Shining Spirit

One of my favorite stopping places online is “Quotations.” I just put that word in the search line and then explore many wonderful collections of important sayings and insights. An example or two: the famous theologian, Reinhold Niebuhr: “Man’s capacity for justice makes Democracy possible, but man’s inclination to injustice makes Democracy necessary.” Niebuhr knew us well. Or Edmund Burke: “Nobody makes a greater mistake than he who does nothing because he could do only a little.” Every positive act counts, even if it is a little act. But the one that really hits home is this, a quotation from Alfred Adler: “It is always easier to fight for one’s principles than to live up to them.” He was right. In our spiritual lives, it is sometimes easier to argue for justice while living unjustly; for mercy even while being merciless; to advocate for love while hating my neighbor. What we say has to match what we do. To love Christ is to love the unlovable; and that’s not easy. Sometimes our best arguments for a particular principle or practice are lost when what we say does not match what we do.

Probably a good idea for each of us to examine our dearest principles in the light of our faithful practice. Press on.

I had a brilliant idea the other day (he said modestly). I will rearrange my desk for better usage of my electronic toys, more efficiency. Isn’t that the point of life — be efficient? So, from left to right on the desk: a lamp, a round electronic ball that makes music, the one that has a name: “Hey…” Next comes a small, framed picture, post-it notes, two three-ring binders, a large desktop video monitor, a small notepad, another framed photo, a ceramic figure holding a candle over her head, a bluetooth keyboard and mouse, a laptop, a printer, and some things on a bottom shelf. And, since they all need to “talk” to each other, there are wires everywhere: monitor to laptop, laptop to printer, etc.

After extensive planning and what seemed like hours of rearranging, I put everything back like it was originally. The challenge was to reconnect all those power cords and cables, in the right places. HDMI and USB cables don’t live at the same address. So, finally I had all the cables connected and running into a power-surge device, and I began pushing “On” buttons. No response. No printer. No monitor. The laptop wouldn’t wake up. Efficiency. Even the desk lamp refused to cooperate. Well, electronic wizard that I am, I fiddled with the wires and fumed but finally noticed one substantial cord resting on the floor without any connection. Just laying there. Guess what…that power surge mechanism, bristling with wires, doesn’t function well unless it is plugged into a source. Power! Current! The simple electrical outlet on the wall welcomed that one wire, and everything came to life. Source! The Source! Nothing works without power from The Source. Things don’t work unless they are plugged in. Get it?

Ok, one last try: spiritual insight and energy are readily available to you today, but you have to plug into The Source. Ah, ha!

Author Henry Miller once said: “One’s destination is never a place, but rather a new way of looking at things.” I beg to differ. A destination is always a place. I’ve got to get to the grocery store, or to Chicago, or to my doctor’s office; those are destinations. My days are filled with departures and arrivals. Another way of grasping what Mr. Miller said is this: Every destination reached is an opportunity to see in a new way. Seeing in a new way; seeing as if for the first time; seeing beyond what your eyes take in. For instance, my doctor’s office is packed with sick people, and here I sit in the midst of coughing, sneezing, and runny noses. And then I look to my right and there is a sweet little girl nestled in her mother’s lap, her head resting on mother’s chest. I’m looking at her…the destination of my looking…and then, suddenly, I see her. I see her because she glances my way and her eyes lock onto mine. For a moment only, we see each other. A soft smile forms on her face and I return the smile just as she closes her eyes in the peace and security of Mom’s arms. In the midst of sneezing, coughing and runny noses, I’m not looking, I’m seeing. Two smiles meet; a connection is made, and for a split second my destination becomes a divine encounter.

The destination is important, but destinations always hold surprises that are encountered not simply by looking, but by seeing. Think about some of the destinations in your life, the ones you will go to today: the restaurant, the barber shop, the next room in your house. Every destination is a doorway to seeing with the eyes of your heart, and that’s certainly in keeping with who we are, followers of The Way. “Lillies of the field…birds of the air…”

You look at them every day. But, do you see them?

Arthur Ashe was a marvelous tennis player lost to the world too early in his life. In his playing, he thrilled audiences. In his wisdom, he challenged those of us today who shrug our shoulders and say: “But what can I do?”….about…hunger, or my neighbor’s loneliness, or a child’s fear, or…you name it.

Ashe’s suggestion:

Start where you are

Use what you have

Do what you can

Don’t wait until you are confident of success, or better equipped, or smarter, or less busy with your own commitments. Risk for the reward of seeing one hungry person fed, one homeless person sheltered, one child given a chance, one broken heart mended, hearing the sound of that inner voice saying: “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

“As you have done it to the least of these, you have done it unto me.”
What can you do? What are you doing?

To the ancient Jesus gathering that met in the city of Corinth, Paul writes: “I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ.” It isn’t many lines later in his letter that Paul writes: “it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there are quarrels among you, my brothers and sisters.” And here’s what Paul is hearing about the Corinth community: “Some of you say ‘I belong to Paul,’ or ‘I belong to Apollos,’ or ‘I belong to Cephas,’ or ‘I belong to Christ.'” The Grace-filled community is struggling with the eternal issue of disunity, favoritism, confused allegiances. So, Paul is quick to remind them: You belong to Christ, and Christ alone. You, Corinthians, gave up your former identity when you became Christ followers. Now you have one identify: Christ! and Christ alone.

It seems to me that it’s about time we took Paul’s Corinthian reminder very personally. Our angry, divisive time calls for it. Taken seriously, Paul’s statement would mean this for me: I am not a Texan who is a Christian; not an American who is a Christian; not a Democrat/Republican who is a Christian; not a husband/father/grandfather/retired male/nature lover/blog writer…who is a Christian. More than once in the 20 years I spent on active duty as a U.S. Navy Chaplain, I had to decide: Am I a Naval Officer who is a Christian, or am I a Christian who is a Naval Officer? I encourage you today to hear Paul’s words to the Corinth church and apply them to your own experience. Where is my first allegiance? Do I think and act as a “……-Christ” person or is Christ first in every aspect of my life? This moment in time begs each of us to be authentic, honest and honorable; to identify our reference points, the standards by which we define life. We don’t belong to a variety of different identifies plus Christ. Christ defines everything else. This is who we are…or should be.

Several of us went out into the early morning darkness recently…4 a.m…to watch the much publicized meteor shower that was just above our heads. We found a good place from which to view the spectacle and we waited. 4:15. 4:30. No flashes across the sky. About 5 a.m., not having seen even one bright streak, we blamed our failure on too much moon light or too many clouds and we drove home. On the way, someone said “well, it was a pleasant outing anyway. Very quiet. Temperature comfortable. Scenery magnificent. Did you notice the lights of town off in the distance?” And then it occurred to me: we just had a wonderfully quiet, beautifully decorated, peace-filled hour…in good company…and we called that a failure? We were so intent on seeing meteors that we missed the magic of that moment.

Said it before…say it again: beauty is everywhere. Today be mindful of the remarkable. It all waits to be discovered by one who sees with the eyes of the heart. Press on.

If you look through death, there is hope.

Beyond the moment is the greater reality.

Practice seeing “beyond” the obvious: beyond the disappointment or sadness. Faith is simply seeing through the moment into the mystery.

“Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ…”

Nothing

Here? But, where is here?

The object above is called a street map. People used to use them before “you-know-who” came along. I don’t remember ever talking to my street map: “Hey, Map…” But it got me to my destination…if…if I knew my starting point and the final destination. First problem: where am I on this confusing display of streets? Go ahead and draw a circle around your destination, but that won’t get you there. So, I begin to look for identifying markers, location points around here. For instance, I’m looking out over a river…that helps. Over there is a street sign…another step forward. That’s a tall skyscraper off to the left…making progress. Finally, when the moment comes that you’ve got a reasonably good sense of your present location, you begin to relate that to the destination. Or, as an alternative, you scream: “Hey, map…!!

Overlay this onto your spiritual life and you get this scenario. “How do I determine if I’m on track to the treasure I seek: deep communion with the heart of God? Where am I at this moment?” And you begin looking for markers, like “my familiarity of and commitment to the message of Jesus. What did he teach and am I walking in his footsteps?” Or, “how do I express or practice my relationship with Christ?” Or, “do I really care about the sick, the poor, the suffering. What am I doing to address those conditions?” Or, “Have I developed a prayer or meditation life; that is, do I have a listening-session regularly when I listen for that ‘still, small voice’?”

Sign posts. Guide markers to your goal. “Wanting” won’t get you there, just like holding a paper map in your hand won’t get you to your destination. If your answers to the questions above are: “No,” “I don’t”, “No” and “No”, you need some help. Sit down on that park bench over there and have a little conversation with The Spirit. Maybe something like: “Ok, Jesus I can’t find my way. Help, please.” It’s likely that in your heart you will hear: “Know what I taught and follow it. See how I lived and do the same.” There’s joy in the journey and amazing grace at the destination, and lots of twists and turns along the way. Sure helps to recognize those signposts and to know that you’re heading in the right direction. Press on.

I am deeply moved by this paragraph from the book “You Are Here” by David Steindl-Rast. I hope you, too, feel its spiritual power and urgency.

“…many people are not aware of their dignity. To grow into consciousness of his or her human dignity, a child needs two things: being loved unconditionally and being recognized, affirmed, and supported in its uniqueness. Because so many children today lack these two essential experiences, more and more people are feeling worthless and degraded. For adults it is difficult to make up for what they were not given in childhood. However, even adults who are in this way underprivileged can come to the insight that life gives them what they need to become aware of their dignity, even if their parents and caregivers failed to do so. We stand in the great network of life and belong unconditionally to that great community. Not only that, but life loves us and affirms us in our uniqueness. We can rely on that. There never was nor will be another human being like you, and life says yes to you just as you are.

Human dignity–our own and that of every human being–deserves top priority as subject matter in basic education today. But the misery in our world makes it almost impossible for some people to feel loved and recognized. Extreme poverty is thus a crime against human dignity and poses a most urgent challenge to the whole human family. Misery can be overcome, and according to reliable experts, this goal is within realistic reach. Each one of us needs to find a place in this enterprise and go to work without delay. Our own human dignity demands it.”

“You Are Here: Key Words For Life Explorers”
David Steindl-Rast pp. 121-22
Orbis Press

I heard someone say the other day: “I should have that! I am entitled!” And the statement reminded me of a paragraph in David Steindl-Rast’s book, “You Are Here: Key Words For Life Explorers.” He writes: “Entitlement is the unfounded conviction that Life owes me a living. It misses the fact that everything is gift, even my very existence. The more we realize this fact, the more the sense of entitlement will be replaced by a sense of gratitude. This would mark a decisive switch toward a healthy society because gratefulness appreciates and cares for things, for example, the environment, while entitlement’s way of taking everything for granted leads to careless use and abuse.” I wonder how life would be different, how today would be different, if we regarded everything as gift and treated each moment, each breath, with thankful minds and hearts? In a “throw-away” society where everything is for my personal use and benefit, little is valued, waste is enormous, and callous self-interest rules the day.

The way of Jesus prescribes a different approach. Humility, gratitude and stewardship come to mind. No, we are not entitled. Pray that leaders of nations, all who govern, may realize the inherent dangers in personal and national entitlement.