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But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen. (II Peter 3.18, NIV)
Today, I ask three questions. First, What is the purpose of Spiritual Formation? Second, What is Spiritual Formation? Last, What is the meaning of spiritual, or Spiritual?
What is the purpose of Spiritual Formation?
A person is likely not going to be willing to engage with discipline the spiritual Journey unless she is motivated by a sense of strong purpose. Spiritual Formation must be purposeful to the person and community. The intent of Spiritual Formation must make sense and warrant the investment of time and energy.
Spiritual Formation is for transforming the consciousness of a person and community to discern both the natural, or surface, aspects of Reality and, at the same time, the in-depth Meaning and Purpose of those same aspects.
Too much we live on the surface of things and, then, think that “spiritual experience” is another experience altogether. Rather, we are sensitized through the individual and communal means of grace in what is called the “spiritual senses.” I can taste the milk that I drink because I have taste buds attuned to taste the milk. The same principle applies to Spirit. We can speak of seeing, hearing, touching, tasting, and smelling in a spiritualized sense. This simply means our being attuned to discern the Presence and Voice of the Spirit, as well as sensitivity to the Presence and Voice in other persons.
So, “transforming of consciousness” is a different way of saying “having the spiritual senses awakened,” “being attuned to the Spirit,” or “being sensitized to the Spirit.” This leads to discernment of how God is and is working in the most ordinary events and through others and in ways that other persons might totally fail to discern. If a person cannot hear, she would fail to enjoy a great pianist playing a piece of music. Likewise, if she is not sensitized to pick up the “movements” and “promptings” of the Spirit, she will fail to “hear” even though Spirit is speaking, wooing, even shouting.
What is Spiritual Formation?
Spiritual Formation is engagement of spiritual practices to have the mind transformed into the “Mind of Christ,” so as to discern the in-depth Meaning and Purpose of life and, therefore, serve others from this insight of Love.
Every aspect of this definition is important, for much that goes under the name “spirituality” may have nothing to do with a Christ-like life. Of vital importance is the outcome of growing in intimacy with Christ: serving others. Here, however, serving others is not out of a religious or moral imperative to do so, for when a person lives close to the heart of God, enjoying communion and union with Christ, she serves from the inner imperative of Love, not the outer imperative of law; i.e. obligation, rules, ... She serves for she is becoming a servant, not due to thinking serving is what she ought to do, to be a good Christian, or even principally to please God.
Love becomes the primary motivating agent in service. If we are simply serving to please God, then, we have not attained this highest of motives: Love. God, being Love, desires for us to Love from the motive of Love. Otherwise, for God to desire us most to be motivated by pleasing God would make God narcissistic. God, being Love, would prefer you serve in Love another creature, with no thought of pleasing God, rather than chiefly seeking to please God through serving others. This is a hard truth for many Christians to understand and accept, for their view of God is imbued with projections of humanness onto God, who is Spirit. God, being Love, will very much delight in your serving another creature out of no other motive than the Love that is ironically God, Who turns your heart in compassion to the other creature.
What is spiritual, or Spiritual?
“Spiritual” refers to the quality of participating in communion and union with the Spirit, so that one becomes progressively, through a process of transformation, more like the whole Likeness of Christ, and, therefore, enabling one to manifest the Love of God in relationship with other persons and all Creation.
There is no spirituality without a reference to the Other whom many call God, regardless of what we call that Other. Central to spirituality is “participating” in the Wholeness we derive being from and life each moment, breath by breath. This participation entails being in relationship, or participation, with other creatures.
In concluding today, I note something very important: Being religious does not necessarily translate to “spiritual.” For many persons religion is avoidance of the Spirit. For many persons worship and rite are obligatory practices rather than celebrations of Love, and often they are little more, if at all, cultural practices which a person was raised to do. However, even in those cases, religion has the acts, words, and rites that can provide entrance to the spiritual. That is really the purpose of religion. Religion, in a sense, provides a trick on the ego self. Religion allows us to get close enough to Spirit that our resistance and selfishness is transformed, through Grace, into surrender and service. Slowly, we find ourselves both able to appreciate and live all Reality, seen and unseen, as part of the OneLife.
Spiritual Exercises
1. When you sense someone is spiritual, what marks that person as different from other persons?
2. What differentiates a spiritual church from a religious church?
3. In your own words, define what spiritual means to you?
4. Reflect on the passage, II Peter 3.18, given at the beginning of this writing. How does it relate to the content of the writing?
Prayer
Spirit of Love, being rooted in and living from participation in the person of Christ, the Mystery of the Passion of Christ, and the gift of the Holy Spirit, sensitize me to my oneness with all other creatures, that I might serve them with no higher motive than the Loving of each one of them, expressing You as Love. Amen.
Brian's book of mystical love poetry, An Ache for Union, can be ordered through major bookdealers.
Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors
The People of the
United Methodist Church
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