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Welcome to OneLife Ministries. This site is designed to lead you prayerfully into a heart experience of Divine Presence, Who is Love. This writer is an interspiritual-contemplative Christian. Interspiritual is open to the wisdom and practices of varied faith Paths, and does not see any one Path as the sole means of relationship with the Divine. I hope persons of varied faiths will find inspiration here, and this site can contribute to the unity of faiths in a world that needs religions to be a vital means of healing. 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 please 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 briankwilcox@yahoo.com .
Blessings,
Brian Kenneth Wilcox MDiv, MFT, PhD
Interspiritual-Contemplative Teacher, Author, Workshop Leader,
Spiritual Counselor, and Chaplain.
Today's Scripture
40 Then Jesus answered his thoughts. “Simon,” he said to the Pharisee, “I have something to say to you.” “Go ahead, Teacher,” Simon replied.
41 Then Jesus told him this story: “A man loaned money to two people—500 pieces of silver to one and 50 pieces to the other. 42 But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?” 43 Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt.”
“That’s right,” Jesus said. 44 Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn’t offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You didn’t greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume.
47 “I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.” 48 Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”
49 The men at the table said among themselves, “Who is this man, that he goes around forgiving sins?” 50 And Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
-Luke 4.40-50, NLT
Spiritual Teaching
We each come to a time we need saving – possibly, many times. This saving is not the overly religious meaning given to it by many persons. This is simply a freedom from our past, and can be a liberty from the one act that haunts us like a specter that will not go away.
One might inquire, “Can I know I'm forgiven?” And we might say, “Mary Magdalene saw Jesus face to face, but I can't. If only I could, I would find it easier to receive forgiveness?” Can we, regardless, know we are forgiven, and feel forgiven?
Blessed Padre Pio (1897-1968) wrote of the experience of Mary Magdalene as to its application to each of us, as we seek the knowledge and feeling of being forgiven:
Take heart, even when you feel oppressed by the number and atrocity of your offenses. Come to the feet of Jesus, who is fighting and enduring agony for us in the garden [of Gethsemane].... Ask for God's mercy, forgiveness, and help to walk all the time in his sight. Do this and have no doubt....
The Blessed Padre reflects the Heart of God for us. Love never wants us to live burdened by our past failings.
I am not saying we must accept forgiveness all at once. Often, forgiveness is a process. That is okay. Grace has already offered release for us, sometimes, however, we need time to grow to receive it. If we are struggling to accept forgiveness, we can have compassion toward ourselves and be patient, even enjoying and celebrating our little steps toward complete acceptance of the Grace of freedom. This positive celebration and joy will add momentum toward the process of forgiveness.
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When we look at the enormity of our shortcomings, or even at one we see as a major one, we can lose heart. We can feel overwhelmed, and we can lose faith in our basic goodness. Our guilt can become a wall between us and Grace.
Still, for each of us, we can have faith in Jesus as a real presence. We can affirm Christ is our loving friend. Persons of all faiths, or no faith, can come to the feet of Jesus, even as Mary Magdalene did. Such Love would refuse no one.
Then, we simply request. We do not have to be critical of ourselves. Love does not need us to wallow in guilt, for that becomes narcissism. Love wants us to trust Love. And often we must will to trust, choosing to trust, before a feeling of trust arises. In a sense, we trust ourselves into the feeling of trusting.
Then, as Blessed Padre Pio reminds us, the prayer of forgiveness does not end with the prayer. We come, as Mary Magdalene, with love for the Son of God. We come with the intent, which at times can flame up into a burning desire, to walk all the time in his sight. This is to say, to live in Communion with this same Jesus Christ.
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Blessed Padre Pio counseled a woman to say throughout the day a short prayer to Jesus. This prayer is:“Whom have I on earth besides Thee, Whom in Heaven but Thee, my Jesus! Thou art the God of my heart and my inheritance Whom I desire eternally!" This is fitting prayer for each of us, we who desire to follow humbly Jesus, honor God in all we do, live in the grace of confession and forgiveness, and pray from the heart a prayer of Love often to fix our hearts on Divine Presence.
Responding
A Meditation on Devotion to Christ
This meditation is a devotional expression, a meditation of communion. Persons can adjust this Prayer as fits their spiritual aspirations and faith. Yet, all persons can pray to Jesus Christ. So, possibly, it would be good for those of non-Christian faith to experience the joy of relating to Jesus Christ, even though your faith path might be otherwise than what you call the Christian faith.
1.Enter your usual meditation in Quiet, with eyes closed and breathing in and out of the area just above or below your navel, or in and out through the heart area.
2.Breathe deeply a few times, progressively relax.
3.Inwardly repeat the words: “Whom have I on earth besides You, Whom in Heaven but You, my Jesus” or the longer version, ““Whom have I on earth besides You, Whom in Heaven but You, my Jesus. You are the God of my heart and my inheritance Whom I desire eternally!”
4.Do this for a while, allowing yourself to feel the sense of loving devotion to Christ Jesus.
5.After a time, let go of the words and rest in the Quiet. When the mind wonders, simply return your awareness to the moment.
6.When ready to leave the meditation, come back to the present and give yourself one to two minutes to readjust to waking consciousness.
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*OneLife Ministries is a ministry of Brian Kenneth Wilcox, SW Florida. Brian lives a vowed life and with his two dogs, Bandit Ty and St. Francis, with friends and under a vow of simplicity. Brian is an ecumenical-interspiritual leader, who chooses not to identify with any group, and renounces all titles of sacredness that some would apply to him, but seeks to be open to how Christ manifests in the diversity of Christian denominations and varied religious-spiritual traditions. He affirms that all spiritual paths lead ultimately back to Jesus Christ. 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 briankwilcox@yahoo.com . Also, Brian is on Facebook: search Brian Kenneth Wilcox.
*Contact the above email to book Brian for preaching, Spiritual Direction, retreats, workshops, animal blessing services, house blessings, or other spiritual requests. You can order his book An Ache for Union from major booksellers.
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