Spiritual Listening

Psalm 46:10 - "Be still and know that I am God."

It is not enough to know God through the written word; we must also experience God as the Living Word in our hearts. If God knows all shouldn't we spend more time listening and less time talking in prayer? I was introduced to a form of contemplative prayer many years ago in which I would meditate on a central idea or phrase from a biblical passage for several months. This is a powerful form of prayer in that layers of meaning continue to unfold and deepen as we re-visit an idea repeatedly over time.

One of my first experiences with this kind of prayer focused on the above phrase from David's 46th Psalm. In this approach to prayer, one doesn't so much think about the meaning of a phrase as much as one opens up to the revelation of its meaning through the Holy Spirit. There is a specific attitude one must cultivate to attain this prayerful mindset. It is an attitude characterized by openness, receptivity and patient anticipation. This is not an intellectual exercise of deciphering meaning from Bible verse through clever deductions or interpretations. It is a surrender to the Revelatory Power of the Holy Spirit. By emptying out the voices in our own heads that typically dominate the "airwaves", we open ourselves to a deeper truth. "In the beginning was the Word" - God's first call to us is an invitation to listen! Later, the Living Word is revealed as Jesus the Christ. We are instructed to 'hear the Word and abide by it.' One can not happen without the other. We must first hear the Word deep within our hearts and souls for it to become alive in us.

How do we listen to God? We stop listening to ourselves! The mind will keep us occupied with fodder and filler for as long as we choose to listen to it. The Revelation of the Word happens when we stop talking and start listening. Spiritual listening is an act of faith and surrender. In the same way we are called to love God with the entirety of our being, we also must learn to listen with the fullness of our being. Before the fruit of love - compassionate service - can be harvested, the seeds must be firmly planted through listening. Listening is the internal, passive side of love that eventually grows into action.

Nature abhors a vacuum and a mind without focus will drift and attach to stimulus impulsively and compulsively. A prayer focus allows the mind to continually anchor itself on the island of prayer. Whenever my mind wanders during these month-long prayer sessions, it naturally seeks a return to the island. Like a seabird on a reconnaissance flight, the mind will return to its home-base time and again. The mind needs an anchor or it will wander aimlessly into troubled waters. In a world with endless noise and temptation, a prayer-anchor is essential for staying on course- ' the narrow path of righteousness.'

Gently, without the force of will, spiritual listening develops into a way of being. "Be still and know...." I carried that with me for six months and longer. Over time, my mind slowed and quieted around this central idea. I began to hear something beyond and behind the din of everyday life. God spoke! The Word became flesh. I felt the Living Word inside me and understood then how I could be the Living Temple. And I was saved {from the trappings of my own mind}.

SCHIZOMERICA

MATTHEW 12:25 “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste, and no town or house divided against itself will stand.”

The most severe forms of mental illness - Schizophrenia, Multiple Personality Disorder and Bi-polar Disorders - all have certain things in common: they are characterized by fragmented, split-off “selves” working in divergent and opposing directions. The internal tension caused by such processes are extreme and lead to some severe form of implosion or explosion. One can easily imagine the destructive force of such a condition if it were physiological in nature. Here, one leg would try to go forward as the other pulled backwards. The eyes would crisscross and never focus together. The index finger and thumb, instead of joining harmoniously to perform tasks, would pull away from each other as if a magnetic field stood between them. Such deep-rooted incongruence takes a heavy toll on the psyche of an individual. It cannot be endured for very long. Implosion, in the form of suicide, catatonia and the like is one possibility. Explosion, in the form of violent behavior, is another. One or the other is inevitable in order to relieve the smoldering internal tension.

Under ideal conditions, there is one, whole integrated self in which all the component “parts” work together toward a common goal - i.e.., survival, happiness, health, etc...

If an individual’s psyche can be frayed and torn apart by polarizing psychological processes, it stands to reason that the “collective psyche” or mental health of a nation can be similarly weakened. Diversity of opinion, freedom of expression are healthy aspects of American culture. I’m not referring to that here. I’m talking about something insidious and dark - a people divided against itself. I believe we may have been at such a crossroads at the time of our Civil War. We were facing a core identity question then that had to be resolved one way or the other. We could not continue as both a ‘slave state’ at home and the ‘harbinger of freedom’ to the rest of the world. We could not purport democratic values of equality and human dignity while perpetuating the evil of slave labor. Something had to give and it did in the form of Explosion!

Today, as a Christian nation once again trying to restore our soul, we are implored to aspire to Christ’s example in all things - to ask the question, “What would Jesus want us to be”? Yet as an imperial military power and an impersonal capitalist machine, we often find ourselves at odds with Christian principles. This internal conflict tears at the fabric of our national mental health. In the same way that geological forces can cause such underlying tension in the earth that it cracks and quakes, our cultural inconsistencies and duplicities cause chasms and rifts in our psyche. There are so many examples of this that I’ll name just a prominent few: The gospel command to ‘heal and serve the poor‘ simply doesn’t align with the Darwinian creed, ‘every man for himself’; the gospel command to ‘love our neighbors‘ cannot co-exist with cultural attitudes and policies that promote ‘fear of those who are different’; hailing the rights of the “unborn” while ignoring the rights and the needs of the “already- born” is the kind of hypocrisy Jesus railed against. Such polarizing forces within our collective psyche serve to weaken our national sanity until the dueling tensions between our fragmented “selves” reaches its breaking point. When this happens to an individual, we call it a psychotic episode or “breakdown”. The person is being torn apart at their soul-level. I believe we’re close to that breaking point as a nation. The tension between our private lives, which the majority of us describe as faith-based and God-centered, and our public lives, whereby the prevailing notions are the amoral creeds of ‘might is right‘ and ‘greed is good’, is about to tear us asunder. We cannot serve two masters.

When the Roman Empire fell, in large measure, it fell under the weight of its own contradictions and hypocrisy. On the one hand, it aspired to be a great “civilization” with parliamentary democratic processes, judicial systems , rule of law and even civil rights. On the other hand, it was very much married to Barbaric culture in which, for sport, Christians were fed to lions, gladiators fought to the death and dissent was crushed with unmitigated, brutal police force. Rome couldn’t figure out what kind of empire it really wanted to be. In the end, I believe, this caused its demise. We are facing a similar question as a nation and as an empire. Who do we want to be? Do we abandon Jesus and his ideals because they are inconvenient and impractical in a materialistic world? Or do we embrace him more fully and challenge ourselves to be ‘his people on earth’?

Are we to be, in the truest sense of the word, a Christian nation or an A-bomb-in-nation?

IDENTITY THEFT

Matthew 7:15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves.”

The greatest case of identity theft in history - The original Bleeding Heart, The Sacred Heart of Jesus, is reinvented as a cultural, economic and political tyrant. The atrocities below have all been committed, directly or indirectly, in Jesus’ name.

He who told the rich man to give all his riches to the poor now supports “trickle down” economics.

He who urged us to forgive our worst enemies now supports retribution and capital punishment.

He who referred to His constituency as “the least among us” now calls his constituency the “haves and have mores”.

He who said “judge not lest you be judged” now condemns people to hell at their own funerals.

He who never wielded a weapon of any kind is now a gun show enthusiast.

He who said “turn the other cheek” now supports pre-emptive war.

He who denounced violence at every turn now calls murder “collateral damage”.

He who chased out the “money changers” from the temple now bails out the richest money changers in the world.

He who said of children that “the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” now grants pedophiles comfortable pensions.

He who said “Love you neighbor as yourself” now builds fences along the border.

He who said of children that “it is not the will of the Father that even one of these be lost” now looks away with indifference when Iraqi and Afghani children are killed.

My God, forgive us for our blasphemy. What could be a more egregious sin than to re-create you in our own image and likeness in order to justify our own corrupt agendas? Is there hope for us yet? By your grace, “lead us not into temptation and deliver us from all evil.” Amen.

Revolution through Revelation

Matthew 15: 10-19 “Hear and understand: not what goes into the mouth defiles a man, but what comes out of a mouth, this defiles a man......... what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a man. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander.”

On the heels of so many economic crises - from the corruption in the banking and mortgage industries to environmental disasters such as the BP oil spill - the question presents itself: Can capitalism and Christianity co-exist? In Michael Moore’s movie, Capitalism, a Love Story, a Catholic Bishop, a priest, and Michael Moore himself seem to conclude that capitalism is inherently evil and therefore cannot be reconciled with Christianity. Certainly. when we juxtapose the present day version of capitalism with the gospel they seem like disparate bedfellows. Modern day capitalism is characterized by an impersonal, carnivorous pursuit of profit whereas the gospel emphasizes self sacrifice for the betterment of others. Nonetheless, the wholesale rejection and vilification of capitalism seems simplistic and perhaps a little too convenient. Reflecting on Jesus’ teaching about defilement, it is clear that corruption and evil develop from the inside out - from what comes out of our hearts and minds. Applying this principle to economics, we can infer that systems, institutions and organizations do not define us; we define them. If Jesus is the CEO of any company, or the leader of any commune for that matter, it will be a beautiful thing. On the other hand, place Hitler in the same positions and the system or organization becomes vile. We put too much stock, even misplaced faith, in systems. Jesus was deliberately apolitical. Despite the pressure on him to challenge Rome’s corrupt authority, he seemed disinterested. I believe his indifference towards political action is rooted in the profound wisdom that change must begin from within. Then and only then can our systems be transformed - ‘new wine must be poured into new wineskins’. Change, as a revolutionary gospel concept, is the transformation of a human being from one born of the flesh to one born of the Spirit. It is this rebirth that has the regenerative power to change everything in our lives. Jesus said, ‘You will know my true followers by their fruits’. Those who are truly born of the Spirit have their primary identity rooted in Christ. The “born again” experience has nothing to do with some form of demonstrative hysteria such as ‘speaking in tongues’ or fainting. It is the process, highly individualized and varied, by which a person’s primary identity becomes rooted in Christ. In the same way that a tree branch cannot work against its own trunk, those rooted in Christ cannot compartmentalize any aspect of their lives in order to exclude or undermine him. Doing business is simply an extension of one’s Christ-based self. Thus, we “do business unto others as we would have business done unto us”. Capitalism does not necessitate greed and corruption. People have defiled this system and many others throughout history by what comes forth from our hearts and minds. Real change, revolution, comes through the revelation of Jesus Christ as the core of our individual and collective identities. Only then will our human systems reflect the greatness of God’s will and the fullness of His glory.

The Wheel of God

Luke:12:33 "...provide yourselves with purses that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

In the religion of consumerism, modern culture teaches that "we are what we have" - that human worth is simply one's net worth. This objectification negates the soul-aspect of human beings and creates a black hole of meaninglessness, self-centeredness and entitlement. To whatever extent we believe in the modern credo, we are likely to experience a steady erosion of our soul-life. There is no "i" in soul, only "us". Modern secular culture emphasizes "i" above all else. Individual life, individual well-being and individual wealth are celebrated and encouraged. Of course, this culture of all things "i" fits neatly with excessive consumerism. Being concerned, first and foremost, about our individual state and appearance fosters a great deal of attention and expenditure on our personal desires, needs, preferences, etc... Ironically, as we inflate our sense of "i-ness", the soul withers. Jesus de-emphasizes the importance of individual well-being for communal health. He speaks of individual human life as a body part, vital and important in its own right but nothing if disconnected from the whole. After all, what is a finger worth if it is severed from a body? Yet when connected to a functioning living being, it is a magnificent part that greatly enhances the overall experience and possibilities for that organism. This is how Jesus teaches us to think about our personal lives - as a cog in a great wheel. The purpose and function of the individual cog and thus its true identity can only be understood when in service to the entirety of the wheel. Individual happiness and health or personal wealth are hollow experiences if the community around us is ailing. Our individual lives matter and have purpose only in relation to the entire body that is humanity.

“Help us Lord to rediscover our true identities. Help us to define our lives in the ways You have instructed that we may regain our mental and emotional health: First and foremost in our love and devotion to You; Secondly, as love and devotion to neighbor; Third, as love and forgiveness for our enemies. Praise Your name, Lord Jesus Christ.”

Immigration and the Christian Nation

Leviticus 19:34 - “You shall treat the alien who resides with you no differently than the natives born among you; have the same love for him as for yourself; for you too were once aliens in the land of Egypt.”

Like it or not, America identifies itself as a Christian nation. Nearly 80% of Americans describe themselves as having a Christian orientation. Of course, that by itself does not make us a Christian people. In fact, in light of the recent repressive Arizona legislation on immigration, I would say that we are far from the ‘kingdom of heaven at hand’ that Jesus implored us to manifest on earth.

Our founding fathers were predominantly Christian and unabashed in espousing their Christian views. In fact, the Constitution is infused with Christian concepts and values. Many of its authors readily acknowledged this and referenced the Bible as a source of guidance and inspiration in forging the historic document. For those offended or threatened by America’s Christian identity, you may be missing the point. Instead of arguing against this association, it may be prudent to challenge the rest of us to actually live up it. If in fact we were to live up to the Christian “call” then those Americans who are not Christian would feel more welcome and accepted than they do now. Why? - Because of Jesus’ teachings and examples of how we should treat each other. Let’s take a closer look at what it means to follow Christ - to be a Christian people?

If we are going to claim Christianity as our personal and perhaps national identity then I think we should be required to measure ourselves, in every instance, to Christ. Christ is the ultimate litmus test, if you will, for any who wear his name on their sleeves or car bumpers for that matter. If we are “Jesus people” then to Jesus we must look to define ourselves in every position and action we take. Jesus said that ‘we can not serve two masters, only One.’ As Christians, we must be loyal to God in all things and place nothing or no one before Him. To be a Christian is to look to Jesus as the source of knowledge and authority in our lives. Jesus is the highest authority in the life of a Christian, period. Not the Supreme Court, nor the American flag and certainly not any individual can supersede the name and authority of Jesus Christ. What then does Jesus tell us about immigration – or more precisely, about how we are to treat “aliens”?

Although immigration is not talked about directly by Jesus, he has lots to say about how we should treat the poor, the marginalized, the scorned and even the “illegals” among us. And make no mistake about it, the vast majority of people we are calling “illegals” today are the poor. Perhaps his greatest teaching in this regard is revealed in the story of his intervention with a woman who is about to be stoned to death for her crime of adultery. She was a woman probably doing what she had to do to survive – ‘a woman of the night’, as they used to say. There were scant career opportunities for women in society at that time and somehow, through whatever unfortunate circumstances befell her, she took to prostituting to make ends meet. The authorities of the day discovered she had been with a married man – and yes, “been with” in the biblical sense. Such behavior back then was punishable by death - for the woman. The cheating husband suffered no societal repercussions. The priestly authorities accosted Jesus as he approached the scene to test his fidelity to their laws. They already suspected that Jesus was a bit of a rebel and so here they were presented with a golden opportunity to ensnare him into speaking out against their laws. But he didn’t take the bait! He didn’t argue about the relative virtue or corruption of their man-made law. He simply posed an invitation to all who were present with their stones in hand, ready to pounce on the “illegal”. He said ‘let those who have no sin, cast the first stone’. Slowly but surely, the chastised and shamed throng dissipated. When left alone with the woman, he added, ‘neither then do I condemn thee – go forth and serve God ‘.

In this story, we can substitute any scorned person from modern culture and imagine Jesus responding in the same way to the situation. For today’s purpose, let’s put an “illegal alien” in place of the woman. We’ll call him Hector. Hector has just completed a most horrible journey through rat and disease infested sewer systems to cross the border from Mexico to the U.S. He is extremely poor, uneducated and mono-lingual. He left his family of a wife and three children behind in the hope of finding a better life in America. He intends to send for them as soon as his hope is realized. First and foremost, he is motivated by survival. He also aspires for his family to have opportunity. Although basic physical needs drive human behavior, essential to the soul-health of human beings is the survival of hopes and dreams. Without these, life is not worth living. Hector dreams of a better life for his children.

Hector emerges from a sewer drain onto a paved American street. He marvels at the quality of the pavement. As he crawls out of his hole, he sees a crowd approaching him. The mob quickly forms around him. They have stones, guns and knives. Jesus, a local teacher and profit, who some accuse of being nothing but a troublemaker, approaches the angry crowd. Jesus is asked to sanction the impending violence and is reminded that the law is very much on their side. After all, they witnessed first hand Hector’s “illegal” entry into the country. Jesus responds by chastising the crowd: ‘Have you forgotten what I taught you; to love your neighbor as yourself?’{Mark 12:31} He adds: ‘let any of you who are blameless, fire the first shot’. Does the crowd dissipate? I’d like to think that we would. Of course, in a true Christian nation, the only crowd that would gather would come bearing gifts of welcome. For isn’t Mexico our closest neighbor to the south?

We can not criminalize survival or basic human hope. Such God-given instincts fueled the Israelites exile from Egypt to search for a promised land. It has fueled every exile and migration since. Let’s be honest, America. The obstacles we have created for so-called legal entry into our country – to an uneducated, poor, monolingual guy like Hector – may as well be a towering barbed wire fence along the border {which we’re in the process of building in some form at present}. The process is designed to keep the “Hectors” of the world out. Highly educated people with financial means may find the process of immigration daunting but the poor have no chance. Since we are a Christian nation, we must look to Jesus for our answers in dealing with this or any issue. What then does Jesus teach us about how we are to treat the poor?

There are a multitude of accounts in the Bible where Jesus encounters the poor. They come to him as lepers, homeless, disabled and deformed, mentally ill and shunned ethnic and cultural groups. In all cases, he demonstrates unflinching acceptance and compassion. There are no exceptions. He heals, serves and embraces the ‘least among us’. In fact, the only people he shows any scorn for are those he deems to be hypocrites in positions of power. He calls them a ‘brood of vipers’! Apparently, God does not take kindly to those who identify with His Holy name and then turn around and treat their brothers and sisters on earth with contempt. Beware, America! By identifying ourselves with God – a Christian nation – we have much to live up to. Jesus, that is.