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Through intimacy with the seen,
we come into intimacy with the Unseen;
in time we discern hints of the Timeless,
each presence a manifestation of one Presence.
How do we come to enjoy the presence of Life, manifesting the Qualities of Grace for the common good, when this wisdom counters the conventional ways we are taught to survive in this world? The way of Grace is not about surviving in this world, any world. We are here to thrive, not survive, and this thriving is not based on what drives much of postmodern life. To thrive in Spirit, to be graced in Grace, we are humbled by Spirit to be taught by Spirit ~ not by human teachers or guides ~, a new way of being, a way open to receive Life moment-by-moment. And this life of Grace is not divorced from our lives, even in those aspects that might not appear to be in any way reflective of ideas of what holy, sacred, righteous, or spiritual should look like. We learn to drop all ideas of how Grace should show up in our lives, and become receptive to see how Grace does. In how, we learn a new, yet ancient, way of living. We come to relax and trust, more and more, as we learn the joy of not living by acquisition but by celebrating life as Gift through receptiveness. Only Grace can teach Grace.
* * *
how does the Spirit
appear in our lives? around us? in our world?
some look here, they look there
Grace is neither here nor there
if you look within for this Mystery
It is outside
if you look outside
It is inside
we see this Life, living Presence,
when we become intimate with Life
How? we cannot become intimate with Life
by seeking Life or trying to explain It
when we seek Life, we push it away
when we try to explain Life, we distance from It
we become intimate with Life ~ Grace
through our ordinary, everyday lives
and the world within and about us
Life unveils Itself
we must wait that Revelation, moment-to-moment
by living with a posture of reverent Receptivity
for Life manifests as the life
we breathe in and out daily ~
our every movement, mind and body, is Life happening
God is God-ing
every moment, in one Moment
this Presence cannot be observed as an object
so, the Gospel says, "The Kingdom of God will not come
in a way that one can see"
objects can be seen, physical without, mental within
Christ is not an object, cannot be objectified ~
Presence is subtle
and, the Gospel continues, "No one will say,
'Look! here it is' or 'Look! there it is'" ~
Grace is non-local
where, then, is this Life, this Grace, this Love happening?
"the Kingdom of God is within (or, among) you"
yet, "within" or "among" is a use of localization, of place,
to speak of a non-local Presence, the placeless Place
and "Kingdom of God" was an image used
for a people acculturated to imperialism
a connotation, sign of a spiritual Truth, or Reality
hence, "Where is Mystery?"
"Always here, always now"
hidden in plain view
so obvious we miss It
to perceive intuitively this Grace, this Aliveness
we respond to It according to Its Nature
this goes against our usual way of being in relationship
of perceiving and understanding
we must, then, be taught by Spirit Itself, for
by Spirit we know Spirit
one, finally, learns the way to enjoy Grace
is to be receptive to Grace showing Grace
as Grace chooses to show Grace
this is humbling to us, crucifying to our sense of self,
yet, the spaciousness of humility is the spaciousness
in which we enjoy communion with the Light
*(C) Copyright 2018. Brian K. Wilcox. Photography by Brian K. Wilcox. Move cursor over photos for more details. Scripture citations from Gospel of Luke 17.20-21.
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