One of my favorite spiritual mentors over the past twenty years has been Henri Nouwen. Unfortunately, I never had the privilege of knowing him in person, but his writings have provided Spiritual Direction and encouragement for my heart journey.
Dr. Nouwen writes of an opportunity he had to meet with Mother Theresa of Calcutta. He was struggling with many things at the time and decided to use this occasion to ask Mother Theresa's advice. He sat down with her and began immediately to explain all his problems and difficulties, trying to convince her of how complicated it all was.
When, after ten minutes or so of elaborate explanation, he finally became quiet, Mother Theresa looked at him and gently said, "Well, when you spend one hour a day adoring your Lord and never do anything that you know is wrong...you will be fine!"
Nouwen writes: "When she said this, I realized, suddenly, that she had punctured my big balloon of complex self-complaints and pointed me far beyond myself to the place of real healing."
So much of the time we tend to respond to questions from below with answers from below. Mother Theresa's answer was a brilliant flash of light in the darkness of such a futile approach. Nouwen had asked some questions from below, and Mother Theresa gave him an answer from above--from God's place rather than from our human place.
In our humanity we might be susceptible to a superficial search for easy answers and shallow meaning. It is important to remember that God's Spirit is ultimately the sole source of spiritual guidance, comfort and knowing.
Sometimes, in living the questions, answers are found. More often, as our questions and issues are tested and matured in context of our practicing the disciplines of solitude and worshipful adoration of our Lord, the questions simply dissolve.
In our spiritual journeying, let us move forward with a continual openness to the disclosure of the transcendent mystery of God, before whom all questions cease. When we "adore our Lord and never do anything we know is wrong," we will be fine!
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2 comments:
Pastor I enjoy reading your blog but wonder why so few respond or comment on your blog. Recently I read these comments below by a Richard on a religious blog and thought to myself “I wonder if this person spends one hour a day adoring the lord and believes that he never does anything wrong?” I believe Richard would answer in the affirmative.
As the two political conventions come to a close it is interesting to see how each side claims to be godlier than the other party. One party wraps themselves up in patriotism and religion and how to achieve victory in an illegal war based on lies and deception.
To watch your own country self destruct is not a pleasant experience with each side thinking they know how to make the changes necessary to make America great again. This person Richard and those that think like him are in my opinion the greatest threat to the American republic. Here are his remarks taken from a religious blog.
“This is deplorable. I was under the impression that this blog was run by an honest to God Republican, but instead it's the domain of moral relativists. We Christians have worked for years to fight Godlessness and during this struggle we have made firm allies with the Rpeublican party while doing so. It has become clear to Americans that the Republican party is the one that will restore morality, uphold the family, and enshrine the idea that what the first amendment really does is ensure FREEDOM OF CHRISTIAN DENOMINATION. The writers of the constitution were all Christians and recognized that Christianity is the only real religion that exists. They were only talking about faith in Jesus when they wrote those lines. But here is a Republican and a gallery of approving rouges that has taken the hand-holding position with blasphemers, atheists, and sodomites. You are all disgusting people who have turned so far from the Word that you think you can get to paradise any way you please. I have news for you. Jesus did not die on the cross for nothing.”
Posted by: Richard |
With comments like Richard’s is it any wonder why so many Americans and most people in Europe do not want to become part of any organized religion. Almost half of the federal budget in America is spent on the industrial military complex and if anyone believes that close to a trillion-dollar expense is for defense is in great denial.
I know this is it bit off topic and is emphasizing one of your sub-points, but I think it's interesting how we desire something beyond ourselves. When we focus on finding the answers within ourselves, we are filled with discouragement. It seems to me that the harder mankind claims that he is alone, the harder it looks for something (or someone) else for meaning.
"This is all there is, but we must transcend this..." How can we if this is all there is? I once heard Ravi Zachrias talk about someone shipwrecked who finds a message in a bottle washed up along the shore. As he opens the message, he is filled with despair because he realizes it is a message he sent out months prior to this occasion.
There is nothing more disheartening than a cry for more that is returned with a cry for help; a message from ourselves to ourselves.
P.S. I apologize for any grammar or spelling errors, and hope that I have communicated clearly.
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