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Anthony de Mello told the following story about spiritual enlightenment:
After the Master attained Enlightenment, he took to living simply--because he found simple living to his taste. He laughed at his disciples when they took to simple living in imitation of him. "Of what use is it to copy my behavior," he would say, "without my motivation? Or to adopt my motivation without the vision that produced it?" They understood him better when he said, "Does a goat become a rabbi because he grows a beard?"
Spiritual living arises from a spiritual, intuitive vision: or transformative insight, experiential knowledge of Divine Reality. Spirituality must arise from personal experience, even when the experience is within the group experience. Such spirituality can never be a mere copy of another person or group's vision. And the mere imitation of Christ will not avail without an inspiring vision inspiring the choice and effort to imitate Christ.
The center of the soul is God. When the soul shall have reached Him, according to its essence, and according to the power of its operations, it will then have attained to its ultimate and deepest center in God. This will be when the soul shall love Him, comprehend Him, and enjoy Him with all its strength. ... ... if the soul shall have attained the highest degree of love, the love of God will then wound it in its inmost depth or center, and the soul will be transformed and enlightened in the highest degree in its substance, faculties, and strength, until it shall become most like unto God.
--St. John of the Cross, The Living Flame of Love
Blessings to all in Christ!
*Story by de Mello is from Scott Reeves, at ScottR@Spiritus.Org, Jan 25, 2001; St. John of the Cross quote derives from B. J. Groeschel, K. Perrotta, The Journey Toward God.
**OneLife writings are offered by Brian K. Wilcox, a United Methodist pastor serving in the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church. He writes in the spirit of John Wesley's focus on the priority of inner experience of the Triune God; scriptural holiness; ongoing sanctification; the goal of Christian perfection (or, wholeness). Brian seeks to integrate the best of the contemplative teachings of Christianity East and West, from the patristic Church to the present. Brian lives a vowed contemplative life with his two dogs, Bandit Ty and St. Francis, in North Florida. OneLife writings are for anyone seeking to live and share love, joy, and peace in the world and in devotion to God as she or he best understands God.
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