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The Timing of Spiritual Journeys Varies Drastically
The timing of each person’s spiritual journey is unique. We may pray and ask for the same things, but our spiritual needs may take us through other aspects of the journey before the timing is right.
Recovering alcoholics have a lot of support at each stage. The average Christian isn’t necessarily open to the same helps. Jesus came to free sinners by sharing the Love of God with them. Those that know they need the grace of that Love are more likely to embrace it and cling to it. Those who are managing to live by the basic ten commandments may still feel they are earning that Love. Sadly the “do nots” are not all that Jesus was about. If unconsciously we are still trying to earn God’s Love we miss out not only on the joy, but the call of the Beatitudes which is a whole different ball game, but is the way to greater freedom and openness to the grace of joy.
My Julian’s take on religion was that if your do right list is greater than your do wrong list, you get to heaven. He only experienced that joy in the last year of his life when he was fighting cancer and could no longer do the things he thought he needed to do. Unconditional love has no pride in it. It’s pure grace. And it’s part of the journey along with using our gifts to help others. Our talents and strengths are gifts from God. We didn’t earn them and some of us are not born with the inner drive and confidence to use them…..whether for all others or even mostly ourselves and family. Some of us need the constant grace of the Love of God. We lack the gift of focus and perseverance. You can see the difference early in children. Some need the grace of God much sooner than others. The older strong and dutiful brother of the prodigal son didn’t know he needed the grace of humility that frees us to love the unlovable like Jesus did. And that’s the unlovable in both ourselves and others. At some point our journey will take us to the “without one plea” point of openness to the Amazing Grace of God’s unconditional Love fleshed out in Jesus. Many Of the Saints reached it pretty early in their journeys, because they were not naturally good, or focused or persevering.
1hr “Richard Rohr on The Awakening of Spirit, Part 1 | Archival Recording (1987)” on YouTube – Beginnings of his Center for Action and Contemplation –
I don’t know if you can listen to this, but the still quite young Richard Rohr’s expression of spirituality covered my fifty-five years of spiritual journey. But, this oneness has not been limited to contemplation. I experienced it several times when alone in nature, but also when tired and irritated, I put my husband’s need for physical affirmation and oneness ahead of my own needs. It brought a oneness in spirit with the oneness in body and morphed into an overwhelming oneness with ALL. This is the heart of spirit……we are all one….what we do to anyone, we are doing to all, including Jesus. This is the Spirit of God within us connecting us to LOVE, which is God the Father and God the Son.
Christian Meditation/Spiritual/Mystic Interests
Interests
Fr Richard Rohr speaks extensively about the right side of the brain, and how modern technology has made it possible for Science to discover more things about the right side. His discussion exposes the violent evil of Psychiatry regarding what is sometimes called “Psychosurgery” or “Surgical lobotomy”. This surgery destroys the right side of the brain through the invasive procedure and actually removes a certain portion of the right side of the brain. Many people use cruel or derogatory words such as “vegetating” for the mental condition of people who have had such violence done to their brain. They are a testimony to the fact that the right side of the brain is necessary for body wholeness. The body and mental functioning is severely diminished by this unnecessary surgery that violates the purpose of the Creator of the human body for the spirit and the soul to be in harmony…
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My Short Version of Christianity. What’s Yours?
Christianity is about experiencing the unconditional Love of God fleshed out in Jesus with both our heart and our mind.
Christianity is about forgiveness.
Christianity is about passing on that Love.
Christianity is about loving people more than loving being right.
Christianity is about the awesome God of the universe being within each of us.
Christianity is about accepting that we are all “earthen vessels,” which means we are all probably at least slightly “cracked.” So, though we are Spirit filled, we leak!
Christianity is about recognizing that Jesus is a well where we can go to refill.
Christianity is about realizing that the Spirit of God works differently in diverse people, maybe like a geyser, or a brook, or even an underground river.
Christianity is about valuing the fruit of the Spirit: peace, love, joy in whatever wrapping or label it wears.
Christianity is about Jesus showing us that this life is not all there is.
Christianity: A Movement, Not an Institution
Jesus Started a Movement
I really don’t think we can ever renew the church until we stop thinking of it as an institution and start thinking of it as a movement. —Clarence Jordan, letter, 1967
Michael Curry is the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church and is passionate about the church rediscovering itself as a movement of Jesus:
Jesus did not establish an institution, though institutions can serve his cause. He did not organize a political party, though his teachings have a profound impact on politics. Jesus did not even found a religion. No, Jesus began a movement, fueled by his Spirit, a movement whose purpose was and is to change the face of the earth from the nightmare it often is into the dream that God intends. . . .
That’s why his invitations to folk who joined him are filled with so many active verbs. In John 1:39 Jesus calls disciples with the words, “Come and see.” In Matthew, Mark, and Luke, he asks others to “Follow me.” And at the end of the Gospels, he sent his first disciples out with the word, “Go . . .” [. . .] As in, “Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation” (Mark 16:15). . . .
If you look at the Bible, listen to it, and watch how the Spirit of God unfolds in the sacred story, I think you’ll notice a pattern. You cannot help but notice that there really is a movement of God in the world.
Curry identifies several characteristics of the Jesus movement [1]:
First, the movement was Christ-centered—completely focused on Jesus and his way. . . . Long before Christianity was ever called the Church, or even Christianity, it was called “the Way” [see Acts 9:2]. The way of Jesus was the way. The Spirit of Jesus, the Spirit of God, that sweet, sweet Spirit, infused their spirits and took over. . . .
The second mark of the movement is this: following the way of Jesus, they abolished poverty and hunger in their community. Some might say they made poverty history. The Acts of the Apostles calls this abolition of poverty one of the “signs and wonders” which became an invitation to others to follow Jesus too, and change the world. . . . It didn’t take a miracle. The Bible says they simply shared everything they had [Acts 4:32–35]. The movement moved them in that particular way.
Third, they learned how to become more than a collection of individual self-interests. They found themselves becoming a countercultural community, one where Jews and Gentiles, circumcised and uncircumcised, had equal standing [see Acts 15:1–12].
Curry continues, taking inspiration from the early church for our own moment:
Ministry in this moment . . . has to serve more than an institution. It has to serve the movemen
Today’s Quote
Perfect for our times. He not only saved us from a bloody race war, he showed us how we can follow the WAY Jesus lived and died without hating or resorting to violence.
We must accept finite disappointment, but we must never lose infinite hope.
~ Martin Luther King Jr. ~
_______________
Fire and Spirit
Baptism of Fire and Spirit
When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. —Acts 2:1–4
In this Pentecost homily, Father Richard Rohr encourages us to recognize and call upon the Holy Spirit, a gift God has already given us!
It is a shame that the Holy Spirit tends to be an afterthought for many Christians. We don’t really “have the Spirit.” We tend, I’m afraid, to simply go through the motions. We formally believe, but honestly, there isn’t much fire to it. There isn’t much conviction. There isn’t much service. We just sort of believe. That’s why in the Gospels there are two baptisms that are clearly distinguished. There’s the baptism with water that most of us are used to, and there’s the baptism “with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Matthew 3:11); that’s the one that really matters.
The water baptism that many of us received as children really demands little conviction or understanding. Until that water baptism becomes real, until we know Jesus, and we can rely on Jesus, call upon Jesus, share Jesus, love Jesus, we’re just going along for the ride.
We can recognize people who have had a second baptism in the Holy Spirit. They tend to be loving. They tend to be exciting. They want to serve others, and not just be served themselves. They forgive life itself for not being everything they once hoped for. They forgive their neighbors. They forgive themselves for not being as perfect as they would like to be.
Even though we so often pray, “Come, Holy Spirit,” the gift of the Spirit is already given. The Holy Spirit has already come. You all are temples of the Holy Spirit, equally, objectively, and forever! The only difference is the degree that we know it, draw upon it, and consciously believe it. All the scriptural images of the Spirit are dynamic—flowing water, descending dove, fire, and wind. If there’s never any movement, energy, excitement, deep love, service, forgiveness, or surrender, you can be pretty sure you don’t have the Spirit. If our whole lives are just going through the motions, if there’s never any deep conviction, we don’t have the Spirit. We would do well to fan into flame the gift that we already have.
God does not give God’s Spirit to those of us who are worthy, because none of us are worthy. God gives God’s Spirit in this awakened way to those who want it. On this Feast of Pentecost, quite simply, want it! Rely upon it. Know that you already have it.
Richard Rohr
The City of God
I think this post connects to another one Death and Resurrection……which I will post after this one.
Once, in a dream I found myself in a coat,
– nothing else.
I had no money,
credit cards or credentials,
not a single clue
to my financial status.
I had no memory
of friends or family,
if I was loved by many
or by anyone at all.
I didn’t even know my name.
I was standing alone
at the gate of a golden city
full of sunlit buildings
on an ocean’s edge
of clean white sand.
Inside the city
friendly faces welcomed me
lavishly…
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My Journey
What Did I Want to be When I Grew Up
I wanted to be loved. That seemed like enough. I know. I know. Need is not love. And yes, I was a bottomless pit of needs and wants. And now, I know no one can fill all of anyone’s needs, never-the-less wants. But my husband of sixty years tried his best, because he loved me. And the greatest gift he gave me was in his last years when he was very ill. He needed me. And with the grace of God, I learned to love.
The Fruit of Love
Feeling the tender softness of the gift beneath the golden skin, then tasting that moist sweetness and savoring its delight is exquisite pleasure. But cherishing the one we love more than our own ecstasy frees love to flow though us until we melt together now as one. And suddenly, we find ourselves at one with all God’s Glory.
My Sign of Hope
I’m breathless from struggling up the hill. A rope dangles before me, taunting, tempting, “You’re too old. Eighty-four is ancient. Your shoulder hurts. Your memory leaks. You’re worn out from the effort it takes to just keep on. Where will it get you? You’re not going to climb me, old woman.”
My shoulders slump. I know I can’t climb this rope. I stare at it and sigh. Maybe it could be a noose. I tie it in a loop. Why not give up? Who am I now? Why am I? Invisible, unheard, trapped in the ugly faded soundproof coffin of old age.
As I stare into the cloudy sky a memory comes. Swinging, floating long ago. Starting slow, swinging low, but keeping on until I touched the sky. I laugh and stretch the loop into a swing. Here I go. Starting slow. I feel a breeze teasing my hair. Climbing higher. Spirits lifting. A sunburst ignites a field of golden daffodils below. Daffodils, my sign of Hope.
What Do I Want Now?
I hunger to discover the inner silent me, the self that doesn’t dance for applause. I long to free my torn and scattered self from being tossed helplessly by the winds of constant irresistible distractions. To recognize and accept my new limits and be grateful for the graces freely given by the God who knew me then and now. I need so desperately to be silent, open, focused on listening to find my center where hope and the God of Love live.
Deep Listening
Everything is God’s Music The Reveille of my morning coffee The Silent Night of snowdrifts and stars The morning Medley of gold and violet flowers The Love Songs and personalities of birds at feeders The exuberant Ode to Joy of my youngest two great-grandchildren The Arpeggio of love of four sons, a daughter, spouses and their children The Just as I Am courage and perseverance of grandchildren with challenges The Symphony of classes that feed my hunger for understanding of life and humanity The Amazing Grace of sometimes hearing the Spirit singing through my imperfect writing
Left-Brain Fairy Tale
This from a fellow blogger. It’s delightful. Had to share it.
“Let me tell you a story,” I said to my millennial grandson when he was about nine.
He acquiesced, probably out of politeness to his aged grandmother.
“Once upon a time there was a beautiful princess who lived up on the top of that mountain,” I gestured towards the peak towering above our village.
“Was she a dwarf?” he asked.
“Er – I’m not sure,” I hadn’t developed my story quite to that point.
“She was the daughter of the King of the Mountain …”
“The King of the Mountain was a dwarf,” he stated in an irrefutable tone.
I considered that irrelevant and continued:
“… and she spent most of her time wandering around exploring the …”
“Did she have a snowboard?”
“A snowboard?”
“There’s a lot of snow up there in winter.” He was, of course, right. “Or skis. She might have had a sledge.”
“Well, maybe she…
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Laughter: Carbonated Grace 