In Yoke

Romans 8:25-30 (ESV) - But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. My devotional life really does dynamically move into deep contemplation as I read and reread the words of Richard Rohr* , one of my favorite authors. “The contemplative or non-dual mind, which for me is the essential self, is a tree of life , and brings about continual fruitfulness for the soul. Rohr reminds me of this in the discussion of how we usually make judgments based on our binary, or “either/or” false self/or/ego”. “A binary system of either/or choices is good and necessary in the lofty worlds of logic, mechanics, math and science…and in the everyday worlds of getting from po...

The Perfect Way is only difficult for those who pick and choose; Do not like, do not dislike; all will then be clear. Make a hairbreadth difference, and Heaven and Earth are set apart. - Seng - Ts'an Sri Easwaran reminds us: "Happiness and sorrow, good and bad, pleasure and pain - these are the very texture of life on the superficial level. The less you are bound by these dualities, the more clearly you will be able to see the core of purity and selflessness that is the real Self in everyone, even in people who cause trouble". Easwaran tells of his grandmother, who was his spiritual director, who had a pungent phrase for difficult people: she referred to them as "a lash in the eye." We all know from experience how an eyelash in the eye can be so irritating that we just cannot think about anything else. That is exactly how difficult people affect those around them, so naturally most of us try to avoid such people. I have experienced th...

Recently I have been thinking that some of my brothers and sisters in my church have intentionally chosen to use the antithesis of Christ's prayer which he said while being beaten and nailed during the Crucifixion-- "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." and His prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane- "Not my will but Thy will be done..." Perhaps as we live from the influence of our false selves, we want to say: "Not Thy will, but my will be done." I have mentioned this to my Friday morning breakfast group. They laughed, but I don't really think it is that funny. There has been talk of reconciliation . Some of the folks who like to act as if they are "hurt" in a piosity that is very interesting-- have taken action that seems more like that of retribution. The angry, "I want it my way" demands of this little movement seems way out of character for folks who speak earnestly of reconciliation. It is more li...

"Envy and wrath shorten the life." -Ecclesiasticus ____________________________________________________________________ All of us have a need to forgive, whether in large or small matters. All of us suffer little irritating pinpricks every day. It is not very effective to analyze these small wrongs and then forgive them one by one. Much more effective is not to dwell on them at all. Whenever a stray bit of wrath arises and wants to talk over some incident from the past, don't invite that thought in. When we can withdraw our attention completely from the past, it is not possible to get resentful; it is not possible to be oppressed by mistakes in our past, no matter who made them. All our attention is in the present, which makes every moment fresh, every relationship fresh. Staleness and boredom vanish from our life. _________________________________________________________________________ I am more and more convicted of the need for forgiveness in our community. What this ...