|
Welcome to OneLife Ministries. This site is designed to lead you prayerfully into a heart experience of Divine Presence, Who is Love. While it focuses on Christian teaching, I pray persons of varied faiths will find inspiration here. Indeed, "God" can be whatever image helps us trust in the Sacred, by whatever means Grace touches us each. Please share this ministry with others, and I hope you return soon. There is a new offering daily. And to be placed on the daily OneLife email list, to request notifications of new writings or submit prayer requests, write to barukhattah@embarqmail.com .
Blessings,
Rev Dr Brian K Wilcox, MDiv, MFT, PhD
Interspiritual Pastor-Teacher, Author, Workshop Leader, Spiritual Counselor, and Chaplain.
Brian encourages support of the 4-Star Christian organization Compassion, which supports children worldwide; for more see www.compassion.com .
Opening Affirmation
Go into a brief time of silence, affirming the following: feel the truth of the affirmation:
I belong to God alone.
Opening Prayer
Holy Spirit, I come to you, as your Friend,
I come to you at your invitation.
I am here to receive you
and for you to receive me.
I am here to be loved by you
and to love you.
I am here to be touched by you
and to touch you.
I am here to be here,
only and alone with you.
I am here,
in you I find all I need.
Turn my mind, now, from
all other loves, to one Love.
Sacred Scripture
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind,
and all your strength.
*Mark 12.30 (NCV)
Pursue Love [agape].
*I Corinthians 14.1a
Sacred Teaching
Inappropriate loving is a heavy weight holding down the spirit that is longing to fly. Just as a right and holy love whirls up to the heights, so a wild and wicked love plunges us down to the depths. Do you want to be where Christ is? Love Christ and be whirled away to the place of Christ. The trouble is that we are surrounded by many goods that call us to love them above all. The world is a beautiful place and it tempts us with the infinite variety of its beauty. It is impossible to count the things that are suggested every day to be loved in an inappropriate way.
*St. Augustine. Sermon 65A, 1-2. In Donald X. Burt. Day by Day with Saint Augustine. "Wildly Loving." May 25: 120.
Donald X. Burt, commenting on the above words of Saint Augustine, clarifies well the danger of not loving wisely, or disordered loving:
For many of us it could be said, "This person loved often but not well." As we leave our centers and whirl about the circumference of our lives - with its variety of people, places, and things - we begin to love this and that, flitting from one passing good to another. Unfortunately, some of these goods are on the same level as ourselves and some are below us. As a result when we attach ourselves to one or the other we cannot fly to the heights where Pure Spirit dwells. There are many good things in the world that are worthy of being loved, but there is only one good that is above all and that is the Divine Presence. Only by loving Pure Spirit above all will we be drawn to the heights where we are meant to love forever.
*Donald X. Burt. Day by Day with Saint Augustine. "Wildly Loving." May 25: 120. Comments adapted for modern readers, by Brian Kenneth Wilcox.
* * *
Simply because you have the capacity to love dearly and deeply something or someone, does not mean that person or thing is in your best interest. Spiritual persons must discern this truth, or they can easily attach to what is "below" them and be pulled downward.
This means, also, that while something is good, that does not mean it is good for you. That good thing may be good for someone else, but not for you. So, essentially, something good can be harmful for you.
The more you wish to "ascend" spiritually, the more discerning you must be in your choices. Few persons and things are prepared to "ascend" with you, and many good persons and things can pull you downward.
This means as you draw closer to God, your realm of choice in attachments - or well-ordered loves - decreases. Also, the potential of losing things you have enjoyed, including relationships, grows.
An ordered Love is loving things in their rightful place. As you evolve spiritually, the order changes. Things and persons that once were at the top of your priority list, may move downard among your priorities. Other matters you once took lightly, may become paramount to you.
Do not feel guilty about these changes. They are normal, and a sign of your spiritual changes, your growth in Love.
Quietly Responding
Consider the things and persons in your life. Prayerfully seek to discern where each fits in your present priority on spiritual growth and service to others.
Blessings! In Love!
Brian Kenneth Wilcox
July 3, 2009
barukhattah@embarqmail.com
* * *
*OneLife Ministries is a ministry of Brian K. Wilcox, of SW Florida. Brian lives a vowed life and with his two dogs, Bandit Ty and St. Francis. Brian is an ecumenical-interspiritual leader, open to how Christ manifests in the diversity of Christian denominations and varied religious-spiritual traditions. He is Senior Chaplain for the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office, Punta Gorda, FL.
*Brian welcomes responses to his writings or submission of prayer requests at barukhattah@embarqmail.com . Also, Brian is on Facebook: search Brian Kenneth Wilcox.
*Contact the above email to book Brian for Spiritual Direction, retreats, or workshops. You can order his book An Ache for Union at major book dealers.
|
