No narrative is fully explanatory and totally complete. In this sense, metanarratives do not exist. Be they scientific, theological, or philosophical – all fall short of being able to give us that much sought after “meta” that constantly escapes our grasp. And it’s a good thing it does. To live spiritual lives in this regard means to embrace the “sufficient” given, and to let go of the dreams and illusions of that which tempts us towards the more than has been made available for right now.
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Monday, May 27, 2013
Reflection for the Week - May 27
Paul’s rhetoric of equality in 1 Corinthians 7 is astounding. Not only do the bodies of wives belong to their husbands, but the bodies of husbands belong to their wives. Marriage partners are not free to do what they please with their bodies. Spirituality is an earthly-bodily phenomenon. Liberty, asceticism, and idolatry are three false emblems of an overly already-focused spirituality that leads us astray. Misunderstandings abound today. Bodies are worshipped (idolatry), devalued (liberty), or seen as having nothing to do with the spiritual, which is entirely cut off from the physical world (asceticism). The body however - both what it is and what it does - are key parts of living spirituality.
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Living Spiritual Rhythms - May 22
An empire in disarray?
Forging through the empty streets at midnight, I noticed that there were no lights in the windows. Everyone sleeping? Not likely. Power outage? Possibly. There was a strong odor of something dead pervading my senses. Humans? Animals? Not sure. I had no idea. My hands were tightly jammed into my pants pockets and my shoulders hunched up against the glacial cold. It was freezing. Walking more quickly now from block to block, nothing changed. I kept expecting a light, some warmth, and to escape from the stench. Same darkness, same cold, same smell. Recognizing that I was immersed in that which I didn’t choose or determine, I became even more unsettled and alarmed. Who am I? Where am I going? I used to somehow be able to pretend I was in charge. No longer. In actuality, I’m so fragile and continually affected by all that’s in and around me. I’m dust, like grass, and flowers in the field. I will all too soon disappear. But then, I realized that I’m still here on these streets, experiencing fear, feeling cold, and smelling death, as pangs of loneliness over take me, I wandered around desperately searching for life, which appeared to be gone. Terrified, I pressed on.
I trudged through loads of debris strewn all over. This scene reminded me of some of the relational contexts of my own life. What a mess. I used to think that people were hell. I detested the old superficial drabble about the weather or the hum drum of working at SB. Get a life, I thought. But now that I found myself alone, even the trite comments of another person would be cherished. I longed for human contact. A voice. A touch. A face. Frantic. Then, I realized I heard someone. There were muffled words. Hope and excitement flowed through me. My heart felt like it would explode. Even though it was still freezing, I stripped off my tattered blue coat and with my hands began to uncover some rubble. Pieces of concrete and broken glass were piled up. I removed them. It only took a few minutes to realize the voice I heard was not a breathing fleshly being as I, but a cell phone recording, repeating over and over, “the person you have called is not available - try to call again later.” Terrified, I pressed on.
Monday, May 20, 2013
Reflection for the Week - May 20
Love is not making it up as we go along. God is love and therefore God gives us direction as to what love is. Love is never less than justice, but always more. And Superabundantly more. The path of love is kind, gentle, and gracious, and doesn’t cherish keeping a list of grievances, but neither is it unchallenging. We are to love God, each other, and all human beings, as we seek to be those who demonstrate the truth that God sent Christ to redeem and restore the world.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Living Spiritual Rhythms – May 15
While there is a place for suspicion in our lives, it can often dominate and control our engagements with self, other, world, and God. When this happens, suspicion is functioning as a call to itself, and therefore one of the major idols of our times Yes, I can hear you saying, “But suspicion is what makes it all happen.” We sometimes assume that suspicion keeps us safe and provides us with a space to dwell, without having to commit or needing to participate in something that might threaten the status quo. Yet, this is far from the truth, as the beingness of trust pervades our essence and identity. Breaking through the walls of suspicion, which condemn us to be unknown and unloved, is a revolutionary orientation that marks us out for the economy of gift, where the desire to be known and loved is understood, applauded, and welcomed.
Monday, May 13, 2013
Reflection for the Week - May 13
Fiction making may not be self-deceptive. That which leads us outside ourselves is at least potentially informative about what is real and true. Taking a too direct view of who one is – gazing only at oneself – will inevitably be unhelpful. We have to be open to a long detour through signs, symbols, stories, and poems if we hope to arrive at a better understanding and explanation of who we are. But the other and nature also have to be recognized as realities that will confirm a necessary exteriority for recounting a life beyond the material, which is saturated with meaning that can often be expressed through the beauty of fiction.
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Living Spiritual Rhythms – May 8
An empire in disarray?
Forging through the empty streets at midnight, I noticed that there were no lights in the windows. Everyone sleeping? Not likely. Power outage? Possibly. There was a strong odor of something dead pervading my senses. Humans? Animals? Not sure. I had no idea. My hands were tightly jammed into my pants pockets and my shoulders hunched up against the glacial cold. It was freezing. Walking more quickly now from block to block, nothing changed. I kept expecting a light, some warmth, and to escape from the stench. Same darkness, same cold, same smell. Recognizing that I was immersed in that which I didn't choose or determine, I became even more unsettled and alarmed. Who am I? Where am I going? I used to somehow be able to pretend I was in charge. No longer. In actuality, I’m so fragile and continually affected by all that’s in and around me. I’m dust, like grass, and flowers in the field. I will all too soon disappear. But then, I realized that I’m still here on these streets, experiencing fear, feeling cold, and smelling death, as pangs of loneliness over take me, I wander around desperately searching for life, which appears to be gone. Terrified, I pressed on.
Monday, May 6, 2013
Reflection for the Week - May 6
Breathing chaos at daybreak, an armor plated character stands on the horizon and releases fire into the air. Despite the remarkable complexity of dawn and the steely cold appearance of the figure, there is a masterful arrangement to the floating currents of warmth that emerge out of solid mass, and then settle into a new pattern of resilience. Forged in the mists of a winter night, a litany of movements stream out of this personal being and spiral towards a spring day in the material world; the made for love is transformed. Deftly engaged in producing life, the explosive miracle takes place yet again. And that which now flourishes, a blessing for a short time, will soon die.
Friday, May 3, 2013
Living Spiritual Rhythms - May 3
Our culture of excess is exploding. Corrupt politicians, economic scandals, and greedy financial advisors may end up having done us a favor. Their duplicity and dishonesty should be a wake up call that critiques our consuming addictions. The shocking events of the last year are appalling and terrible, but it’s time to learn from them. We’ve journeyed so far from reality that we don’t know where to find it anymore.
We have to move in new directions of truth and integrity, with God at the center, Christ as mediator, and the Spirit and Scripture as our guide. That is, we have to follow in the footsteps of Christ in rejecting the life of progress and plenty as our goals, while we embrace the life of service and sacrifice, which finds it destiny in the cross and resurrection.
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