Tuesday 9 October 2007

Richard Rohr continues to discuss discernment - how to see, how to hear - in the book "The Enneagram."



Much of what is called Christianity has more to do with disguising the ego behind the screen of religion and culture than any real movement toward a God beyond the small self, and a new self in God. Much of our work feels like cosmetic piety, and often shame or fear-based at that, rather an any real transformation of the ego self, or what the Eastern churches rightly call "divinization." Much of the present attraction to other religions is quite simply because Christianity has not succeeded in naming the real evils well.... There are few confessors who would not agree that the vast majority of Catholic confessions have to do with pragmatic problem solving and supposed "sins" that divert our attention from the real evils that are destroying Western society.



I'm ashamed to admit that I run away from the notion of transformation - my own that is. I would rather have the world be transformed into what I think it needs to be. Unfortunately, as one writer noted, we are always only seeing ourselves as the world...we don't really see that which is around us except as it looks like us. To see anew...to see with the vision of the Reign of God as it comes to life is the Christ, Jesus, is to take part in the release of self and begin the transformation that takes place as we enter into a union with Christ that is here called "divinization." We don't need to be frightened by that word. Rather, we it would be good for our soul to face such a reality and in that, face the evil within us that is constantly steering us away from such unity of vision and life with the Christ. Too often, our spirituality becomes nothing more than a band-aid...a fix it...a make me feel better. And yet, feeling better about ourselves is not what brings us the peace and wholeness of the Reign of God. We are invited into a journey - I like to say adventure - in which we will face the dark side of our lives and even begin to see how the light of our lives can become the dark power that drives us.



Connection: The journey to see who we are and to face what that means for how and why we do what we do is no quick walk through the day. On the other hand, today is always a good time to begin seeing with new eyes and beginning to face our own transformation and the transformation of the world.



Lord of New Life, we long for the peace of your Reign. When we are lost within our own story and are unable to see the world with new eyes, we need your Spirit of life to move us and coax us and lift us up to a place in which we are able to rest in your love and deal with who we are becoming. Amen.