflection, meditation, experience. To believe simply by word of month does not produce a believer, but someone unconvinced who accepts things on another's word.

Much of our lack of faith these days stem from this second type of belief. Those who fall by the side of faith, who "give it up" never really had it to begin with. They carried it like a lifesaver in their pocket, used it only when they felt they had a need, and found it got stale and old quickly. So they moved on.

To have faith means to take a truth and pound out of it everything that seems crass. It means to challenge, to put to the test, to argue with it until you are so sure of what you believe nothing can shake you. To do this, you have to study, to ponder, to really immerse yourself and put yourself out. If you are slow to believe, then when you do accept some form of faith, you will be the stronger one. Because you haven't taken it on someone else's words. You have taken it and made it your own.

Let me See Beyond

Sight, in spirituality, consist of the ability to see beyond "the veil" of temporality. Unlike normal eyesight, this gift must be cultivated. It is this cultivation we term "seeking perfection." In the spiritual journey, we are not seeking some sort of state that defies human existence; rather, we are attempting to live in an awareness of the spirit that moves both within us and around us.

In his book The Naked Now, Richard Rohr writers You can be ignorant of your birthright. You can neglect the gift, and thus not enjoy its wonderful fruits....That seems to be the case with many people...who do not know who they are and whose they are, people who have no connection to their inherent dignity and importance.

I think the striking words here are dignity and importance.  We don't even know ourselves if we remain in spiritual blindness. It's no wonder externals mean so much to our society, to our kids, to us. We don't know our own dignity and importance, we don't realize the power of God within us, we don't sense the all abiding presence there for the taking, and always ready to make sense of our lives.

To find light is to take time with that which is spiritual; to sit with silence and let it wrap its arms around you, to hear the inspirations of God in the stillness and darkness of your own soul. When you see, you do not so much begin to imagine spiritual realities as to make sense of the burdens in  life. You began to look beyond the events and believe in destiny. You pierce the veil and know you are never alone. You realize that the temporal is not the abiding reality; there is a spiritual dimension to give it direction, meaning and purpose.

Turning Around to See

The gift of God. It is a strange phenomenon in the spiritual life that we often have to have a gift before we can desire it. Or perhaps more correctly, we do not realize we have a gift until our eyes are opened and we see. Richard Rohr says in The Naked Now  that Only people who have undergone some level of conversion can be told they have the Holy Spirit and be prepared to understand what one is talking about.

There we are, at that pivotal point called conversion. The ancients called it metanoia and they knew it was an action carried out daily in life, not just a one time event. In our lives, we are constantly coming upon that "Oh yea" moment, when we suddenly see something in a different light. The same is part of the spiritual journey.

Perhaps we need metanoia because the spiritual is so elusive and intangible, but certainly because we need to train our thinking to spiritual ways. Metanoia is not so much a "conversion" as a "turning around, facing a different direction, a change of attitude." Even in the material world one knows the need for continued growth, to learn new things, to look at life in a better light. The same goes for the spiritual. We "turn" every time we seek. We "face" every time we find that spirit of God within. And then, we can truly "gaze" upon the Divine, knowing that the gaze itself is cleansing, enlightening, uplifting.

Cherishing the Past

A tunnel used during the Civil War to assist runaways from the South. A monument to history, lost because when it began to crumble, those who do not give history much thought simple filled it in. And now it is no more. This tunnel was at the foothill of my childhood home.

We do not savor what we do not cherish. History can only be savored by remembrance. The past can only be celebrated by remembrance. In our lives, we will work to preserve that which we savor.

When I look at this picture, I wish my towns folk had had a little more respect for the past. Then they would have preserved this little treasure instead of blotting it out forever.

The Soul in Search of Destiny

James Stafford says that  The greatest and noblest joy in life for a human heart is searching out, discovering and pursuing the purpose for which God has called her into existence. In other words, one's destiny.

For these words to apply to one's life,  one must always be in the mode of searching and seeking that calling. This is counter to our present day culture (indeed, all culture) which prefers security, roots, familiarity.  Do we not look with skepticism at someone who changes careers or moves to another location because "I  haven't found my place"? Is there not a tendency to think, "Just can't get settled. Restless soul. Has no roots. Must have lost heart."?

And yet, this soul is braver than the norm. This soul is one who doesn't just talk about destiny; she does all she can to find it in her life. And she won't be kept back by honors, power, or fame. She seeks to be where destiny wants her, and she will not rest until she finds it.

There is a difference between a soul who is searching out and discovering her purpose in life, and one who is just plain discontented. That one word is peace.

If you just cannot settle in life, you will wander endlessly. But if your inability to settle comes from something deep down, where you know you are not yet where you need to be, there will be a profound peace, despite the unsettled nature of your being.You will not move impetuously, but reflectively, watching for the right door to open, and able to move on when it doesn't. You also know, only you can discern what is right for you. Others may advise; but that is all they can do. You have to live out your decision, for only you know the depths of your heart, and though you are not adverse to criticism, you are not living according to what others think you should do. (Many times when people are not courageous enough to follow their own dream, they distract themselves by advising others!)

That's because one needs courage, faith, and trust to seek out one's destiny in this life. These are hardly the traits of a restless, discontented soul. To never stop seeking requires immense bravery; to step away from security to continue the search requires tremendous energy; and to refuse to settle for a mediocre life requires constant faith and love.

So, if you are one of these souls, be prepared to be labeled. In a society that rewards those content with status quo, praises those who remain in a secure setting, and looks with suspicion on visionaries, you will stand out. But don't you lose heart. When you find the love of your life, your destiny, you will experience a joy that none can take from you.

The Active Work of Surrender

Yesterday's post can be easily misunderstood. Surrender can be understood as a passive act, one of waiting, one of letting something happen to me. But the type of surrender I speak of is something active, something engaging, something of work. It isn't a passive waiting; it is an active opening and receiving.

How many times have you done something special for someone, and they didn't say thank you because they didn't notice your kind deed? In the spiritual world, it happens countless times. Our work is to notice, to be on that spiritual wavelength to see it, to live on that plane.

Surrender prepares us for that depth. I used to think of surrender as something of "giving up". But it is more. It is accepting the hard things in life because we believe God will bring good from it. It is accepting a prayer not answered, knowing God does hear us, just maybe not give us what we think we need at this time. It is learning to understand someone else's point of view because we realize we don't always have the answer, we are not always right. It means accepting when we would rather be giving; waiting when we would rather be doing; sitting in silence when we would rather be shouting from the rooftops.

Surrender to God, and he will do all thing for you says a scripture verse. And the greatest thing is a new sight to see into the spiritual realm, where we recognize the wonderful things God is doing for us, and we lift up our hands in gratitude and praise.

Being found by Someone

Transformation. It's the goal of any human being who desires more. For those seeking a spiritual life, it means changing from what we are to something better, something deeper, in one word, someone. James Alison calls such transcendence a "falling into" or an "undergoing of God". And Richard Rohr says it happens to us rather than we make it happen.

For anyone who is not familiar with Richard Rohr, I encourage you to read his works or subscribe to his daily reads. He offers rich, deep, spiritual insight that is astonishing. In his latest book, "The Naked Now" he writes When you joyfully surrender to God...you seldom have the feeling you have found anything. It feels much more like Someone found you!

I would dare to say, this is the difference between those whose spirituality consists of rituals and obligations, and those who seek because they realize the one we are seeking is good. In one, we justify ourselves by works. In the other, we are justified by the one who saves.

Francis Thompson said it years ago in his now famous poem, the Hound of Heaven:

Wherefore should any set thee love apart?
Seeing none but I makes much of naught," He said,
"And human love needs human meriting,
                How hast thou merited--
Of all man's clotted clay the dingiest clot?
                Alack, thou knowest not
How little worthy of any love thou art!
Whom wilt thou find to love ignoble thee
                Save Me, save only Me?
All which I took from thee I did but take,
                Not for thy harms.
But just that thou might'st seek it in my arms.

When Light Blinds

Psalm 91:9 says You have the Lord for your refuge; you have made the Most High your stronghold.

There are times in our lives when the hand of the Most High is obvious, when we feel protected, blessed, cared for, nurtured. During these times we sense we are being carried by the spirit through fire and water, and no danger can touch our souls.

But there are also times when all this fades, when the hand of the Most High seems heavy, and we flounder through life questioning and requesting, but receiving no answer.

It is good to remember that when we feel blessed, that is God's time. When we feel lost, that is our time. The time to walk in the dark, knowing we are no less blessed because the sun isn't shining upon us. The time to believe in goodness even though we no longer have the tangible proof of it. The time to choose not because we love the return we've received, but simple because it is the right thing to do.

In times past, such journeys were called "dark nights" simply because we no longer enjoyed the light of a vibrant realization of God. But these times can sometimes bring greater clarity than the light, for it makes us choose not from emotion, but from conviction. When life is dark, and the way not clear, then we often show our strength and courage. Should that darkness last a time, we will find that we can live in darkness, because our convictions become strong enough to take the place of light. And then we  ourselves become the light, for others seeking, for those lost, for unbelievers who need to see in order to have faith.

Remember, there are others reasons for darkness than absence of light. It could be your light has become so bright that it blinds you.

Be Good for Something

I heard a great quote I'd like to share today: Be not simply good; be good for something. (Henry David Thoreau).

In our attempts to be good, we sometimes make goodness into a goal. And it shouldn't be. Goodness is only a fruit of something else, of effort, earnest living, honesty, sincerity, silence, reflection, and compassion.That is how, when you are good for something you have born fruit.

A Relationship of Change

"It's nice to see how your family has changed," I recently told someone. "The boys are so grown up and respectful, your husband is now taking on new responsibilities, and you are more at peace. It's nice to see how your family is growing and changing. I think that is a sign of a healthy relationship."

We tend to look for people who are where we are or who accept us as we are. And many times we hope to stay that way. But if we are sincere about our progress, our journey, our mission in life, than we should expect something different. We should expect challenge. And most challenges change us.

Funny how we accept that in nature, growth is a sign of health and life. No one complains when the seed they planted becomes a flower. Or when the seeded lawn becomes grass. It only does that through sun, rain and nutrition.

It's the same for our spiritual life. We need growth, and our sun, rain and nutrition is healthy relationships. A friend or companion who is healthy for me will be the one whose honesty and trust enable me to accept challenges. I will have the courage to forge forward, and not allow fear to paralyze me. I will accept constructive criticism because I too will trust and express honest opinions. Such a relationship cannot but help to nurture the strongest roots.

If you look at your life and fail to see it changing, then it might be time to re-evaluate your relationships.

Keeping in touch.

Keeping in touch. That's what good friends say to one another when their paths separate. Though we will no longer be able to spend much time together, let's keep in touch.

We need that same philosophy with the Almighty. Let's keep in touch. Let's find time to communicate, to appreciate, to celebrate.

It starts with the little times set aside to meditate. If one perseveres, it moves into a more continual dialogue. And then it becomes an underlying remembrance.

Let's keep in touch. Let's make it happen. Let's begin today.

Befriending God

What makes a friend? Not just someone to hang out with, but someone to confide in. No one confides in someone who cannot keep confidences. Nor do you like anyone who will always think they have answers. The best aspect of a real friend is the ability to emphasize, and listen.

If we want that spiritual relationship with the "Other" we need to develop the same traits. We need to spend time listening and learn to emphasize.

Strange, huh? We should do to God what we want friends to do for us. But it does work.