CHRISTMAS 2017
The meaning of Christmas has surely changed for me during my 80
years. Rather than the very concrete images generated by biblical stories, I
now focus on a more expansive view that involves my existence in a universe
that is such a gift to each of us. As such, each day, each moment, is an
opportunity to treasure this experience.
It has been difficult
lately for me to deal with national and international situations that I once
thought we could improve. I was tragically deluded. There are few signs that we
are advancing the condition of mankind in spite of our “advanced” knowledge.
The brutal ways that mankind treats others who are different seem to have found
multiple opportunities to make matters worse. As I look around Mother Earth,
there are few signs of peace. The
desire to keep this small, but beautiful, planet habitable seems to wither.
And so, this Christmas finds me rejoicing that I exist! Not only
do I have the privilege of life in a universe that becomes more spectacular as
scientists find ever-new planets. The gift of life is precious.
That I can share this life with such a beautiful woman for nearly
50 years is a breathtaking gift. No one deserves such a gift. I have never
stopped being amazed by my good fortune. My life is so much better by sharing
it with Joan Louise.
And now, as we await the our family for our Christmas celebration,
I am awed to think that I am loved by such beautiful people who I could not, in
turn, love more.
I continue to focus on “the moment” when I am aware of my
existence in this beautiful universe. In the moment, I am aware that the
universe is a gift that keeps on giving. It does appear that collectively, we
are not doing well as care keepers. But, in this moment, I am loved and, in
turn, love everyone!
I will conclude this blog with a meditation by Richard Rohr, a Franciscan
priest, who shares such meditations daily. He started a retreat center in New
Mexico many years ago, called the Center for Action and Contemplation. I share
his vision that is articulated so well in the daily email meditations. If
interested, you can request the meditations by emailing meditations@cac.org. Donations are accepted, but not required.
The attached photos do justice to my perception of the gift of my (and by extension, everyone's) existence.
The Goal, Sunday, December 17, 2017
The purifying goal of mysticism and contemplative prayer is
nothing less than divine union—union with what is, with the moment, with yourself,
with the divine, which means with everything. Healing, growth, and happiness
are admittedly wonderful byproducts of prayer, but they must not be our primary
concern. The goal must be kept simple and clear—love of God and neighbor, union
with God and neighbor. Our common word for this state of union is heaven.
Wherever there is union, there is a little bit of heaven.
Much of common religion is well-disguised self-interest—high
premium fire insurance for the afterlife—instead of self-emptying love. Most of
the official Catholic liturgical prayers ask in some form, “That I or we might
go to heaven.” (This is not a guess. I have counted!) Is there no other
priority than my personal salvation? If it is true that lex
orandi est lex credendi, “the way you pray is the way you believe,” then
it is no wonder Christians have such a poor record of caring for the suffering
of the world and for the planet itself, and the Church has fully participated
in so many wars and injustices. We have been allowed to pray in a rather
self-centered way, and that fouled the Christian agenda, in my opinion.
Jesus talked much more about how to live on earth now than about
how to get to heaven later. Show me where Jesus healed people for the next
world. He healed their present entrapment and suffering in their bodies, not
just their souls. But many Christians, both Protestant and Catholic, pushed the
goal into the future, making religion into a petty reward/punishment system
inside a frame of retributive justice. (The major prophets—and Jesus himself—teach restorative justice instead.)
Once Christianity became a simplistic win/lose morality contest, we lost most
of the practical, transformative power of the Gospel for the individual and for
society. I cannot state this strongly enough.
Objectively, we cannot be separate from God; we all walk in the
Garden whether we know it or not. The branch that imagines itself to be separate from the Vine
(John 15:1-8), acts as if it is separate from God. We call
the result sin, but the real sin is the imagined state of separation. It is our
own delusion and decision!
We came from God and we will return to God. Everything in-between
is a school toward conscious loving. As theologian Charles Williams (1886-1945)
said, the “master idea” of Christianity is co-inherence. “You
already know the Spirit of Truth; the Spirit is with you and in you!” (John
14:17). God is your deepest desiring. But it takes a long time to allow,
believe, trust, and enjoy such a wonderful possibility. We move toward union by
desiring union. We move into heaven by desiring heaven now. So just pray for
the desire to desire union. Then the actions will take care of themselves.
