Merton never disappoints. Here's an excerpt from "Love and Living," a collection of individual writings collected after his death in 1968:
"Life consists in learning to live on one's own, spontaneous, freewheeling; to do this one must recognize what is one's own—be familiar and at home with oneself. This means basically learning who one is, and learning what one has to offer to the contemporary world, and then learning how to make that offering valid."
This short passage is pregnant with meaning and spiritual insight (would we expect anything less?). Let's start with the last few words: "…make that offering valid." The offering of ourselves, of our lives is our calling. We offer ourselves to assist the re-creation of Creation; the reconciling of Man to God. The validity of our offering is measured in how closely we mirror the work of God; to what extent our motivations are based on knowing who we are rather than a slavish obedience to perceived external rules and expectations.
To have something to offer, we must know what or who it is we offer to the world. Do we understand who we are in God, or do we focus on our failures? Do we give too much credence to our being sinners and fail to own our very calling as God in the world? The only people who can most authentically give themselves are those who know and accept their own inadequacies and know that those shortcomings do not disqualify but rather enhance our abilities to minister in the world. Only those who are comfortable with knowing this about themselves can let go of them and fully give themselves to others.
As we live the life we are called to live, we do become more spontaneous and freewheeling. We need not spend time checking to make sure others will agree or appreciate who we are, our calling, or our motivations. This does not mean that we willy nilly insult others, but it does mean that we come to understand more fully what life is about; what the real priorities are; what the real work of God is.
Living in this way can be scary, especially if our focus on our calling has been on keeping the right rules or of doing church correctly. In fact, as long as we see "church" as it is normally practiced as the focus of our calling, we have not fully recognized who we are.
Want to live life in a freewheeling sort of way, or does that still seem too dangerous for you?
"Life consists in learning to live on one's own, spontaneous, freewheeling; to do this one must recognize what is one's own—be familiar and at home with oneself. This means basically learning who one is, and learning what one has to offer to the contemporary world, and then learning how to make that offering valid."
This short passage is pregnant with meaning and spiritual insight (would we expect anything less?). Let's start with the last few words: "…make that offering valid." The offering of ourselves, of our lives is our calling. We offer ourselves to assist the re-creation of Creation; the reconciling of Man to God. The validity of our offering is measured in how closely we mirror the work of God; to what extent our motivations are based on knowing who we are rather than a slavish obedience to perceived external rules and expectations.
To have something to offer, we must know what or who it is we offer to the world. Do we understand who we are in God, or do we focus on our failures? Do we give too much credence to our being sinners and fail to own our very calling as God in the world? The only people who can most authentically give themselves are those who know and accept their own inadequacies and know that those shortcomings do not disqualify but rather enhance our abilities to minister in the world. Only those who are comfortable with knowing this about themselves can let go of them and fully give themselves to others.
As we live the life we are called to live, we do become more spontaneous and freewheeling. We need not spend time checking to make sure others will agree or appreciate who we are, our calling, or our motivations. This does not mean that we willy nilly insult others, but it does mean that we come to understand more fully what life is about; what the real priorities are; what the real work of God is.
Living in this way can be scary, especially if our focus on our calling has been on keeping the right rules or of doing church correctly. In fact, as long as we see "church" as it is normally practiced as the focus of our calling, we have not fully recognized who we are.
Want to live life in a freewheeling sort of way, or does that still seem too dangerous for you?
Living out faith that way would be more authentic than following the "thou shalt nots" of some evangelical pastors who focus on micro issues vs. living for God's glory through Jesus' grace. I think of the early Christian church who was fractured over Jewish tradition and Paul's message that the only way to redemption is through Christ not circumcision or ceremonial cleanliness, etc. Today I think of pastors who try to provide black and white answers for everything from yoga to miracles. Also, I have never played church well. I've never been able to eloquently talk about my faith. I laugh at the wrong things and I wonder the wrong questions and sometimes I'm a little too honest. It's not blasphemy it's authenticity.
ReplyDeleteI used the term "free floating" this week...meant the same thing. There is no freedom like the true freedom found in living in the freedom of who you are in Christ. No rules, no "thou shalls", nothing inhibits the flow of grace from God through you to others you encounter.
ReplyDeleteNWViolet: As we mature life becomes more gray in many instances. At least that's what folks outside our world may think - that we are becoming muddled. In reality, when we are approaching maturity, things tend to become black and white again but not in the same way. If we know the will of God, then our decisions and actions become more flowing because we instinctually know what to do. As we apply the concepts in various situations, others may well think we apply concepts in seeminly random ways. Being articulate isn't the goal; loving is.
ReplyDeleteAJRB: Reminds me of the statement, "love God and then go do what you want." If we love God, if we are in step with Him, we can live a freewheeling or free floating life. And that is one of the most freeing ways of living.
ReplyDelete