|
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 hope 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 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 Pastor-Teacher, Author, Workshop Leader, Spiritual Counselor, and Chaplain.
You are invited to join Brian at his fellowship group on Facebook. The group is called OneLife Ministries – An Interspiritual Contemplative Fellowship. Hope to see you there. Blessings.
Today's Scripture
6 Christ himself was like God fully.
But he did not think that being equal with God was something to be clung to.
7 Rather he gave up his status with God and made himself nothing.
He was born as a man
and became like a slave.
*Philippians 2.6-7, Author's Translation
The persons truly, divinely blessed, are the persons who know and feel pure emptiness, in their depths; this opens them to be filled with the fullness of all the Divine pours out in Love within and around them.
*Matthew 5.3, Author's Translation
Quote
If you wish to be someone, wish to be no one. If you wish to have all, wish for nothing. If you wish for fullness, wish for emptiness. If you wish to know something, wish to know nothing. If you wish, then give up your wishing, and surrender all. Indeed, let go of the self that wishes, and wishes will cease, and at least for a moment you will drink from the chalice of Heaven in pure, angelic Delight.
*Brian Kenneth Wilcox
Spiritual Teaching
A Buddhist story tells of one of the Buddha's disciples, Subhuti. Subhuti realized, suddenly, the richness and fruitfulness of emptiness – realization that everything is impermanent, leads to dissatisfaction in and of itself alone, and empty of any solid-permanent being called “self.” In this sensation of the bliss of emptiness, Subhuti sat happily under a tree. Suddenly, flowers began to fall all around Subhuti.
The gods whispered a message. They said, “We are enraptured with your sublime teachings on emptiness.”
Subhuti replied, “But I haven't spoken one word. I have been silent about this emptiness you speak of.”
“Yes,” replied the gods, “surely, you have not spoken of such. We have not heard of this emptiness. This, then, is true emptiness.” And the showers of blossoms continued to fall all around and upon Subhuti, while silently he sat in bliss under the tree, smiling.
Music needs the hollowness of the flute; letters, the blankness of the page; light, the void called a window; holiness, the absence of self.
*Story and quote from Anthony de Mello. Taking Flight.
* * *
A spiritual seeker came to the Master, saying, “Sir, I want to be enlightened.” The Master asked, “And who is asking to be enlightened?” The seeker said, “Well, Sir, I am. Is that not obvious?” The Master said, “Yes, that is obvious. So, leave and do not return, until there is no self seeking enlightenment for the self. Then, you can become my disciple.”
*Story by Brian Kenneth Wilcox.
Relate the opening quote from the Matthew gospel and Philippians passage to the rest of this writing. How does this apply to your life? What does it mean to practice emptiness as a spiritual practice? Is this in opposition to fullness? Explain.
* * *
*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.
|
