"Your way of acting should be different from the world's way."
The search for God is a very intimate enterprise. It is at the core of every longing in the human heart. It is the search for ultimate love, for total belonging, for the meaningful life.
It is our attempt to live life and find it worthwhile, to come to see the presence of God under all the phantoms and shadows -- beyond all the illusions of life -- and find it enough.
But the search depends, at least in part, on the complex of energies within us that we bring to the challenges of this seeking. We do not all hear the same tones at the same volume, or see the same visions in the same colors, or seek the same goods of life in the same way.
The search for God depends, then, on choosing the spiritual path most suited to our own spiritual temper and character. For some seekers, it is in withdrawal from society or by immersion in nature that God is most present. For others, the face of God shows most clearly in the face of the poor, or is felt most keenly through the support of those with whom they share a common spiritual regimen.
For many, it is a bit of both, a balance of community, contemplation and commitment to the people of God. It is the search to belong to a group of fellow travelers who will hold us up when we fall, and urge us on to greater heights when we are afraid to strain for more.
These are the seekers who are looking for others who seek what they seek, who care about what they care about, and who set out with them to make life richer and the world better than they know they could ever do alone.
But whatever the nature of a seeker's lifestyle, the search for God depends, as well, on the spiritual maturity it takes to move from one level of spiritual insight to another -- rather than cling to the spiritual satisfaction that comes with earlier, less demanding, practices. The search for God depends on the desire to grow to full stature as a spiritual adult, to come to know the God who is as present in darkness as in light.
It depends on the willingness to let God lead us through the deserts of a lifetime, along routes we would not go, into the Promised Land of our own lives.
Most of all, the search for God depends on fidelity to the demands of the search itself. It is the constancy of commitment which we bring to the spiritual path that prepares us to recognize and receive the fullness of it.
There is, as a result, more than one way to go about the journey to God.
We may seek God alone, in the silence of our own hearts, where our attention is centered in a keen and conscious way on developing an ear for the leavening penetration in our lives by the mind and Word of God. This is an extremely private and individual spirituality that emphasizes personal prayer and contemplation of the presence of God in life.
But it is not the only way to God and, in fact, not the most common way.
Another kind of journey to God leads us to seek God with others in a covenantal common life, whereby the physical joining of our lives together we become a daily witness to create in the world a community of strangers bound together by the will of God.
In our time, in a society that is both mobile and connected at the same time, there is still another possible way to make the journey to God: in a Monastery of the Heart.
Here we choose to seek God in step with others, even though not always in common with others -- each of us on an apparently separate path and yet all of us in veritable community with one another on the way -- as lifelines, as mentors, as guides, as models, as brothers and sisters in whose loving company we choose to make our common journey to God.
The Rule of Benedict recognizes the major differences among seekers' paths and alerts us as well to the subtle distinctions among them, so that we can begin our own spiritual journey aware of the complex character of each separate lifestyle and prepared to bring our selves to the way best suited to the enterprise for us.
Going the road alone, for instance -- developing a solitary spiritual discipline -- is a rare but well-worn tradition of spiritual figures both known and unknown. Those who go this road to God, Benedict tells us, have come to a point in the spiritual life where, already well-formed in a proven and established monastic tradition, they move beyond the structures which maintain it in order to go deeply into the struggle with the self -- both physically and mentally -- that comes with solitude.
These seekers, Benedict says, "Have passed beyond the first fervor of monastic life ... They have built up their strength and go to the single combat of the desert. Self-reliant now, they are ready with God's help to grapple single-handed..."
Theirs is the path that strips away the common supports of life -- the companionship of a partner, the counsel of others, the strength of a community, the traditions of the group -- and throws them on the designs of the Spirit and deep, deep concentration on God alone.
These seekers feel the impulse of the God within. They give their lives to the God who beckons them inward, sure that the One who calls them to such a life will also guide them through it -- alone but not lonely.
The major concern with this lifestyle is the human tendency to turn in on ourselves and to forget our obligation to build up the entire human community. "Whose feet," St. Basil asks, "will the hermit wash?"
In its stead, Benedict says simply, are those who live immersed in a community, accountable to its standards, cemented in its values, and responsible for making the human community ever more human, always more of a community.
In whichever of the lifestyles we find ourselves -- the spiritually solitary of any stage of life, the intentional living groups of every size, the networks of similarly committed individuals whose community life is stable but not necessarily daily -- we are on tried and true pathways to God.
We are all seekers of the God who is here but invisible to the blind eye; who calls to us but is unheard by those who do not listen; who touches our lives wherever we are, but is unfelt by those whose hearts are closed to the presence of God -- who is everywhere, in everyone, at all times.
When we seek to wed all three lifestyles in our own time -- solitary, intentional and communal -- we seek to be in a Monastery of the Heart.
Then our Rule is this one. Our spiritual guide is the Word of God. Our formative community is with those of one heart with whom we join on this way in a Monastery of the Heart -- to find the God who emerges with inexorable fidelity in human form.
Excerpted from 'The Monastery of the Heart: An Invitation to a Meaningful Life.'
March 12, 2010 ~ Building a Monastery of the Heart | Religion ...
Oh, wait, that's "seekers", not "sneakers". I wanted to wear what HE wears. Never mind.
If we are to study the Bible as you suggest, we will have no need to wonder why there are over 30000 versions of Christianity. Here are a few of many, many contradictions which make it difficult to know what Jesus was supposed to say:
Can all sins be forgiven? All sins can be forgiven (Acts 13:39). However, Cursing or blaspheming the Holy Spirit is unforgivable.(Mark 3:29)
In Matthew 17:12- 13 Jesus insists that Elijah has already come, and everyone understood him to mean John the Baptist. However, In Matthew 11:14 John the Baptist maintained that he was not Elijah.
According to Matthew 5:18, Jesus said that not the tiniest bit of the Law could be changed. However, in Mark 7:19 Jesus declares that all foods are clean, thereby drastically changing the Law.
In Mark 8:12 Jesus says that "no sign shall be given to this generation." In Matthew 12:39 Jesus says that only one sign would be given. In John 2:11 and John 4:54 John describes the first and second signs, and in John 6:2 he says that many people were following Jesus "because they were seeing the signs He was performing".
In Matthew 28:19 Jesus tells the eleven disciples to "go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit." In Matthew 10:5-6, 15:24
Jesus said that his message was for the Jews only
Accuracy doesn't appear to matter in Christianity.
"Did Jesus say on the cross, "My God My God why hast thou forsaken me" or "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit"?"
He said both.
"There are two different creation accounts in Genesis."
No, there are not.
If you are aware of these "contradictions," then you are most likely aware that they, and others you have cited, have been addressed. If you are unaware, then please avail yourself of the many resources on the Internet. And good luck in your journey.
If you think there is only one creation story, then you need help.
Two different authors gave different accounts of Jesus on the cross (all four gospel authors give different accounts of many aspects of the gospel). Why?
Why did Matt and Luke use Joseph in Jesus' genealogy when attempting to justify the "line of David/Messiah" myth?
Why did Paul never mention the Virgin Birth (or Mary)? He didn't have a gospel story to plagiarise? Why didn't Mark mention it either? The myth hadn't been invented yet?
All the contradictions may have been addressed but not reconciled. People like you try to justify the blatantly obvious errors, but fail miserably.
Help with what?
"Two different authors gave different accounts of Jesus on the cross (all four gospel authors give different accounts of many aspects of the gospel). Why?"
Why not, when there are different witnesses to the same event. And when the Gospel authors are writing to difference audiences, the Jews, Romans, Greeks, and everyone else.
"Why did Matt and Luke use Joseph in Jesus' genealogy when attempting to justify the "line of David/MessÂiah" myth?"
What myth? In Matthew, Jesus' lineage was traced through Joseph, his legal father, while Luke traces Jesus' lineage through Mary. In other words, Jesus was descended from David naturally through Nathan and legally through Solomon.
Unfortunately, I don't have a good answer to that even though I admire the hermetic direction. Sweeping the challenge aside, however, is kindasorta a signal that St. Basil might have had an insight a contemplative of any faith can't afford to ignore.
I would answer St. Basil directly, I would say . . . "Yours!"
I've pretty much with from people, since I've been told I make others uncomfortable for reasons ranging from my weight (I'm heavy) to sexuality (I'm gay) to I stare thru my coke-bottom thick glasses to I like classical music. Leaving aside the fact that I;m not that powerful, with the realization that others are uncomfortable with me, I've gotten myself uncomfortable with people. Those sorts of relationships do no one any good.
So I stay away. Period.
And I do have to get one of those new foot sudsers, since with my back problems, it's a nightmare to wash anyone's feet, my own especially.
To refrain from doing harm is a positive step in its own right. There is a subtle form of self-interest built into too many faith-based outreaches that would be better off staying quietly in the background.
The foot sudser sounds good, enjoy it!
A bearded guy?
A cloud?
Some other entity?
It would be nice to have a description, so I would know what I found is the real thing. I can't go look for platypus unless someone first describes to me what a platypus looks like.
And don't tell me that I would know when I found "Him", because a person's mind can play really strange games, making one see things that don't exist.
I have been often told that god is a feeling that you get. OK, Well! if god is a feeling, then it couldn't have existed before life existed, or humans existed.
And tragically irrelevant.
In the words she wrote here, the author conveys the sad state of the atheists that so abound here on these forums. These lost souls ever proseletizing their religion of no God that leads nowhere, and has no truth in it. Sister Chittister knows of what she speaks, and her article about the human search for God, and salvation is true and worthy of comtemplation. But so are the words I have selected here for the atheist who is blind, and unable to see, who listens with ears that are unable to hear. Only God can cure them, but who of us prays for these souls so completely lost to the reality and goodness of God ?
You know what? I'm listening! I'm looking! Where is he?? Show me! And don't quote bible verses. Show me!! Otherwise your arrogance about your belief is just nonsense.
I know that there have always been people who believed in things that could not readily be seen. Oxygen for one. Air is not sufficient if it doesn't contain enough Oxygen, is it? I encourage my young son to believe in the Easter Bunny, Santa Claus, Lucky the Leprechaun, and I tell him that children need to play and pretend and believe, and if they are lucky, they can still believe in things they cannot see, touch, taste, hear, or feel as they become adults--that the imagination often leads to great discoveries that others could not believe in. God is a way of explaining the mysterious, the unknown, and there is a lot of unknowns and a lot of mystery. To me, that is seperate from moral teachings about right and wrong.
How is God different from Santa Claus? or the Easter Bunny? Santa loves you. Santa has compassion for you and forgives you and still gives you a present even though you were naughty that time.
I don't care much about your philosphy, I just want more people to be more intraspective. I appreciate the author's article because it is interesting and thought provoking.
If the Word was there in the beginning, and the Word was with God, that means the Word is God. God and His Word are one and the same. The Word of God is God and God is His Word. God cannot be found anywhere else but in His Word. If you really know what God has really said and what He hasn't said, you have found God. God cannot be found in people, events, situations or circumstances.
So, if you want to find or seek God, find out what God has really said and what He hasn't said. God has revealed Himself to us through His word.
www.deathandlife.org/god.html
www.deathandlife.org/theword.html
Beware the False Prophets. Jesus said "This is Peter and upon this rock I shall build My Church, and the Gates of Hell will Not Prevail Against It." And this is the founding statement of The church (not Kingdom Hall) by The Founder Himself, not in the presence of Charles Taze Russel in the late 19th Century who invented the JW cult, but 2000 years ago By Jesus the Christ foretold in scripture who Died on the Cross, not the JW's 'invention' of a torture stake.
Notice that God used the plural pronoun, in the above scripture, because within the Godhead are three personaliities, God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit. So, if God the Son, who is Jesus is part of the Godhead, that means whatever God is Jesus is also the same. In other words, God and Jesus are one. God did not say, let me, make mankind in my image, after my likeness, but instead he said let Us(plural) make mankind in Our(plural) image, after Our(plural) likeness...
John 1:14(AMP) - And the Word became human(Jesus) and lived a while among us.
God and His Word are one and the same. And since God the father and Jesus are one and the same, Jesus and the Word are one and the same. So, when Jesus came to earth, He was the Word in human form. The Word was transformed into a human temporarily.
"We are all seekers of the God who is here but invisible to the blind eye; who calls to us but is unheard by those who do not listen; who touches our lives wherever we are, but is unfelt by those whose hearts are closed to the presence of God -- who is everywhere, in everyone, at all times".
Yes. I do listen and there is much I do not hear. So speak up g.
To have g everywhere, in everyone, at all times, is poor theology and creepy
Nope, not at all. Not even close. Have a great day.
Read SolarArray's post again. It's a response to the statement that a search for god "is at the core of every longing".
This is a false statement.
Makes sense. Exclusionary and by nature assumes that Christians will always be a minority.
All religion is, by nature, exclusionary and xenophoblic. The world is evil and you're different. Yeah, yeah, we've heard it before. From terrorists, from Baptists with hateful signs...
There are exceptions (Buddhism), but it is extremely common for religions to create an "us" vs. "them" definition. In Sister Chittister's defense, her focus is on the personal search for god. But beliefs inform our actions as social beings, and it's worth noting both sides of the coin.
When a religion says the truly faithful are not of this world they are giving themselves the authority to judge and condemn others. Even while trying to act for a greater, social good, it is not uncommon for religiously motivated volunteer work to be tinged with hidden condemnation or a distancing from rational action, all justified by their authority as the faithful.
The Catholic Church is rife with such contradiction. Soft and sweet on the outside, but holding food and medicine ransom by demanding attendance at church. Or look at the Church's efforts in Africa. Sure, get out the house and help the world. And while you are at it spread lies about the effectiveness of condoms.
Personal search for god mixed with social responsibility is a truly bitter sweetness.
Some humans do feel a compulsion to seek something more. There are different reasons that drive them. There are different levels they will attain.
Know thyself.