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Story
The monk sat down with his Abbot. The monk spoke, "Father, I long to receive more of God. How do I do that?" The Abott replied, "Son, go out under the shelter and get the wash tub and to the kitchen and get a drinking glass. Seeing it is likely to rain later today, stand each in the open." The monk did as his Abbot instructed him. He returned to the Abbot, inquiring what to do next. The Abbot spoke, "After it rains go and look at the glass and wash tub. Then, come back to me?" That day it rained much. The monk went and looked at the wash tub and glass. He returned to the Abbot. "How much water was in the wash tub?" asked the Abbot. "It was full, Father" replied the monk. "What about the glass?" inquired the Abbot. "Father, it was full, too?" The Abbot spoke, "Then, son, remember that you will receive more of God when you are open to receive more of God." "But," replied the monk, "how do I increase my openness to God?" "Do all you do in love for God, and you will grow more open to God."
Scripture
6Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. (Colossians 2, ESV)
Comments
Jesus speaks in John 6.23:
It is the Spirit [or, spirit] who [or, that] gives life; the flesh is of no avail. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.(ESV)
Jesus continues in verse 24:
But there are some of you who do not believe [or, do not trust]. (ESV)
Reflecting this morning on the John 6 passage, the word "receive" was impressed on me. This word, in my presentation of the Gospel, may be the key one.
To receive is the Greek para-lambano, "to take or receive beside" (Young's Analytical Condordance). The English "receive" derives from Latin recipere, "to take back" (Webster's New World College Dictionary, 4th Ed.). Spiritually, to receive we join with something, something belonging to us, as though it is lost, foreign to us, and we need to reclaim it, or take it back into communion with us.
According to the Gospel and Colossians passages, Christ Jesus is not to be received as an idea, as though getting the right idea about Christ Jesus would give us Him. Rather, we "receive" the person of Christ Jesus to ourselves.
Christian contemplation is just this receiving. This way is the Gospel, for we receive Christ Jesus alongside us, through the Spirit, and as One rightfully belonging to us offspring of the Father.
Where is the entrance, or means of calling back, this Christ Jesus? First, lack of trust, or disbelief, blocks inflow of spirit and life. Being untrusting of Truth damns up the River of Vitalism, flowing from the Spirit, through our spirit.
God is received from Spirit through spirit. The spirit, according to the ancient Church, is the capacity of transcendence in us: sometimes I call this Deepest Self. Disbelief occurs in the next capacity, the heart, for it is the center of will. Therefore, trusting is not simply a matter of accumulating enough evidence to believe; trust is a matter, essentially, of choice for a relationship. We do not prove idea about Christ, we receive a relationship with Christ.
The consequence is life. This is not biological or durational life. Indeed, one could live forever and never know this life. Now, returning to the narrative in John 6:
66After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 67So Jesus said to the Twelve, "Do you want to go away as well?" 68Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God." (ESV)
Therefore, this life is "eternal life." What is, ultimately, this Eternal Life, this aionios zoe--which signifies in the Greek motion, activity pervasive of time, and, thus, does not refer to a static possession, as though we can have something called eternal life? (Young's)
Eternal Life is God. God does not just give this life, God is Life: God is the Perfection of Action, Motion. God is Vitalizing Energy. God gives God to us as gift to receive. The Incarnation shows us this Self-Offering, which though eternal, breaks into time and, even now, happens continually in all creation.
To receive eternal life is to receive God. "God" signifies the ultimate of all positive virtues and attributes. Words of life creatively embody the energy to summon and empower us each to receive God. Christ offers the “words of eternal life.”
Yet, this choice to receive life is not made once.
"Choose life.” That's God's call for us, and there is not a moment in which we do not have to make that choice. Life and death are always before us" (Henri J. M. Nouwen, Bread for the Journey).
And, again, St. Paul:
…as you have recieved Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him....
Therefore, the contemplative life is:
1. A receiving of Christ Jesus.
2. An enjoyment of God.
3. Through the Spirit and our spirit.
4. In trust.
5. By grace.
Every time you go into contemplative prayer, you are saying, "Blessed Lord Jesus, I receive You. Spirit of Christ, enable me to walk in Christ and enjoy God, more than I ever have before."
Reflection
What does it mean for you to receive Christ Jesus? To walk in Christ Jesus? To enjoy God? What evidences do you see in your life that you are growing in enjoyment of God? Does the faith community you serve through evidence an enjoyment of God? Explain.
*Written August 23, 2006, AM, Lee, FL.
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