Life's journey. So often we expect it to follow a straight line when in fact it doesn't. To be true to your own personal journey requires a certain detachment. We can only set our sights on God's glory. The daily journey itself can and will change. If we are not challenged in our journey there is a good chance we are no longer on one.
St Catherine words "All the way to heaven is heaven" can only be experienced if we live life willing to adapt, change, alter our direction, or travel lightly. Only then can we be open to where ever our journey takes us.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Following the Mystical
More and more interest in springing up about mystical practices and becoming mystical oneself. George Maloney has has a new book out, called Discovering the Hidden Reality: A Journey Into Christian Mystical Prayer that deals with this very issue. Let me quote:
In the Christian East of the Greek, Slavic and Syrian traditions, mysticism is synonymous with being in touch with the "really Real." Reality abides, not in the changing, in the temporal, but in the unfathomable abyss where God speaks within our hearts in silence. Mysticism is a living experience of God, not as an object outside of ourselves, but as an encompassing power of permeating love that, as St. Augustine said, is "more intimate to me than I to myself."
Toward that end, we see groups springing up that seek to bring the monastic flavor to their lives, particularly the custom of Lectio Divina. Such groups go far into bringing what was once the privileged (or so thought) of the monastic community to the lay person in the right here and now.
If you know of such a group, I encourage you to join. If you don't, I encourage you to form one. For praying in community, and sharing our lectio, makes one more aware of God within ourselves. And mysticism is all about becoming aware of that Divine Presence, which is already deep within our soul, than it is anything else.
In the Christian East of the Greek, Slavic and Syrian traditions, mysticism is synonymous with being in touch with the "really Real." Reality abides, not in the changing, in the temporal, but in the unfathomable abyss where God speaks within our hearts in silence. Mysticism is a living experience of God, not as an object outside of ourselves, but as an encompassing power of permeating love that, as St. Augustine said, is "more intimate to me than I to myself."
Toward that end, we see groups springing up that seek to bring the monastic flavor to their lives, particularly the custom of Lectio Divina. Such groups go far into bringing what was once the privileged (or so thought) of the monastic community to the lay person in the right here and now.
If you know of such a group, I encourage you to join. If you don't, I encourage you to form one. For praying in community, and sharing our lectio, makes one more aware of God within ourselves. And mysticism is all about becoming aware of that Divine Presence, which is already deep within our soul, than it is anything else.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Life to the Full
Do you ever wonder why Jesus never wrote anything to hand down to us? He spoke volumes to his disciples. But he never wrote something for them to treasure, something for them to keep in their pocket and refer back to time and time again. Why?
I think it is because of our tendency to become attached to such things. Even today, Christians profess to follow the teachings of Jesus. But get them talking about the Bible, and often differences become vast and moods are anything but Christ-like.
Part of this comes from our human tendency to take life so very seriously. We forget the spirit behind the words and often take the words literally. We do this with faith, with church, with our politics. And yet, Jesus says "I came that you may have life, and have it to the full." What is full of life in literal translations and interpretation?
The bible tells us Jesus roamed about without a place to lay his head. I love to think of our Christian life as one where we never allow ourselves the luxury of settling, but continue to dig into the Word and find continued life in it.
When you are climbing a mountain, you often come upon the same vistas. yet, the higher you climb, the more vast your view.
The same goes for the Word of God and things of God. Every day we should be looking at life, at faith, at the Divine Word in a different light. Different, because we are at a different place then we were a day ago.
This is what it means to have life, and have it to the full. To never stop seeking.
I think it is because of our tendency to become attached to such things. Even today, Christians profess to follow the teachings of Jesus. But get them talking about the Bible, and often differences become vast and moods are anything but Christ-like.
Part of this comes from our human tendency to take life so very seriously. We forget the spirit behind the words and often take the words literally. We do this with faith, with church, with our politics. And yet, Jesus says "I came that you may have life, and have it to the full." What is full of life in literal translations and interpretation?
The bible tells us Jesus roamed about without a place to lay his head. I love to think of our Christian life as one where we never allow ourselves the luxury of settling, but continue to dig into the Word and find continued life in it.
When you are climbing a mountain, you often come upon the same vistas. yet, the higher you climb, the more vast your view.
The same goes for the Word of God and things of God. Every day we should be looking at life, at faith, at the Divine Word in a different light. Different, because we are at a different place then we were a day ago.
This is what it means to have life, and have it to the full. To never stop seeking.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
The Journey Forward
Unless you hate father and mother, brother and sister, even your own life, you cannot be my disciple. Such words of Jesus sound harsh, especially since it is Jesus who told us to LOVE OUR ENEMIES! So what is this all about?
All of us have come to a point in life where a decision is difficult because in making it, we might hurt or offend someone we love. Whether it be real or imagined, we need to put aside emotional ties to look for the truth of our future, and where the spirit is leading. Whatever decision we must make, unless we look toward heaven and base our choice on the Holy Spirit, we will never move forward in life.
In his book, The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho examines our journey in life. He notes how many people are content to dream. Some even get close to seeing the fulfillment of their dream. But somehow, we often stop short. Going all the way seems counter to our nature.
Perhaps this is what Jesus means when he tells us that to follow him means to give up our life. He isn't asking us for some kind of death, but rather for a determination that goes forward without letting sentiment, personal feelings, fear, intimidation, or any other lesser emotion get in our way. Going forward requires that we not become attached to our "place" in the here and now. For often we cannot see the treasure close to us until we've made the journey that changes and martures our vision. And life is, after all, a journey forward.
All of us have come to a point in life where a decision is difficult because in making it, we might hurt or offend someone we love. Whether it be real or imagined, we need to put aside emotional ties to look for the truth of our future, and where the spirit is leading. Whatever decision we must make, unless we look toward heaven and base our choice on the Holy Spirit, we will never move forward in life.
In his book, The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho examines our journey in life. He notes how many people are content to dream. Some even get close to seeing the fulfillment of their dream. But somehow, we often stop short. Going all the way seems counter to our nature.
Perhaps this is what Jesus means when he tells us that to follow him means to give up our life. He isn't asking us for some kind of death, but rather for a determination that goes forward without letting sentiment, personal feelings, fear, intimidation, or any other lesser emotion get in our way. Going forward requires that we not become attached to our "place" in the here and now. For often we cannot see the treasure close to us until we've made the journey that changes and martures our vision. And life is, after all, a journey forward.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Divine Want Propels us Forward
If the gospels teach us anything, it is that life is a destiny, not a destination (heaven is the destination). Our journey, though, is often clouded by duties, commitments, possessions. How do we keep forging ahead with so much to tie us down?
We strip.
Often we burden our lives with clutter to cover our fear of the unknown. Possessions make good blankets or cuddle toys. They also trip us up and keep us occupied with the lesser things of life.
The desert Abbas and Ammas left all for desert sands. What could they learn in the sand they couldn't learn in the city? Want. It's okay to want, it's okay to need, it's okay not to be fulfilled. That's what keeps us yearning and moving forward. It's when we think we are satiated (and we never really are) that we settle down along a humdrum path and become bored with life. So we clutter our lives with even more possessions, hoping to find contentment. And we never do. Not really.
Destiny takes bold actions. It takes courage. And it takes a constant stepping forward. Each of us need to examine our life for those aspects that trip us up. Only you know how to strip yourself, so that you can experience the want for the divine.
We strip.
Often we burden our lives with clutter to cover our fear of the unknown. Possessions make good blankets or cuddle toys. They also trip us up and keep us occupied with the lesser things of life.
The desert Abbas and Ammas left all for desert sands. What could they learn in the sand they couldn't learn in the city? Want. It's okay to want, it's okay to need, it's okay not to be fulfilled. That's what keeps us yearning and moving forward. It's when we think we are satiated (and we never really are) that we settle down along a humdrum path and become bored with life. So we clutter our lives with even more possessions, hoping to find contentment. And we never do. Not really.
Destiny takes bold actions. It takes courage. And it takes a constant stepping forward. Each of us need to examine our life for those aspects that trip us up. Only you know how to strip yourself, so that you can experience the want for the divine.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Fulfilling Dreams
We all have dreams. Or at least, we should. But following a dream requires as many twists and turns as climbing a mountain. Only those sincerely believing in dreams will persevere.
Paulo Coelho writes in The Alchemist: The mere possibility of getting what we want fills the soul of the ordinary person with guilt. We look around at all those who have failed to get what they want and feel that we do not deserve to get what we want either.
Why do we do that? Why do we constantly compare ourselves to others and their journeys or lack of it? I think it is because we lack the courage to believe firmly that God's plan for us is unique, and found in the deepest recesses of our heart, and ultimately, only revealed to us. Listening to his word will open us to his plan and help us learn discernment. And that plan of God for our life is unlike his plan for anyone we know or see. So we need to stop comparing.
I firmly believe our happiness is dependant upon fulfilling God's plan for our lives here on earth. To do that we must dream, we must seek, and we must move forward, even if no one else is moving in our direction.
Paulo Coelho writes in The Alchemist: The mere possibility of getting what we want fills the soul of the ordinary person with guilt. We look around at all those who have failed to get what they want and feel that we do not deserve to get what we want either.
Why do we do that? Why do we constantly compare ourselves to others and their journeys or lack of it? I think it is because we lack the courage to believe firmly that God's plan for us is unique, and found in the deepest recesses of our heart, and ultimately, only revealed to us. Listening to his word will open us to his plan and help us learn discernment. And that plan of God for our life is unlike his plan for anyone we know or see. So we need to stop comparing.
I firmly believe our happiness is dependant upon fulfilling God's plan for our lives here on earth. To do that we must dream, we must seek, and we must move forward, even if no one else is moving in our direction.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Reed of God
Ever feel like you are a conduit for God's grace for someone else? Carol Houselander referred to this quality as the "Reed of God".
There are times in our lives when our duty is not to accomplish something, but to be a source of grace for someone else who is destined to accomplish a task. In a way, it is harder to be a source of grace than to be a doer. It is harder to believe in the power of your prayer than to take satisfaction in the practice of a good work. Yet, there are times we need to be still and let God work through us.
Houselander says that to be a Reed of God requires an openness and an emptiness that allows grace to flow unimpeded, like the wind through a hollow tube or reed. And openness and emptiness requires a lot of letting go. Which in turn requires a lot of trust.
So you can see, being a Reed of God requires great depth of soul. No wonder it is the harder task.
There are times in our lives when our duty is not to accomplish something, but to be a source of grace for someone else who is destined to accomplish a task. In a way, it is harder to be a source of grace than to be a doer. It is harder to believe in the power of your prayer than to take satisfaction in the practice of a good work. Yet, there are times we need to be still and let God work through us.
Houselander says that to be a Reed of God requires an openness and an emptiness that allows grace to flow unimpeded, like the wind through a hollow tube or reed. And openness and emptiness requires a lot of letting go. Which in turn requires a lot of trust.
So you can see, being a Reed of God requires great depth of soul. No wonder it is the harder task.
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