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Posts Tagged ‘way of Jesus’

Mystical Indwelling

Posted in Ordinary Time, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on September 3, 2009| Leave a Comment »

John 17:20b-21a; 22b-23a
“I pray also for those who will believe in me through their [followers] message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. … I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me.” [Jesus praying]

How can anyone read this text and not wonder what all this indwelling is about? I think it’s quite mystical really. It’s not a feeling. It’s not something we can see. We cannot “know” if the indwelling has happened. This is strictly on faith.

For those who believe that life is more than our 3-dimensional world, the leap is not as difficult. In fact, it’s really the whole point. If we ask Christ to live within, it’s a done deal. This is not a real estate transaction where the Spirit comes in, takes a look around and says, “not interested, too many issues.” If we ask, the Spirit comes.

The next process is developing a relationship with the indwelling Spirit. We have to learn the language of love, hope, and trust within. This takes time. And that journey is different for each person. I find it a wonderful, yet sometimes disturbing, mystery. It’s simply not that easy to do.

Often, people will develop their own personal word picture to assist them in the discovery process. I remember, at one time, I pictured myself as a child who was walking on one side of a stream while Jesus walked on the other. I was looking for a bridge. It was my first foray into the Spirit’s guidance.

The most effective way to enter into process is through prayer. But too often, we turn prayer into a personal monologue. It’s too much like talking to Santa Claus: I want this and this and please do this and don’t forget this. After thirty years, I still fall into that trap. In recent years, I have taught myself to practice being still and listening more (within).

In fact, all of the spiritual practices are intended to help us in our indwelling journey; not only prayer, but also communion, reading of the Word and other challenging texts, worship, music (food for the ears), personal expressions of creativity, providing “food” for the eyes through beauty, meaningful community experiences, meditation, contemplation, time in nature and natural settings, service to the poor, widows & orphans, loving neighbor, practicing hospitality… just to name a few. These are all ways of learning about the operation of the Holy Spirit within.

But, if we don’t participate in spiritual practices regularly, we can become numb to the presence within. It’s like living in a foreign land. If we don’t use the language of Spirit, we can lose our ability to understand it. All can be regained, but it takes commitment and desire.

Today, I pray for mindfulness of Christ’s indwelling. I embrace the mystery. I accept the mystical nature of this union.

With what other practices do you experience the indwelling Christ?

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Is There an Evil One?

Posted in Ordinary Time, tagged , , , , , , , , , on September 2, 2009| Leave a Comment »

John 17:15
“My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.” [Jesus praying]

Is there an evil one? You’re kidding! On what planet are you living? Of course there is an evil one and he/she is having a party down here.

The question is how do we engage evil.

According to Jesus, truth is the great weapon against evil [vs 17]. Harumph! We don’t use that tactic much. I think we try other things instead: isolating ourselves from evil, condemning evil, running away from evil, lumping evil in with a lot of other things, avoiding evil, and worst of all, pretending evil doesn’t exist.

In order for truth to have power, it must have complete foothold within our being. We must take a stand within before we can venture forth. We must choose honestly, love honestly, act honestly, speak honestly. Here is where truth begins. It is out of this truth that we can become equipped to engage the evil one. This is the power of union with Christ. This is the point. We can only be honest with ourselves when we are authentic with the Christ within.

The evil one uses guerrilla warfare, secret agents, emotional manipulation, and brainwashing. It’s scary out here. I take hold of truth today in my heart, soul, and mind.

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Power of a Name

Posted in Ordinary Time, tagged , , , , , on August 31, 2009| Leave a Comment »

John 17:11b-12a
“…protect them by the power of your name—the name you gave me—so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me….” [Jesus praying]

I read a lot of fantasy and the power of person’s “true name” is peppered throughout these stories. The norm is that there is power in a person’s true name. If someone knows a person’s true name, it’s mystical knowledge and one can compel the person in some way by using the name.

This probably evolved from scripture (and other religious literature), the power of a name. Historically, at least in Jewish culture, God’s name could not even be spoken. Instead, letters were used as a placeholder for the name, YHWH, in writing, and verbally, people extolled God’s characteristics instead: Mighty One, Holy One, etc.

But in this passage, we have Jesus referring to the power of God’s name and the power of the name God gave to Jesus. The primary attributes of these names are protection and the consummation of relationship. God gave Jesus a name and Jesus is giving us a name. In other passages, Jesus encourages us to use His name while praying or making supplications. It’s common practice today to end a prayer with the phrase, “in the name of Jesus.” We are working the promised power of His name. But what does all this really mean? I wish I knew.

In recent years, people have become more and more interested in the meanings of their names. I think that’s a good thing. Parents choose more carefully. And in some cultures, parents even create unique names as gifts to their children.

My name, Irmgarde, means guardian of a small space. When I discovered that meaning (and not the one my mother had always told me), I found myself walking it out with a kind of power. I found a contentment in a name I have found difficult to carry over the years.

When we adopted our teen aged daughter three years ago, one of her requests was that we would “rename” her. She wanted to give us that authority. Her new name would be a sign of her new life. As a family, we decided on Liliana Victoria, a beautiful name. Liliana is a derivative of Lily which is a symbol for purity. And Victoria is the feminine form of victory. Both meanings are powerful for her and she has embraced them.

And yet, there is still that “true name” underneath them all. There is the name that God gave to Jesus and the name Jesus gives to us. When we accept Christ, we are given a new name just like my daughter was given a new name. It’s a mystery. For now, we can use the characteristics, much as we do for God. We are children of God… babe chicks under His wings… His beloved … His bride. Many different relationships are expressed in these descriptions. But there is single name for each of us that makes us ONE with God. That’s the name I seek…. one day I’ll hear that name called and I’ll know.

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Belonging

Posted in Ordinary Time, tagged , , , , , , , on August 30, 2009| Leave a Comment »

Psalm 24:1; John 17:6a
The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it…
“I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me…” [Jesus]

This “belonging” business is not easy for those of us from a contemporary culture. First of all, there’s the negative side of belonging advanced by slavery and other human trafficking. That idea doesn’t sit well with us: someone owning another person. Nor is there any appeal for being treated as a trading card, traded up or down. Actually, most teen angst is centered around belonging … or rather, not belonging to a particular group or clique.

Fortunately, there’s the nicer side of belonging, like belonging to a family, a club, a church, a neighborhood, a team, or a community. Then, we may feel a lot cozier and comfortable with the notion. Or talk to any two young lovers and they’ll happily embrace the idea of belonging to one another.

The concept of belonging or not belonging can be powerful stuff.

But I’m thinking these verses from John 17 are more inclusive, particularly when combined with Psalm 24. Everything and everyone belongs to God who gave this kingdom to Jesus with the mandate of bringing the people of Earth back to God. Earlier in the chapter [vs 4], Jesus said he accomplished this task. The transfer of power has been completed. The turnabout began back then. The next part of the story is ours… receiving what Jesus offers and integrating the truth of Jesus into our lives.

In verse 10, Jesus says again that everything that God has is His and everything that Jesus has is God’s. But the same is true for us. Everything that Jesus has can be ours and vice versa. We belong to Him already.

To resist Jesus is like saying we don’t want to be human anymore. But we belong to each other too. Let’s start acting like it.

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Fulfilled, Finished, Accomplished

Posted in Ordinary Time, tagged , , , , , , on August 29, 2009| Leave a Comment »

John 17:5
“I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.” [Jesus prayed]

Think about this! He finished the task that was laid out for him. He didn’t need more time. He didn’t ask for more time. The teaching part was finished. The community work was done. The message was sent. He was successful.

How many of us would have thought Jesus had done everything he had set out to do? Surely, if he would have stuck around another ten or fifteen years, we would have known more, understood more, accepted more. Or would we?

Apparently, the message was simple enough and the right people heard it (not too many, not too few). He finished the job.

It made me think about the “six degrees of separation.” Jesus touched the lives that needed to be touched “in the big picture.” Jesus healed the ones who needed to be healed to accomplish his overall purpose. Jesus faced each moment, checked with the Father, and acted accordingly. The miracles, the lessons, the parables, the witnesses… it was all part of the economical use of his time.

Those on the receiving end of his message, they also had a purpose: to carry the message of salvation and everlasting life to others, to tell the story of Jesus, the Son of God. It all worked quite well until some of the folks decided to mess with the message. It’s like the old game, “whisper down the lane,” where the first person whispers into the next person’s ear and by the time it gets to the end of the line, the message has changed. We hear what we want to hear. We fix what we don’t understand. This phenomenon is discussed in some detail in a wonderful book I’m reading, “Why We Make Mistakes” by Joseph Hallinan.

The point for me today is that every person I meet, every circumstance, every day is part of my story and now, ultimately, Christ’s story. I’m not saying I’m supposed to stuff the name of Jesus down everyone’s throat. But being me, an authentic me, must reflect Christ within. Anything less and I’m “whispering down the lane.”

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Duh! You Believe at Last!

Posted in Ordinary Time, tagged , , , , on August 28, 2009| Leave a Comment »

John 16:31
You believe at last!” Jesus answered.

I couldn’t help but see Jesus rolling his eyes up when he said this. If “Duh!” would have been a cliche at the time, he would have used it.

But the disciples are not the only ones who don’t get it. Why else would we have other idioms that say the same thing as “duh!” (the new generation’s shortened version) like “If it was a snake it would have bit me” or “the elephant in the room.” These are ways we talk about the obvious that we just don’t see or don’t get.

There are a number of reasons for not getting it. Sometimes, it just doesn’t occur to us. Sometimes, it’s the mental model issue. Sometimes, we have our head in the sand and don’t want to believe it. But eventually, the fog clears and we do really see… or really hear.

The thing that surprised me today is that immediately after that moment… that “revelation of the obvious” we are faced with next level of “non-understanding.” I mean, we get it … and then it’s the next thing we don’t get.

So, here the disciples finally understand and believe… Jesus came from God… but in the next instant, they have to understand he’s leaving and they will scatter and betray him.

It’s no different with us. We must be willing to press on. We can’t be content with a single inspiration. We must be ready to wrestle with the next truth. That’s how we grow: one building block upon another. That’s the journey. That’s the joy.

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Coming from the Father

Posted in Ordinary Time, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on August 27, 2009| Leave a Comment »

John 16:28
“I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”

Apparently, this “coming from the Father” business is a big deal. Anything repeated in scripture is generally considered important, well, this one is “Pete and Repeat” and it must be critical!

As I thought about this, I considered what it means to be sent by someone in authority. If I was on a mission sent by the President let’s say, unless there was a lot of pomp and circumstance (and secret service), honestly, no one would believe me. What could I do to convince people? I could share my inside information… I could drop a lot of names of people I knew… I could carry an I.D. card (but even that would be suspect). Even my friends would have trouble with this one. Face it, people don’t tend to believe in the extraordinary unless it fits their own mental model. And I don’t fit the model for an “agent” from the President.

In the end, I would have to do the best I could to present myself as the “real thing.” I would have to stand fast and be consistent. I would have to “stick to my story.” And in the end, some would believe me and some would not. If the mission was critical, let’s say I had inside information that the area was going to blow up (sounds a little like the TV show “24”)… it would be really important for people to believe me. There would be urgency. And yet, some would believe and some would not.

We all know where I’m going with this metaphor. Those who believed me would escape unharmed. Those who did not believe, would face the challenges of surviving a cataclysmic event… or not.

It takes a leap of faith to believe. Something resonates within. There may not be enough data, not enough hard facts, not enough to know for sure, and yet, the heart responds. The soul quivers.

I confess, when I made my leap of faith some thirty years ago, it started out as a test. I was skeptical and unsure, but I thought I’d give this “follower of Jesus” bit a chance. Despite all of the challenges and disappointments since then, I have never turned back. The joys, the gifts, the blessings, the love, and the hope far outweigh the rest. And so, I’m still following the One who came from God, the Father and the Mother, the Great Spirit, the Holy Creator. Amen.

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