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Wisdom Quote
We are penetrated by God and penetrating into God, through the mysterious, all-enveloping, all-absorbing and all-embracing Spirit. ... We are in God and God is in us, and the unifying force is the Spirit. To live in the Spirit is the fulfillment of every law and commandment, the sum of every duty to each other, and the joy of oneness with everything that is.
*Thomas Keating. The Mystery of Christ.
Breath Prayer
Breathing in ... Filled with Christ
Breathing out ... I feel Love
Wisdom Story
An elephant broke loose from the herd. It charged across a little, wooden bridge stretched across a ravine. The old structure shivered and groaned, barely able to support the weight. The elephant made it safely to the other side. A flea had lodged itself in the elephant's ear. It exclaimed with relief and satisfaction, "Boy, did we shake that bridge!"
*Anthony de Mello. Taking Flight.
Comments
A humble estimate of our contribution to spiritual growth is vital in devoting ourselves to spiritual Life. We can veer into legalism, pursuing too strongly. Likewise, this legalism can evidence in too much concentration on spiritual practice. We can esteem our effort as contributing more than it does.
As we can have too much esteem for our role in spirituality, we can be too passive. Not esteeming our part with enough esteem can lead to a passiveness that fails to exert will to join with the Divine Will. Graced will, which is our intent to consent to the Divine within us, is integral to spiritual inflow.
We are like the flea in the elephant's ear. We can overestimate our contribution to the Spirit's work in us. Our contribution, even if small compared to Grace's part, still is necessary.
How much exertion of will is vital to spiritual life? We exert enough will ~ a consecrated intent to keep growing into Christlikeness ~ to be open to Grace's inflow, converting memory, will, and understanding, and changing us more into persons of faith, hope, and love.
Spiritual Exercise
Complete the following sentence...
When I think of my role in cooperating with Grace, I ...
Brian will respond to requests pertaining to seeking a Spiritual Mentor. He offers retreats, workshops, and classes in such subjects as Contemplative Prayer (he trains in Visualized Praying, Centering Prayer, Christian Meditation, The Jesus Prayer, ...), Contemplative Living, A Spiritual Understanding of the Lord's Prayer, and Spiritual Use of the Scripture. See any major on-line bookseller for his book An Ache for Union.
For submission of replies and biographical information, see next page:
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