PATH OF DESCENT
Question of the day: What if you gave up being "right" for Lent?
The second temptation of Jesus: Satan takes him up to the pinnacle of the Temple, symbolizing the religious world, and tells him to play righteousness games with God. “Throw yourself off and he’ll catch you” (Matthew 4:6). It’s the only time when the devil quotes Scripture. The second temptation is the need to be right and to think of the self as saved, superior, the moral elite standing on God and religion, and quoting arguable Scriptures for your own purpose.
More evil has come into the world by people of righteous ignorance than by people who’ve intentionally sinned: Being convinced that one has the whole truth and has God wrapped up in my denomination, my dogmas and my right response (I am baptized, I made a personal decision for Jesus, I go to church).
It’s not wrong to be “right.” Once in a while if something works out, that’s sure nice. The spiritual problem is the need to be right. We are called to do the truth and then let go of the consequences. One stops asking the question of spiritual success, which is the egocentrism of the rich young man: “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17). Jesus refused to answer him because it is the wrong question. It is again “the devil” quoting Scripture and not really wanting an answer, only affirmation.
As Mother Teresa loved to say, “We were not created to be successful [even spiritually successful!] but to be obedient.” True obedience to God won’t always make us look or feel right. Faith is dangerous business!
from Radical Grace: Daily Meditations, p.295, day 309(Source: Preparing for Christmas With Richard Rohr)
Current mantra:Jesus said, "Follow me"
Copyright © 2009 Center for Action and ContemplationPO Box 12464, Albuquerque, NM 87195-2464 (505)242-9588
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Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
Here's a good one if you consider that all of us are called to be ministers.
PATH OF DESCENT
Question of the day: What stones have you been asked to turn into bread?
I believe that all would-be ministers must face the same three temptations as Jesus before they really can minister. The first temptation of Christ, to turn stones into bread (Matthew 4:3), is the need to be effective, successful, relevant, to make things happen. You’ve done something and people say, “Wow! Good job! You did it right. You’re OK.” When the crowds approve, it’s hard not to believe that we have done a good thing, and probably God’s will.
Usually when you buy into that too quickly, you’re feeding the false self and the system, which tells you what it immediately wants and seldom knows what it really needs. You can be a very popular and successful minister operating at that level. That is why Jesus has to face that temptation first, to move us beyond what we want to what we really need. In refusing to be relevant, in refusing to respond to people’s immediate requests, Jesus says, Go deeper. What’s the real question? What are you really after? What does the heart really hunger for? What do you really desire? “It’s not by bread alone that we live” (Matthew 4:4).
from Radical Grace: Daily Meditations, p.294, day 308(Source: Preparing for Christmas With Richard Rohr)
Copyright © 2009 Center for Action and ContemplationPO Box 12464, Albuquerque, NM 87195-2464 (505)242-9588
What do you think?
PATH OF DESCENT
Question of the day: What stones have you been asked to turn into bread?
I believe that all would-be ministers must face the same three temptations as Jesus before they really can minister. The first temptation of Christ, to turn stones into bread (Matthew 4:3), is the need to be effective, successful, relevant, to make things happen. You’ve done something and people say, “Wow! Good job! You did it right. You’re OK.” When the crowds approve, it’s hard not to believe that we have done a good thing, and probably God’s will.
Usually when you buy into that too quickly, you’re feeding the false self and the system, which tells you what it immediately wants and seldom knows what it really needs. You can be a very popular and successful minister operating at that level. That is why Jesus has to face that temptation first, to move us beyond what we want to what we really need. In refusing to be relevant, in refusing to respond to people’s immediate requests, Jesus says, Go deeper. What’s the real question? What are you really after? What does the heart really hunger for? What do you really desire? “It’s not by bread alone that we live” (Matthew 4:4).
from Radical Grace: Daily Meditations, p.294, day 308(Source: Preparing for Christmas With Richard Rohr)
Copyright © 2009 Center for Action and ContemplationPO Box 12464, Albuquerque, NM 87195-2464 (505)242-9588
What do you think?
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Let go and let God. Trite but true?
Text only print-out -----> Daily Meditation: How does love and freedom create holiness? Feb 19, 2009
LETTING GO
Question of the day: How does "love and freedom" create holiness?
Real holiness doesn’t feel like holiness; it just feels like you’re dying. It feels like you’re losing it. And yet, you’re losing it from the center, from a place where all things are One, where you can joyously, graciously let go of it. You know God’s doing it when you can smile, when you can trust the letting go.
Many of us were taught the no without the yes, the joy. We were trained just to put up with it, to take it on the chin. Saying no to the self does not necessarily please God. When God, by love and freedom, can create a joyous yes inside of you—so much so that you can absorb the no’s—then it’s God’s work
from Radical Grace: Daily Meditations, p. 334, day 345
Current mantra:Let go…let God
info@cacradicalgrace.org
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Copyright © 2009 Center for Action and ContemplationPO Box 12464, Albuquerque, NM 87195-2464 (505)242-9588
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What do you think?
Scott
LETTING GO
Question of the day: How does "love and freedom" create holiness?
Real holiness doesn’t feel like holiness; it just feels like you’re dying. It feels like you’re losing it. And yet, you’re losing it from the center, from a place where all things are One, where you can joyously, graciously let go of it. You know God’s doing it when you can smile, when you can trust the letting go.
Many of us were taught the no without the yes, the joy. We were trained just to put up with it, to take it on the chin. Saying no to the self does not necessarily please God. When God, by love and freedom, can create a joyous yes inside of you—so much so that you can absorb the no’s—then it’s God’s work
from Radical Grace: Daily Meditations, p. 334, day 345
Current mantra:Let go…let God
info@cacradicalgrace.org
Subscribe to CAC email lists
Copyright © 2009 Center for Action and ContemplationPO Box 12464, Albuquerque, NM 87195-2464 (505)242-9588
* * * * *
What do you think?
Scott
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