 Girl With a Pearl Earring / Artist, Vermeer
This painting by Vermeer is an elegant "photo" of a single moment in time... the audacious among us might even ponder the likelihood that this painting is mystically meant to "capture" an image of the Divine Beloved, as such it is God With a Pearl Earring... and why not, also, a Big Beautiful Black Woman? Or a Muslim saint? why not? As St. Francis of Assisi communed with the Divine in and through adoration of the creatures, this pansacramentalism is the realization that the Beloved is, as it were, pregnant within every moment and in every possible place. Creation itself is the Great Icon of the Magical Face of God... Is it possible that a servant-girl could be the mirror into which we might gaze to see the Face of God? If this is true, then it is equally true that in the now-famous video of George Floyd, we were witnesses to the Face of the Death of God... Do you find these audacious words repulsive and so very contrary to your truth? Consider: whatsoever you do to the least person among you, you do to me... and "I really only love God as much as I love the person I love the least." (Dorothy Day) Love your neighbor as yourself is the penultimate teaching of the Master: the key to right relationship with the Universe (and everyone else besides)... In every teaching of Jesus, he was illuminating this key... whether speaking of simple living, peacemaking, compassion, equality and justice, or of attunement with the Divine: absolutely everything hinges upon this right perspective, genuine insight, and leading action: love your neighbor as yourself... How is it that any Christian could read the Sermon on the Mount (or the Sermon on the Plain in Luke's Gospel) and not understand that Jesus was proposing a radical course of personal transformation of consciousness and political rEvolution / liberation? Why is it that Christian churches pander to the lowest possible common denominator in their preaching? "The greatest challenge of the day is: how to bring about a revolution of the heart, a revolution which has to start with each one of us?" (Dorothy Day) Salvation theology has excused us from our responsibility to change: somehow, we have come to "think" that right belief is the be-all of the Christian: instead of becoming other Christs! Writing in the early 380's to a new Christian, the Celtic saint Pelagius said: You will realize that doctrines are inventions of the human mind, as it tries to penetrate the mystery of God. You will realize that Scripture itself is the work of human minds, recording the example and teaching of Jesus. Thus it is not what you believe that matters; it is how you respond with your heart and your actions. It is not believing in Christ that matters; it is becoming like him. Jesus' words and example are cosmic indicators of right perspective, genuine insight, and leading action... Thus, they are both a manifesto and a prescription from the doctor of the soul... and activist for justice... Of course, it is your sacred obligation to not believe a single word that I write... but likewise, it is also your sacred responsibility to pick up the Gospels: read (nothing else is needed) the Beatitudes of Jesus (Matthew 5: 1 - 12; Luke 6: 17 - 26)... for an assisting commentary, pick up a copy of Prayers of the Cosmos, Meditations on the Aramaic Words of Jesus by Neil Douglas-Klotz... Then find for yourself a cave... if a cave is unavailable, find instead some hidden place, like a poustinia, or a monastery or some such retreat center for deep contemplation: your aim has to be radical in both nature and purpose: you want to embrace within your heart the keys to a complete identification with the Christ Consciousness... God, the Divine Beloved, is everywhere and in every moment: you cannot even take a single breath without breathing in the life of God: every moment is the sacred meeting ground of you and the Divine: there is neither a way nor a place in which you are somehow separate: every action builds or negates the New Creation: get real: the United States is, by far, the biggest arms dealer in the world: thousands of kids die of malnutrition of everyday: women and girls are raped everyday everywhere: the rich always find ways to get richer: racism is a world-wide contagion: in few places are women known to be equal to men: the Planet is being raped by greedy men and multi-national corporations: religious bigots are everywhere: gun violence is a world-wide epidemic: men don't know how to be men without harming women: greed defines the economics of the world: and clearly, the list could go on and on... Get together with others in intentional communities to hash out your own group-plan for engaging with liberation and transformation on every level: acknowledge both differences and similarities: have festivals: relax into sacred pleasure: support women as leaders: get a farm and grow as much of your own food as you can: practice art, music, dance: practice nonviolence teach nonviolence: nurture the wonder of children: write poetry, read poetry: pray in everything that you do (not as an afterthought): meditate: live contemplatively: garden: serve and save animals: protest: organize: discuss: plan: network: read the Scriptures of the World: practice identification and adoration... And remember: God with a pearl earring is everyone, and everywhere, and every moment... Have fun! Resources: The Blue Zones Solution / Dan Buettner The Wisdom Jesus / Rev. Cynthia Bourgeault Creation Spirituality / Rev. Matthew Fox The Hope / Andrew Harvey emergent strategy / adrienne maree brown The Intelligence of the Cosmos / Ervin Laszlo Be Love Now / Ram Dass
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AuthorRobert Daniel Smith was privileged to serve the homeless and marginalized for 30 years in California. He is living now almost within shouting distance of the Twin Cities. He is a poet, artist, writer, and long-time Companion of the Way still dreaming... Archives
May 2022
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