"I no longer seek any perfection from my own efforts…but only the perfection that comes from faith and is from God…We who are called perfect must all think in this way" (Philippians 3:9,15)
Where the text finally points, leads and calls is to the total mystery of divine union - and nothing less.
You don't have to figure it all out or get it all right ahead of time. You just have to stay on the journey. All you can do is stay connected. We don't know how to be perfect, but we can stay in union. "If you remain in me and I remain in you," says Jesus, "you can ask for whatever you want and you’re going to get it" (see John 15:7). When you're connected, there are no coincidences anymore.
Synchronicities, coincidences, accidents and "providences" just keep happening. Union realigns you with everything, and things just start happening. I cannot explain the "chemistry" of it all. Some people call it "the secret". All I know is that the "branch cut off from the vine is useless" (John 15:5), yet on the vine it bears much fruit (15:5, 7). The True Self is endlessly generative, in touch with its Source; the false self is fragile, needy and insecure.
Richard Rohr, from Things Hidden: Scripture as Spirituality
The key to understanding John 15.7 (NRSV: "If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you") in all its almost spooky accuracy - and where I think the "prosperity gospel" really falls down - is that if we do abide in our Saviour, what we ask for will be what he would have asked for in that situation. Somehow I just can't see him asking his Father for a swimming pool and a brand new Lexus, but maybe that's a failure of imagination on my part...
What I can see Jesus asking for is the courage to lay down his life for his sheep; for mercy and grace for the suffering, release for the prisoners, gladness for the grief-stricken, food for the hungry - things like that. Dear Jesus, blessed Saviour, teach me to want what you want, to pray for those whom you pray for, to dream your dreams!
2 comments:
touche´Mike!
This is one of my hobbyhorses, the 'prosperity gospel' or anything resembling it (e.g., the New Age belief that we create our own reality by thinking about it.)
Of course, those who promulgate the prosperity gospel, etc, also seem to focus on the Cosmic Christ, or ascended nature of Christ, Christ the King and hero, rather than as he actually behaved and preacehed while here. The same may be said of Francis, but that's another topic.
This post is absolutely wonderful.
Thank you, Kelly!
"The same may be said of Francis..."? I'm fascinated! I always associate Francis with Christ crucified - and only glorified as crucified: the Lamb enthroned, but the Lamb who was slain.
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