Isn't it instructive that the spiritual formation of the
original disciples happens with Jesus on the road? In effect, the disciples
learn by doing. They grow into an understanding of this God of love, this God
of compassion, this God who loves justice, this God who makes all things new,
by participating as active observers and agents of compassion, justice, and
newness. And, yes, necessarily, they pause with Jesus to reflect, ask questions
(sometimes stupid questions), and pray. But the spiritual adventure described
in the four Gospels does not happen in the sanctuary; it happens on the road,
in the company of beggars, prostitutes, and lepers.
Richard
Rohr
___________________________________________________
Each day
is a crash course in love
after we
who would be connected with something Sacred
have practiced our spirituality
after the prayers have been prayed
the metta phrases spoken the deep breaths taken
after the sacred texts have been perused
we must, one way or another,
hit the road
and on that road (or so it seems to me)
we have one primary agenda
to live love
to think love
carry love
practice love
be love
it is not easy
for there are other people on that road
some we find easy to love
but others? not so much!
that person whose ideology makes our heads hurt
whose hate makes our souls hurt
that person whose very being challenges or frightens us
that person who has hurt us
insulted us
said negative things about us
that person we know just simply doesn’t like us
most of us do not run into actual lepers these days,
but our society has “lepers” of its own making
people with mental illness
or addiction
then there are the poor
the homeless
those “lazy moochers”
who just need to “get off their asses” and get to work!
and when we meet these people
we are called by one who is Love
to think love
and live love
and it is not easy
sometimes we are just too wrapped up in ourselves
and our own agendas, our own needs
sometimes too fearful, too angry
and yet there on the road
in the dust
on the hard pavement
in the grocery store
in our places of work
on Facebook
that is where our adventure with the Sacred is to be lived
out
that is where we really learn
life is our spiritual school
and it is on the road that we learn about God
learn about ourselves
and learn, ah yes, learn about love, giving, forgiving,
compassion
about the need for common good
Abraham, Moses
Elijah and Elisha
the magi on their journey
the disciples in their wanderings
Peter, and Paul (on the road to Damascus)
were travelers all
their journeys were varied
the destinations too
the lessons were diverse
and yes, some got lost
at least for a moment
but they traveled on
and found in mysterious and unexpected ways
peace, hope, joy
and yes
Love
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