If you have not put Richard Rohr’s book, The Universal Christ, on your reading list, do it now while it’s on your mind. This book has the potential to reshape how you think about faith and life. Among the many highlighted sentences and sections in my copy are these words: “The point of the Christian life is not to distinguish oneself from the ungodly, but to stand in solidarity with everyone and everything else.” That sentence is worth expanding. The goal of the Christian life is not to determine who is good and who is bad; it’s not at all about my personal salvation. It is about complete immersion in God; waking to what is, not simply preparing for what will be. I would add: to live the life of Jesus, we are not called to be religious, but to be real; angelic, but to be authentic; holy, but to be whole; saved by belief, but awakened to life; spiritual, but to be human.
To be his disciple is not limited to creed but is all about conduct. I’m always amazed at Rohr’s candor and courage, given that he’s still on the roster of the Franciscan Order of the Catholic Church. His words must challenge many. But, then, truth always does.
Shining Spirit 
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