A beautiful quiet morning, the deer, the birds, the trees beginning to change their color, the flag on my balcony, sirens in the air, as life goes on around and in me. Words do not really get to the meat of all this. To me God is real, but everything we believe about God is made up to help us get some kind of a hint to what is.
The rich man in the Story kept all the rules, but Jesus told him there is more. Perhaps he is telling me to look at my own life, not at other folks lives, and let go of my attachment that I know how other folks should live. I preach about the ongoing need for being open to the Spirit and ongoing conversion, but do I live that way myself? I’m not sure that I do.
Then there is the whole situation with the poor people among us, the migrants, homeless, etc. I don’t know what I am being called to do here. There must be something more than just giving money.
The notion of being saved is not something that only happens after we die. It happens in our life here and now as we make our choices grow towards, or away from, the good in which and for which we are continually created. In the providence of God we are growing and evolving creatures, not fallen and sinful creatures, each on our journey with all who are in our life. We are necessary to each other, and so have responsibilities to each other, something that can be hard to face and deal with, and certainly is not convenient.
This whole idea of being open to the Spirit that I talk about so much is not easy. Sometimes it’s just effin hard. Not knowing, doubting, questioning, etc are important and even necessary, but no simple thing. I’m glad I had my army experience, and also that the Eckhardt book popped up at this particular time, and that the generals I sent it to feel the same way.
“An Unknowing That Makes Room —
I often think it is my work
to find You, and in the
tangle of my life I stumble
into brambles of doubt
and pits of uncertainties
and wonder where You
are hiding, and then I
remember: You seek
and I am found.”
Life really is good — not easy, but good.
