A vision is our world-view, the view we get from our window and from our imagination and mind.
Our new spiritual vision calls for us to see deeply, mystically. To see mystically is to see with the eyes of faith. Each of us is an everyday mystic.
Here's one way to see mystically. Look at yourself and your surroundings. See your computer or I-Pad, your desk, the room you're in. Then look at the scene from your window. See your immediate surroundings. Now imagine a panoramic view of people, cities, fields, mountains, trees, plants and flowers, animals, rivers, bridges, oceans and sky. Imagine the entire swirling universe.
Keep looking at them and see a light begin to glow within them. See the light brighten, grow strong and vibrant. See the light glowing in everyone and everything, making them look sharper, clearer, more true and vibrant. Understand that you are seeing the whole world aglow with the inner presence of LOVE, which, as I noted above, makes the whole world/universe the global/universal Christ, i.e., the entire divine-love filled world/universe. This understanding adds contemporary meaning to one of St. Paul's favorite expressions, i.e., that we live in Christ.
Now look within yourself and see the education, talents, interests and opportunities--big or small--that you have and that you can use to help others brighten the light within themselves, ourselves and others, and where necessary, correct ourselves, themselves and others in the humble love of Christ's grace, so that all can move forward toward our divinely intended fulfillment of wholeness in love.
Very importantly, we must not only see and understand what we are doing, we must deeply and genuinely care about what we are doing. And we must show that we deeply and genuinely care. People will respond more easily and deeply to our caring than to our ideas and understanding.
Is all this too far fetched? Too utopian? With the way things are these days, we can easily believe that the odds against our making any progress are just too great.
In response, may I make bold to speak for Jesus. "I lived in a country that was occupied by the brutally cruel Romans. Among my own people, the rich oppressed the poor. I healed the sick, blessed the poor and preached love for everyone. My own political/religious leaders were jealous of their power and fought me at every opportunity. In the end I was arrested and illegally tried and executed.
Despite all that, I give you the vision and reality of ever-flowing resurrection. The presence and energy of my Spirit in you empowers you to do the things I did and even greater things than I did. (Cf. Jn. l4:12). I have given you eyes to see the suffering of this world. I have given you a heart to feel and ears to hear the cries of people who need you. I have given you the Spirit to know how to work against the odds to move the world forward toward its fulfillment of wholeness in love. I have given you a heart to care.
See that my Kingdom of Love is within you and within all whom you will touch. Go forward and help to build it. Work hard and be patient. I am always with you."
Was Jesus naive? Utopian?
Now look out your window again. Look at your room. Look at yourself. Is the global Christ naive? Utopian?....
Our new spiritual vision calls for us to see deeply, mystically. To see mystically is to see with the eyes of faith. Each of us is an everyday mystic.
Here's one way to see mystically. Look at yourself and your surroundings. See your computer or I-Pad, your desk, the room you're in. Then look at the scene from your window. See your immediate surroundings. Now imagine a panoramic view of people, cities, fields, mountains, trees, plants and flowers, animals, rivers, bridges, oceans and sky. Imagine the entire swirling universe.
Keep looking at them and see a light begin to glow within them. See the light brighten, grow strong and vibrant. See the light glowing in everyone and everything, making them look sharper, clearer, more true and vibrant. Understand that you are seeing the whole world aglow with the inner presence of LOVE, which, as I noted above, makes the whole world/universe the global/universal Christ, i.e., the entire divine-love filled world/universe. This understanding adds contemporary meaning to one of St. Paul's favorite expressions, i.e., that we live in Christ.
Now look within yourself and see the education, talents, interests and opportunities--big or small--that you have and that you can use to help others brighten the light within themselves, ourselves and others, and where necessary, correct ourselves, themselves and others in the humble love of Christ's grace, so that all can move forward toward our divinely intended fulfillment of wholeness in love.
Very importantly, we must not only see and understand what we are doing, we must deeply and genuinely care about what we are doing. And we must show that we deeply and genuinely care. People will respond more easily and deeply to our caring than to our ideas and understanding.
Is all this too far fetched? Too utopian? With the way things are these days, we can easily believe that the odds against our making any progress are just too great.
In response, may I make bold to speak for Jesus. "I lived in a country that was occupied by the brutally cruel Romans. Among my own people, the rich oppressed the poor. I healed the sick, blessed the poor and preached love for everyone. My own political/religious leaders were jealous of their power and fought me at every opportunity. In the end I was arrested and illegally tried and executed.
Despite all that, I give you the vision and reality of ever-flowing resurrection. The presence and energy of my Spirit in you empowers you to do the things I did and even greater things than I did. (Cf. Jn. l4:12). I have given you eyes to see the suffering of this world. I have given you a heart to feel and ears to hear the cries of people who need you. I have given you the Spirit to know how to work against the odds to move the world forward toward its fulfillment of wholeness in love. I have given you a heart to care.
See that my Kingdom of Love is within you and within all whom you will touch. Go forward and help to build it. Work hard and be patient. I am always with you."
Was Jesus naive? Utopian?
Now look out your window again. Look at your room. Look at yourself. Is the global Christ naive? Utopian?....
