I was reading the Letter of Jude the other night as a Compline meditation, and I came across the phrase, "eternal fire" used in a threatening way. It wasn't the first time I encountered this phrase, as it appears in similar forms in other epistles, but it was the first time I stopped to think a little more about it, and tried to discern why every time I read it I felt that there was something wrong with the way I was seeing it.
The image that comes to mind with this phrase is a fire that burns us forever - adding to that ever-present threat of eternal punishment against misbehavior (non-conforming?) in this life. This interpretation is not consistent with the loving, compassionate, merciful God that I've come to know through experience.
So, either God is not the loving, compassionate, merciful God that I think He is, or we are looking at the phrase "eternal fire" incorrectly.
Let's consider the sentence, "The king wears a royal crown."
The king, and the crown, are two separate things. The crown itself is mostly metal, cloth and jewels. By itself, there is nothing really royal about it.
What makes the crown royal? Certainly not the crown itself, but rather the status of the king. Since it's the king's crown, the crown gets its royalty from the king, not from itself. So the word royal in this case better describes the source of the royalty, rather than something that comes from the crown itself like, "shiny" or "beautiful." The adjective royal describes a transient property rather than one that emerges from the thing described.
This same treatment of the adjective royal can be applied to the adjective eternal in the phrase "eternal fire." The word eternal is not so much a characteristic of the fire as it is the source of the fire. Since God is the only true eternal being, eternal fire in this sense means "God's fire" just like royal crown really means king's crown."
Now, if God is indeed loving, merciful, and compassionate, then somehow this fire must also have these same characteristics. The fire is not a fire that punishes throughout all eternity, but one that cleanses. It will remove (burn off) all the pieces of the false self that surrounds our soul, our true selves; things like false pride, prejudice, illusions, hatreds, fears, anxieties, guilt and shame - any spiritual ill that prevents us from being who we truly were made to be.
God wants to reclaim us for Himself - not destroy or torture us. "Fire" is a metaphor used to describe whatever actions He may take to prepare us for this homecoming, done in a spirit of love, compassion and mercy.
"I came to cast fire upon the earth; and would that it were already kindled!" (Luke 12:49)
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Monday, August 8, 2011
A Key to the Kingdom
In I Kings 19 we read that Elijah took refuge in a cave on Mt. Horeb, his life being sought by Queen Jezebel after he destroyed the prophets of Baal. In the cave, Elijah lamented that the people of Israel forsook their covenant with God. He felt alone and depressed.
God called to Elijah, telling him to come out of the cave and "stand on the mountain before the Lord." God wanted to make a connection with Elijah, but knew that Elijah had to be in the right place mentally, before that would happen. God will continually call to us, too, regardless of where we are or what condition we're in, but he won't be able to communicate with us until we are in the right state of mind, listening to the right thing.
Verses 11 and 12 of I Kings 19 speak of the things that we might usually believe contain the messages of God: powerful winds (current cultural norms and the tide of public opinion?), earthquakes (calamities in nature?), and fire (passions and desires of the mind such as power, greed or popularity?).
But an old adage warns, "Prominence does not guarantee validity." Just because something is in our face regardless of which way we turn, doesn't make it right. The voice of God does not speak through the majority of people, natural disasters or the collective ego of any group. The voice of God is heard through the heart - the still, small voice that Elijah heard once he was able to put all those other distractions aside. Once he let them pass, he could hear the still, small voice - the gentle breeze.
God may gain our attention with some event or happening, but we can't make a true connection with him until we look inward to our own heart. Paul reminds us of this in Romans 10: 8 as he quotes from Deuteronomy, "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart." Jesus mentions the same thing as he described the coming of the kingdom of God in Luke 17:20-21, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will it be where they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!' For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you."
How can we "leave our cave," put the noisy distractions aside, and come to a place where we can listen to the ear of our heart? Certainly, the distractions of this world are many, and they are strong. But stronger still is our own ability to practice present moment mindfulness - shedding any images of the past that trouble us, and fears and worries of the future that grab our attention - enabling us to see what is before us clearly, and to hear what is coming from our heart. This is one key to the kingdom.
We gain present moment mindfulness through practice - lots of it. We live each moment with "piercing eyes" and "piercing ears," really seeing and listening to what is going on around us, seeing and hearing deeply. We take time to be in the present moment, savoring each sight, sound and touch we are experiencing. We ask ourselves questions: "What am I really seeing right now?", "What am I really hearing right now?", "What am I really feeling right now?"
We learn to discern between distractions and truth. And after a while, we begin to see life as it really is. We come to realize that God's love is permanent and that physical things and situations are impermanent, and that all things are really connected in some manner. We come to realize that if we had been born and lived the life of the other person we are talking with, we might be exactly as that other person is right now.
Present moment mindfulness brings with it a greater understanding of life, and that nurtures deeper compassion and love for others and for this world. It helps us to shed the dysfunctional egos that envelop our souls. It is then that we are actually hearing the still, small voice of God coming from the kingdom in our heart.
God called to Elijah, telling him to come out of the cave and "stand on the mountain before the Lord." God wanted to make a connection with Elijah, but knew that Elijah had to be in the right place mentally, before that would happen. God will continually call to us, too, regardless of where we are or what condition we're in, but he won't be able to communicate with us until we are in the right state of mind, listening to the right thing.
Verses 11 and 12 of I Kings 19 speak of the things that we might usually believe contain the messages of God: powerful winds (current cultural norms and the tide of public opinion?), earthquakes (calamities in nature?), and fire (passions and desires of the mind such as power, greed or popularity?).
But an old adage warns, "Prominence does not guarantee validity." Just because something is in our face regardless of which way we turn, doesn't make it right. The voice of God does not speak through the majority of people, natural disasters or the collective ego of any group. The voice of God is heard through the heart - the still, small voice that Elijah heard once he was able to put all those other distractions aside. Once he let them pass, he could hear the still, small voice - the gentle breeze.
God may gain our attention with some event or happening, but we can't make a true connection with him until we look inward to our own heart. Paul reminds us of this in Romans 10: 8 as he quotes from Deuteronomy, "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart." Jesus mentions the same thing as he described the coming of the kingdom of God in Luke 17:20-21, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will it be where they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!' For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you."
How can we "leave our cave," put the noisy distractions aside, and come to a place where we can listen to the ear of our heart? Certainly, the distractions of this world are many, and they are strong. But stronger still is our own ability to practice present moment mindfulness - shedding any images of the past that trouble us, and fears and worries of the future that grab our attention - enabling us to see what is before us clearly, and to hear what is coming from our heart. This is one key to the kingdom.
We gain present moment mindfulness through practice - lots of it. We live each moment with "piercing eyes" and "piercing ears," really seeing and listening to what is going on around us, seeing and hearing deeply. We take time to be in the present moment, savoring each sight, sound and touch we are experiencing. We ask ourselves questions: "What am I really seeing right now?", "What am I really hearing right now?", "What am I really feeling right now?"
We learn to discern between distractions and truth. And after a while, we begin to see life as it really is. We come to realize that God's love is permanent and that physical things and situations are impermanent, and that all things are really connected in some manner. We come to realize that if we had been born and lived the life of the other person we are talking with, we might be exactly as that other person is right now.
Present moment mindfulness brings with it a greater understanding of life, and that nurtures deeper compassion and love for others and for this world. It helps us to shed the dysfunctional egos that envelop our souls. It is then that we are actually hearing the still, small voice of God coming from the kingdom in our heart.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
On Being a "Born Again" Christian
The presence of the kingdom of God is clearly all around us - we can see signs of the Creator in His animals and His plants, and in the stars and the clouds moving through the sky. If we really look, we can see His work everywhere. Scripture tells us that the kingdom of God is within us, too. (Luke 17:21)
The kingdom of God may be all around me, even inside me, but I don't always feel it or live like it is there.
Nicodemus, a Pharisee, came to Jesus with this same concern. He said to Jesus, "We know you are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these things that you do unless God is with him." Embedded in his statement is the question he wanted to ask: "How can I get God to be with me - how can I be in the kingdom of God?"
Jesus answered him by saying, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
Nicodemus, taking this literally (and thereby missing the lesson) responded to Jesus, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'" (John 3:1-7)
The kingdom of God is certainly within each of us, and we can find it there when we look deeply into ourselves, putting aside the busyness of daily life, and quieting the noisy ego that is placing continuous, unreasonable demands on our time and psyche.
But to realize the fullness of this kingdom, to ignite it, to experience the richness of it, I suggest to you that we need other people to bring it to life. The kingdom doesn't work well alone. Yes, it works easier when we are with people of like mind; friends, partners, groups, networks, communities, churches, neighborhoods - for Jesus points out that "wherever two or three are gathered in my name, I am there also." (Matthew 18:20) It erupts in love when people meet and are able to connect at a heart-to-heart level. Maybe you've felt this at times in the past when you're with the right people, and where there is nothing in the way of deep understanding and knowing of each other.
But the kingdom can also be brought to life when we're facing a person we may be having difficulty with, someone who is frustrating us, or with whom we are in conflict. We can activate the kingdom of God even in these situations. How? By being born again.
For me, being born again is the act of deeply looking into the heart, history and hopes of the person I'm with. It's being able to put myself aside for awhile, and live the life of the other person to the point that it almost feels as though I was born that other person. I visualize myself as having been born in his or her life, growing up as they did, in the conditions that she or he had. If I've listened deeply to them, and I've looked deeply into their heart, I'll understand better where they're coming from, I'll gain a sense of why they're thinking the way they do, and I'll understand better what they're facing in life. I may realize that I would have ended up exactly as they have if I'd been born when and where they had been born.
With this deep understanding I gain about the other person, compassion begins to grow in me. I learn to accept who they are. With understanding, compassion and acceptance comes love. Who I thought was an enemy becomes a brother or sister. I see that I am indeed connected with them, and am like them in many ways. We are told to love our enemies, because as soon as we do, they are no longer our enemies. We enter the kingdom of God when we reach this level of understanding.
Being born again means taking the time to deeply listen and deeply see the other person as though we were that person. This takes patience, and time. It means asking questions instead of telling. It means observing rather than showing. It takes humility and a good sense of self. Being born again takes practice. I need the practice. Today I will begin to try to practice this better.
How many times must we be born again? Well, that depends on how many times we interact with another person. Could be quite a lot! We aren't born-again Christians because we claim to be born-again Christians. We're born again Christians because we are born again, and again, and again... (Think of all the birthdays we can celebrate!)
By being born again we can see the kingdom of God, not only in ourselves, but in the other person as well.
"Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." (Luke 12:32 )
"Seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you." (Luke 12:31)
The kingdom of God may be all around me, even inside me, but I don't always feel it or live like it is there.
Nicodemus, a Pharisee, came to Jesus with this same concern. He said to Jesus, "We know you are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these things that you do unless God is with him." Embedded in his statement is the question he wanted to ask: "How can I get God to be with me - how can I be in the kingdom of God?"
Jesus answered him by saying, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
Nicodemus, taking this literally (and thereby missing the lesson) responded to Jesus, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'" (John 3:1-7)
The kingdom of God is certainly within each of us, and we can find it there when we look deeply into ourselves, putting aside the busyness of daily life, and quieting the noisy ego that is placing continuous, unreasonable demands on our time and psyche.
But to realize the fullness of this kingdom, to ignite it, to experience the richness of it, I suggest to you that we need other people to bring it to life. The kingdom doesn't work well alone. Yes, it works easier when we are with people of like mind; friends, partners, groups, networks, communities, churches, neighborhoods - for Jesus points out that "wherever two or three are gathered in my name, I am there also." (Matthew 18:20) It erupts in love when people meet and are able to connect at a heart-to-heart level. Maybe you've felt this at times in the past when you're with the right people, and where there is nothing in the way of deep understanding and knowing of each other.
But the kingdom can also be brought to life when we're facing a person we may be having difficulty with, someone who is frustrating us, or with whom we are in conflict. We can activate the kingdom of God even in these situations. How? By being born again.
For me, being born again is the act of deeply looking into the heart, history and hopes of the person I'm with. It's being able to put myself aside for awhile, and live the life of the other person to the point that it almost feels as though I was born that other person. I visualize myself as having been born in his or her life, growing up as they did, in the conditions that she or he had. If I've listened deeply to them, and I've looked deeply into their heart, I'll understand better where they're coming from, I'll gain a sense of why they're thinking the way they do, and I'll understand better what they're facing in life. I may realize that I would have ended up exactly as they have if I'd been born when and where they had been born.
With this deep understanding I gain about the other person, compassion begins to grow in me. I learn to accept who they are. With understanding, compassion and acceptance comes love. Who I thought was an enemy becomes a brother or sister. I see that I am indeed connected with them, and am like them in many ways. We are told to love our enemies, because as soon as we do, they are no longer our enemies. We enter the kingdom of God when we reach this level of understanding.
Being born again means taking the time to deeply listen and deeply see the other person as though we were that person. This takes patience, and time. It means asking questions instead of telling. It means observing rather than showing. It takes humility and a good sense of self. Being born again takes practice. I need the practice. Today I will begin to try to practice this better.
How many times must we be born again? Well, that depends on how many times we interact with another person. Could be quite a lot! We aren't born-again Christians because we claim to be born-again Christians. We're born again Christians because we are born again, and again, and again... (Think of all the birthdays we can celebrate!)
By being born again we can see the kingdom of God, not only in ourselves, but in the other person as well.
"Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." (Luke 12:32 )
"Seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you." (Luke 12:31)
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Parable of the Mustard Seed
In just a few months I'll be moving further into retirement. (Hurray!) My darling spouse has asked me to do more of the cooking since I'll have extra time on my hands, and that's OK because I actually enjoy cooking.
To improve my culinary skills, I watched a couple of cooking shows on TV yesterday. Oddly enough, both shows talked about using mustard as an emulsifier to bind water and oil together. Without the mustard, oil and water naturally separate, not wanting to be together at all.
Then, listening to the readings in church this morning, I once again heard the parable of the mustard seed:
"The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field. The mustard seed is one of the smallest of seeds, but when it is grown, it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches." Matthew 13:31-32
It occurred to me that the mustard seed could represent our own mindfulness, our consciousness, our awareness of the present moment. If we can properly nurture this to grow in our own field ("our life"), we'll bring with it a greater knowledge and action of the loving Holy Spirit within us, in all that we do, think or say. By doing this, we can bring peace; we can dialogue about our differences instead of debating them. We can learn to see that the different ways people think are opportunities for ourselves to grow and learn. We can drop our prejudices and illusions. We can begin to blend the oil and water of life into a common understanding through the Presence of God in our lives. We can learn to unite instead of divide.
This may be one of the smallest of ideas, one of the littlest things we can do each and every moment: to deeply listen to the other person, to deeply see what is really going on, to deeply think about what we're about to say or do before we do it. But it's also the very thing that can grow large, and be inviting to others (represented by the birds of the air).
Just like any other skill, we need to practice our mindfulness to make it as effective as possible. Let's start right now! Pass the mustard, please...
To improve my culinary skills, I watched a couple of cooking shows on TV yesterday. Oddly enough, both shows talked about using mustard as an emulsifier to bind water and oil together. Without the mustard, oil and water naturally separate, not wanting to be together at all.
Then, listening to the readings in church this morning, I once again heard the parable of the mustard seed:
"The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field. The mustard seed is one of the smallest of seeds, but when it is grown, it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches." Matthew 13:31-32
It occurred to me that the mustard seed could represent our own mindfulness, our consciousness, our awareness of the present moment. If we can properly nurture this to grow in our own field ("our life"), we'll bring with it a greater knowledge and action of the loving Holy Spirit within us, in all that we do, think or say. By doing this, we can bring peace; we can dialogue about our differences instead of debating them. We can learn to see that the different ways people think are opportunities for ourselves to grow and learn. We can drop our prejudices and illusions. We can begin to blend the oil and water of life into a common understanding through the Presence of God in our lives. We can learn to unite instead of divide.
This may be one of the smallest of ideas, one of the littlest things we can do each and every moment: to deeply listen to the other person, to deeply see what is really going on, to deeply think about what we're about to say or do before we do it. But it's also the very thing that can grow large, and be inviting to others (represented by the birds of the air).
Just like any other skill, we need to practice our mindfulness to make it as effective as possible. Let's start right now! Pass the mustard, please...
Thursday, July 21, 2011
The Holy Spirit and Mindfulness
Romans 8:26-39 contains a wealth of discussion material, all of it reinforcing the fact that God is rich in love, mercy and compassion. Sometimes this message gets overshadowed by the tasks and issues we're dealing with in day-to-day life, but it is a true and good message nonetheless.
"Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit makes intercession for us with groanings which we don't always understand. Now He (God), who can search our hearts, knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because the Spirit makes intercessions for us according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."
The Holy Spirit is the active, loving movement of God in our lives. This Presence is known by different names and phrases such as Holy Spirit, the Breath of Life, Advocate, Ruach, Chi, and others. People throughout time and all over the world have described this active Presence in their lives. The Holy Spirit lives within us, and serves as our Guide when we tap into its Presence.
But because of our human ability to mentally live in either the past, present or future, we don't always make the connection with the Spirit and enjoy all the relationship s/he has to offer. The Holy Spirit is Presence, and this means we must be in the Present Moment to make the connection. If we decide to live in the past or the future, we live there alone. And how do we attain this Presence in the present? Well, the answer to this question is the same as the answer to the question, "How do we get to Carnegie Hall?" The answer: "Practice, practice, practice."
"To be called according to His purpose" means to fully leave in the Present Moment - not dwelling in the past or being overly concerned with the future. Life happens now. The Spirit is in the Now. So the key is to practice present moment awareness, sometimes referred to as "mindfulness." When mindfulness is in you, so is the Holy Spirit. It is then that you can fully understand what you are to do in each moment, regardless of the task at hand.
Being mindful is to know what is going on around you as well as within you at any moment. We must learn to live life slowly, experiencing each and every moment - the sounds, the colors, the faces, the conversation, the feelings, the thoughts. As monastics, we begin spiritual formation slowly, so we learn how to live. And once we get better at it, we learn to go even slower. And eventually when we become masters, we practice life as slowly as possible. If we trip, or drop something, or feel frustrated, or miss something, or feel that life is moving too fast, then life is moving too fast. Slow it down. Return to the present.
Senses: What are you seeing? Hearing? Touching? Tasting?
Thoughts: What are you thinking right now? Why?
Actions: What are you doing right now? Why?
Feelings: What are you feeling right now? Why? Is it you or your ego?
The Holy Spirit will always guide you according to the love of God. God is love - what else can He do? If we truly live each and every moment in the presence of the Presence, it will eventually work out for His good. Practicing mindfulness may be one of the more important spiritual disciplines we ever do.
"Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit makes intercession for us with groanings which we don't always understand. Now He (God), who can search our hearts, knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because the Spirit makes intercessions for us according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."
The Holy Spirit is the active, loving movement of God in our lives. This Presence is known by different names and phrases such as Holy Spirit, the Breath of Life, Advocate, Ruach, Chi, and others. People throughout time and all over the world have described this active Presence in their lives. The Holy Spirit lives within us, and serves as our Guide when we tap into its Presence.
But because of our human ability to mentally live in either the past, present or future, we don't always make the connection with the Spirit and enjoy all the relationship s/he has to offer. The Holy Spirit is Presence, and this means we must be in the Present Moment to make the connection. If we decide to live in the past or the future, we live there alone. And how do we attain this Presence in the present? Well, the answer to this question is the same as the answer to the question, "How do we get to Carnegie Hall?" The answer: "Practice, practice, practice."
"To be called according to His purpose" means to fully leave in the Present Moment - not dwelling in the past or being overly concerned with the future. Life happens now. The Spirit is in the Now. So the key is to practice present moment awareness, sometimes referred to as "mindfulness." When mindfulness is in you, so is the Holy Spirit. It is then that you can fully understand what you are to do in each moment, regardless of the task at hand.
Being mindful is to know what is going on around you as well as within you at any moment. We must learn to live life slowly, experiencing each and every moment - the sounds, the colors, the faces, the conversation, the feelings, the thoughts. As monastics, we begin spiritual formation slowly, so we learn how to live. And once we get better at it, we learn to go even slower. And eventually when we become masters, we practice life as slowly as possible. If we trip, or drop something, or feel frustrated, or miss something, or feel that life is moving too fast, then life is moving too fast. Slow it down. Return to the present.
Senses: What are you seeing? Hearing? Touching? Tasting?
Thoughts: What are you thinking right now? Why?
Actions: What are you doing right now? Why?
Feelings: What are you feeling right now? Why? Is it you or your ego?
The Holy Spirit will always guide you according to the love of God. God is love - what else can He do? If we truly live each and every moment in the presence of the Presence, it will eventually work out for His good. Practicing mindfulness may be one of the more important spiritual disciplines we ever do.
Friday, May 6, 2011
Depth of Focus: Friend or Foe?
The ability to distinguish and discern between things is a critical skill, one which we learn early in life to provide us with a level of safety in this physical world. This rational judgment, while increasing our chances for survival, can also diminish our understanding of life by unknowingly becoming the basis for our moral judgment.
We quickly learn through our own experience (or the experience of others) not to touch a hot burner on the stove. Hot isn’t good for us, but room temperature is fine. We learn that sharp things can cut us, but dull things usually don’t. We learn that some people will be helpful to us, and others may hurt us. We learn that some objects are hard and could cause us damage, and that others are soft and should be fine. We learn that some plants are OK to touch, but others (like poison ivy) are not.
But not all things can be, or should be, placed into a “good” versus “bad” system. There is a danger when our well-trained, rational judgment mind encounters new things or situations, and we quickly try to make sense of them in some way. Our “depth of focus” at this point is working very much like a pre-digital camera, with the ability to see things only within a certain focal range. Things outside of this depth of focus are unclear and uncertain, so in our natural inclination to make sense of them we decide whether they’re good or bad.
Maybe the way we classify things comes from society, or its been shaped by parents, friends or other people we admire. To conform to our adopted standards, we might start to use rational judgments to make moral judgments about being wealthy versus being poor; being powerful versus being helpless; being white versus being black; being male versus being female; being young versus being old; being heterosexual versus being homosexual; being tall versus being short; being smart versus being challenged. When we misapply our rational judgment, we begin to create illusions in our minds, and these illusions feed prejudices, and these prejudices grow into fear, which degenerates into hatred.
Consider an artist’s canvas propped up on an easel. On this white background the artist places two dots next to each other, one red and one green. From a normal vantage point we can see that there are two dots of different shades. We have used our rational judgment to distinguish the difference between them. The red color may indicate danger to us, such as the red in a traffic light, or because it’s the color of blood. But red is also the color of roses and romantic hearts. The green color may initially represent something good, like the green in a traffic light; green means it’s time to move ahead. Green is the color of life, as most plants are green. But green is also the color of infection and rot.
However we interpret these colors, our discernment and judgment are hard at work. What started out as an important ability to discern between things is now robbing us of truth, and that diminishes life’s richness. It’s a tough cycle to break, but if we don’t try, we become imprisoned by our own mind.
Our challenge is to change (or expand) our depth of focus to begin to see in new ways. Doing so will destroy illusions we have and help us to expand our understanding. Without compromising our ability to distinguish and discern, we simply add another dimension to our perception. When we begin to look at the red and green dots on the artist’s canvas in a broader depth of field, we begin to see not only their differences, but also how they are really very much alike. Without destroying their uniqueness, we can also begin to appreciate their similarities, and this leads to new opportunities in relationships and interaction.
Stepping back from the artist’s canvas, the red and green dots begin to merge into something new. Maybe we begin to see them as a new color or a new shape. We’re expanding our depth of focus, allowing ourselves to see things in new ways. By pulling back a little we become willing to consider the possibility that what appeared to be differences is no longer true.
The same type of thing happens if we adjust our depth of focus the other way. Instead of moving further away from the artist’s canvas, we move closer – much closer. Suppose we were so close to the two dots on the canvas that we had to use a powerful microscope. The closer we go to the dots, even approaching the molecular level, we begin to lose the distinct colors each dot has, and we begin to see some similarities. We find that each color is made of molecules and atoms, each with combinations of spinning electrons around a nucleus of protons and neutrons. The atoms in each dot actually behave in similar ways, and it becomes difficult to distinguish between the two dots as we could before. We discover common design and similar laws governing their actions. Once again, it shows us a paradox. With our expanded depth of focus, we can say with equal validity that on the one hand the two dots are indeed different, but on the other hand they are the same. Both are true!
So, what can we take away from this to use on our spiritual journey? First, be aware of when we might be using the ability to discern and distinguish beyond its intended use as rational judgment, when it starts to be used for moral or ethical judgment. If we find that we harbor any fears, hatred, or disagreements about things, trace these back to their origins, back through possible prejudices or illusions that we may have, all the way back to a limited depth of focus. Then, step back from this, or examine it more closely, expanding our depth of focus either way, looking for acceptance that what we originally thought was a conflict is actually a paradox. Ask yourself, "Are the differences I'm seeing really true? Really?" Differences begin to reveal connections, new insights bring new understanding, and new opportunities may appear.
We quickly learn through our own experience (or the experience of others) not to touch a hot burner on the stove. Hot isn’t good for us, but room temperature is fine. We learn that sharp things can cut us, but dull things usually don’t. We learn that some people will be helpful to us, and others may hurt us. We learn that some objects are hard and could cause us damage, and that others are soft and should be fine. We learn that some plants are OK to touch, but others (like poison ivy) are not.
But not all things can be, or should be, placed into a “good” versus “bad” system. There is a danger when our well-trained, rational judgment mind encounters new things or situations, and we quickly try to make sense of them in some way. Our “depth of focus” at this point is working very much like a pre-digital camera, with the ability to see things only within a certain focal range. Things outside of this depth of focus are unclear and uncertain, so in our natural inclination to make sense of them we decide whether they’re good or bad.
Maybe the way we classify things comes from society, or its been shaped by parents, friends or other people we admire. To conform to our adopted standards, we might start to use rational judgments to make moral judgments about being wealthy versus being poor; being powerful versus being helpless; being white versus being black; being male versus being female; being young versus being old; being heterosexual versus being homosexual; being tall versus being short; being smart versus being challenged. When we misapply our rational judgment, we begin to create illusions in our minds, and these illusions feed prejudices, and these prejudices grow into fear, which degenerates into hatred.
Consider an artist’s canvas propped up on an easel. On this white background the artist places two dots next to each other, one red and one green. From a normal vantage point we can see that there are two dots of different shades. We have used our rational judgment to distinguish the difference between them. The red color may indicate danger to us, such as the red in a traffic light, or because it’s the color of blood. But red is also the color of roses and romantic hearts. The green color may initially represent something good, like the green in a traffic light; green means it’s time to move ahead. Green is the color of life, as most plants are green. But green is also the color of infection and rot.
However we interpret these colors, our discernment and judgment are hard at work. What started out as an important ability to discern between things is now robbing us of truth, and that diminishes life’s richness. It’s a tough cycle to break, but if we don’t try, we become imprisoned by our own mind.
Our challenge is to change (or expand) our depth of focus to begin to see in new ways. Doing so will destroy illusions we have and help us to expand our understanding. Without compromising our ability to distinguish and discern, we simply add another dimension to our perception. When we begin to look at the red and green dots on the artist’s canvas in a broader depth of field, we begin to see not only their differences, but also how they are really very much alike. Without destroying their uniqueness, we can also begin to appreciate their similarities, and this leads to new opportunities in relationships and interaction.
Stepping back from the artist’s canvas, the red and green dots begin to merge into something new. Maybe we begin to see them as a new color or a new shape. We’re expanding our depth of focus, allowing ourselves to see things in new ways. By pulling back a little we become willing to consider the possibility that what appeared to be differences is no longer true.
The same type of thing happens if we adjust our depth of focus the other way. Instead of moving further away from the artist’s canvas, we move closer – much closer. Suppose we were so close to the two dots on the canvas that we had to use a powerful microscope. The closer we go to the dots, even approaching the molecular level, we begin to lose the distinct colors each dot has, and we begin to see some similarities. We find that each color is made of molecules and atoms, each with combinations of spinning electrons around a nucleus of protons and neutrons. The atoms in each dot actually behave in similar ways, and it becomes difficult to distinguish between the two dots as we could before. We discover common design and similar laws governing their actions. Once again, it shows us a paradox. With our expanded depth of focus, we can say with equal validity that on the one hand the two dots are indeed different, but on the other hand they are the same. Both are true!
So, what can we take away from this to use on our spiritual journey? First, be aware of when we might be using the ability to discern and distinguish beyond its intended use as rational judgment, when it starts to be used for moral or ethical judgment. If we find that we harbor any fears, hatred, or disagreements about things, trace these back to their origins, back through possible prejudices or illusions that we may have, all the way back to a limited depth of focus. Then, step back from this, or examine it more closely, expanding our depth of focus either way, looking for acceptance that what we originally thought was a conflict is actually a paradox. Ask yourself, "Are the differences I'm seeing really true? Really?" Differences begin to reveal connections, new insights bring new understanding, and new opportunities may appear.
Monday, January 17, 2011
The Whip of Cords
Jesus' use of a "whip of cords" to clear out the Temple courtyard brings an important spiritual message for all of us, one that is based on his love and determination for our welfare.
The author of John's Gospel describes the incident of Jesus clearing the Temple as being fueled both by love ("Zeal for your house consumes me," in John 2:17) and by determination ("He drove out the animals," and "overturned the money changers' tables" in John 2:15). John's Gospel placed this incident early in Jesus' ministry to stress some of the important changes that he would bring: no more corruption or cheating, no more sacrificing of animals, and no more irreverence in the Temple.
For me, Jesus' action brings a powerful symbolic message. We can begin to understand this message when we consider the new philosophy that Jesus brings. St. Paul described it well in his letters to the church at Corinth when he wrote, "Do you not know that you are God's temple, and that God's spirit dwells in you?" (I Corinthians 3:16) And later, "What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, 'I will live in them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall b my people.'" (2 Corinthians 6:16)
Jesus also comments on this in John 14:17, "This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you."
Jesus considers each of us to be a temple of God, a place where he will reside, a place that he loves. And like the Temple in Jerusalem, Jesus will enter into our lives, into our temple if we let him, and will use his "whip of cords" to drive out all that is not of God. (Notice that he did not use the whip of cords on the Temple itself - only on the things that shouldn't have been there.)
And what does this whip of cords represent? God uses all of his creation to work together, and will often work through other people to accomplish his mission. Jesus made a whip of cords appropriate to the situation at hand. He will do the same for us. Each cord of the whip represents a member of a team of people that support our spiritual journey - people we need around us to help us grow and become who God made us to be. This group of people (our "cords") is unique to our situation. The team may consist of physicians, counselors, pastors, friends, therapists, spiritual directors, teachers, parents, nutritionists, coaches - anyone who may contribute to our well-being - anyone who can help us drive out anything that is not of God in a loving, but determined, way.
The process takes time, and requires honesty and commitment. Find these people if you don't have them. Together, as a team, your temple will gradually be renewed and you will gradually come to know, love and serve God in your own unique way.
The author of John's Gospel describes the incident of Jesus clearing the Temple as being fueled both by love ("Zeal for your house consumes me," in John 2:17) and by determination ("He drove out the animals," and "overturned the money changers' tables" in John 2:15). John's Gospel placed this incident early in Jesus' ministry to stress some of the important changes that he would bring: no more corruption or cheating, no more sacrificing of animals, and no more irreverence in the Temple.
For me, Jesus' action brings a powerful symbolic message. We can begin to understand this message when we consider the new philosophy that Jesus brings. St. Paul described it well in his letters to the church at Corinth when he wrote, "Do you not know that you are God's temple, and that God's spirit dwells in you?" (I Corinthians 3:16) And later, "What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, 'I will live in them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall b my people.'" (2 Corinthians 6:16)
Jesus also comments on this in John 14:17, "This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you."
Jesus considers each of us to be a temple of God, a place where he will reside, a place that he loves. And like the Temple in Jerusalem, Jesus will enter into our lives, into our temple if we let him, and will use his "whip of cords" to drive out all that is not of God. (Notice that he did not use the whip of cords on the Temple itself - only on the things that shouldn't have been there.)
And what does this whip of cords represent? God uses all of his creation to work together, and will often work through other people to accomplish his mission. Jesus made a whip of cords appropriate to the situation at hand. He will do the same for us. Each cord of the whip represents a member of a team of people that support our spiritual journey - people we need around us to help us grow and become who God made us to be. This group of people (our "cords") is unique to our situation. The team may consist of physicians, counselors, pastors, friends, therapists, spiritual directors, teachers, parents, nutritionists, coaches - anyone who may contribute to our well-being - anyone who can help us drive out anything that is not of God in a loving, but determined, way.
The process takes time, and requires honesty and commitment. Find these people if you don't have them. Together, as a team, your temple will gradually be renewed and you will gradually come to know, love and serve God in your own unique way.
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