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Being authentically with persons is my vocation, my call to be Christ-like. Authenticity is not some external standard, but the inward disposition that is uniquely you. Jesus modeled this truthfulness and, thus, was free. This allowed him to be free amidst others, both friends and foes, and to invite other persons to freedom.
St. Germanus of Constantinople (ca. 634—733) writes, “The church is an earthy heaven, in which God beyond the heavens dwells and walks about” (Andrew Louth, Ed., The Wisdom of the Greek Fathers). God is not over against or apart from creatures. Spirit is authentically present. This extends beyond the church, to all creatures.
The Cosmic Christ lives among and with creatures. “So the Word became human and lived here on earth among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness (or, truth). And we have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father” (St. John 1.14, NLT). Living in the world, I meet the Christ.
Christ is “self-communicating God" (William A. Barry, Finding God in All Things). Revelation means that “God imparts himself to us” and the content of the sharing (Sigmund Mowinckel, The Old Testament as Word of God).
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I remind myself that to be a Christlike person, I do not have to be artificially religious or come over to other persons as uncommonly spiritual. Rather, to be Christlike I give myself, not just effort, skills, or ideas. I am self-communicating being, entering the self-divulgence of the immanent Word. Doing this, I become revelation, a means of Grace. This is all I have to do. This is the glory of being human, the destiny of every creature. This is simple and worth losing my own life to enjoy and share. And, to do this, I must be able to tolerate my own solitude.
Spiritual Exercise
How do you see Christ manifesting through you to serve the world?
Meditate and pray daily.
Make sure you have a sacred space in your home for time alone in prayer and spiritual reading.
Make sure you are in a covenant group. For more information on covenant groups, write me at the address below.
Consider, if you are not already, sponsoring a child through Compassion International. You can find out more about Compassion International by going to www.compassion.net to read about sponsoring, in the name of Jesus, children living in poverty. Thanks! Brian K. Wilcox
Brian’s book An Ache For Union can be purchased at major book dealers.
*Written August 1, 2006
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