What is detachment in the midst of the holy!?! Thomas Merton
Detachment from things does not mean setting up a contradiction between "things" and "God" as if God were another "thing" and as if God's creatures were God's rivals. We do not detach ourselves from things in order to attach ourselves to God, but rather we become detached from ourselves in order to see and use all things in and for God.
When we stop being the center of our universe we are able to re-view all things. When we are able to re-view all things without making ourselves the center of all things, we gain the beauty and purpose of the world because we are beginning to see things as they are and not merely through the lens of "my universe." Often I used Luther's expression for sin (turned-in-on-self) to draw a picture of this need to be detached from ourselves. It is as we are free from trying to save ourselves or make something of ourselves that we are given the whole world...life in its fullest - and it is a gift. This is a daily exercise. We are so willing to turn our focus and energy of life toward that which we think will bring all things to us. And yet, when this is the case, we are letting go of the image of God that invites us to consider the welfare of all. Detachment from ourselves is a way to focus and see more clearly God's Reign as it enter this day.
Connection: Knowing that we don't do this "detachment thing" very well, it is another reason to have others who share the vision of God's Reign and are willing to help us wrestle with that which is before us so that we might let go of some things and hold onto that which is the life of God's Reign.
Take us home, O God, to the vision of your Reign. Take us home today and walk with us as we begin to live as though we are truly within your embrace and the blessed assurance that abundant life comes as we become attached to you promises and let go of our need to control our world. Amen.
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