*Christ the Redeemer in Rio..., Carlos Eduardo, Flickr
What a person takes in by contemplation,
he or she pours out in love.
*Meister Eckhart
* * *
And I was determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And, I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling.
*I Corinthians 2.3-4, Christian Bible
* * *
What we often do in caring for others may seem useless. Useless, in the sense of having no observable, quantitative value in a culture that sees practical as doing something that can be measured and, so, practical means useful. Then, doing that useful makes us valued by others as worthy, and we see ourselves as worthy, in turn.
If you look closely at this logic, it is senseless and itself impractical. This logic makes a false distinction, and is prejudicial. If we accept this prejudice, we will miss the joy of Prayerful Presence and the power of being-with others for the sake of simply loving them through the greatest gift we may be able to give them: our presence. Further, more than our presence, but our presence as the conduit of the Presence.
How interesting that spiritual beings have modeled another way, a way that would appear foolish, and by many others as practically useless. The early Christian apostle, Paul, saw his work as being with persons in a way to focus on the Presence among them. For him, that was Christ crucified as a present Reality. How apparently useless, foolish, and impractical - Christ crucified.
Once I sat with a family, while they waited for a loved one, who was having a serious surgery. Shortly before, I was comforting them and praying with them. Now, we were watching a comedy, laughing. They were enthused to tell me about the movie. They clearly wanted me to enjoy a movie they had enjoyed before. There we were, sharing a Sacred Space, where at any moment we could get good news or bad news. Christ crucified was there, in a mysterious way. In a wonderfully useless way, I was loving them and being loved by them. I was discovering anew the joy of a Love that transcends and incorporates doing and not-doing.
I do not want to miss this Loving, this Presence, with others in situations that appear by many as a useless use of time. How could Loving ever be other than most wonderfully and wisely useful?
* * *
*Contemplation, Shahbaz Maieed, Flickr
* * * CLOSING BLESSING * * *
Grace and Peace to All
The Sacred in Me bows to the Sacred in You
*You are welcome to contact Brian at briankwilcox@yahoo.com .
The presentations at this site cover a long time period. Each one represents part of an on-going Pilgrimage, and the writer's ideas, practices, and experience have changed over time. This change is the quality of any living Journey. Please read with this in mind, allowing the inner Teacher to speak to you as you need at this particular time in your own living Journey. Thanks!
