This is the gateway to the old Monastery at Glendalough Ireland, which St Kevin founded in the sixth century.St Kevin is reputed to have had an extraordinary closeness to nature.
Reflections - last updated in July 2018, more to come...
After some years on the Contemplative Christian Journey, I feel ready and called to formally explore and reflect on particular topics related to my Christian Spirituality. This page and those linked from it contain the insights and inspirations from that exploration. The topics I intent to cover are the following:
Here's a link to a former Blog which I was previously using to share inspirations: Blog (latest update 9/25/2016)
- What knowing the Authentic Jesus teaches me about being a better Christian.
- Blog: Reflections on Coming to Know the Authentic Jesus.
- What Thomas Merton and Modern Mystics teach me about being a better Christian.
- What Appreciating Buddhism teaches me about being a better Christian.
Here's a link to a former Blog which I was previously using to share inspirations: Blog (latest update 9/25/2016)
Being A Better Christian
On my quest to discover what it's like being a better, more authentic Christian I'm guided by two of Jesus' core teachings and some of Paul's amazing mystical insights on living a Christian life. I hope the deeper meaning of the following emerges in my study, reflection and my attempt to live the more authentically Christian life.
The Greatest Commandment:
Matthew 22:36-40
36 “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” 37 He said to him, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the greatest and the first commandment. 39 The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”
see also Mark 12:28-31 and Luke 10:25-28
John 13:34-35
34 I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. 35 This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
The Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount:
Matthew 5:3-12
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are they who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the land.
6 Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
10 Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you [falsely] because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
It's what Paul experiences as:
Philippians 2:1-5
1 If there is any encouragement in Christ, any solace in love, any participation in the Spirit, any compassion and mercy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing. 3 Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, 4 each looking out not for his own interests, but [also] everyone for those of others. 5 Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus
Galatians 2:20
20 yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me...
Galatians 5:22-23
22 ... the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
This, however is not easy as Paul himself has been a witness:
Roman 7:15
15 What I do, I do not understand. For I do not do what I want, but I do what I hate.
Thank God there are different people and ways that have been uncovered to realize the simple but not easy task of being a better Christian.
It is the intent of my studies to look at Buddhism as an alternate Spiritual Path. This will provide me with another lens with which to view what's central to my Christian faith while also giving me an appreciation for the beauty of a different viewpoint on Ultimate Mystery and Divine Truth which I know as God. I undertake the effort to find ways that Buddhism offers me to deepen my own Christian practice and understanding guided by the spirit Thomas Merton expressed in Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander:
I will be a better Catholic, not if I can refute every shade of Protestantism, but if I can affirm the truth in it and still go further. So, too, with the Muslims, the Hindus, the Buddhist, etc. This does not mean syncretism, indifferentism, the vapid and careless friendliness that accepts everything by thinking of nothing. There is much that one cannot "affirm" and "accept", but first one must say "yes" when one really can. If I affirm myself as a Catholic merely by denying all that is Muslim, Jewish, Protestant, Hindu, Buddhist, etc., in the end I will find that there is not much left for me to affirm as a Catholic: and certainly no breath of the Spirit with which to affirm it.
Simoe Weil provides clarity regarding the avoidance of syncretism and respecting the distinct character that a different faith tradition brings to such an approach:
Each religion is alone true, that is to say, that at the moment we are thinking of it we must bring as much attention to bear on it as if there were nothing else. . . . A 'synthesis' of religion implies a lower quality of attention.
So my feeling is that there is much to learn by honoring the common spirit of a different faith tradition as one engages in true, open dialogue that is also respectful of and seeks to deepen also by acknowledging the differences that appear to exist.
The Greatest Commandment:
Matthew 22:36-40
36 “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” 37 He said to him, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the greatest and the first commandment. 39 The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”
see also Mark 12:28-31 and Luke 10:25-28
John 13:34-35
34 I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. 35 This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
The Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount:
Matthew 5:3-12
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are they who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the land.
6 Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
10 Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you [falsely] because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
It's what Paul experiences as:
Philippians 2:1-5
1 If there is any encouragement in Christ, any solace in love, any participation in the Spirit, any compassion and mercy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing. 3 Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, 4 each looking out not for his own interests, but [also] everyone for those of others. 5 Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus
Galatians 2:20
20 yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me...
Galatians 5:22-23
22 ... the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
This, however is not easy as Paul himself has been a witness:
Roman 7:15
15 What I do, I do not understand. For I do not do what I want, but I do what I hate.
Thank God there are different people and ways that have been uncovered to realize the simple but not easy task of being a better Christian.
It is the intent of my studies to look at Buddhism as an alternate Spiritual Path. This will provide me with another lens with which to view what's central to my Christian faith while also giving me an appreciation for the beauty of a different viewpoint on Ultimate Mystery and Divine Truth which I know as God. I undertake the effort to find ways that Buddhism offers me to deepen my own Christian practice and understanding guided by the spirit Thomas Merton expressed in Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander:
I will be a better Catholic, not if I can refute every shade of Protestantism, but if I can affirm the truth in it and still go further. So, too, with the Muslims, the Hindus, the Buddhist, etc. This does not mean syncretism, indifferentism, the vapid and careless friendliness that accepts everything by thinking of nothing. There is much that one cannot "affirm" and "accept", but first one must say "yes" when one really can. If I affirm myself as a Catholic merely by denying all that is Muslim, Jewish, Protestant, Hindu, Buddhist, etc., in the end I will find that there is not much left for me to affirm as a Catholic: and certainly no breath of the Spirit with which to affirm it.
Simoe Weil provides clarity regarding the avoidance of syncretism and respecting the distinct character that a different faith tradition brings to such an approach:
Each religion is alone true, that is to say, that at the moment we are thinking of it we must bring as much attention to bear on it as if there were nothing else. . . . A 'synthesis' of religion implies a lower quality of attention.
So my feeling is that there is much to learn by honoring the common spirit of a different faith tradition as one engages in true, open dialogue that is also respectful of and seeks to deepen also by acknowledging the differences that appear to exist.
Sharing The Journey
I am blessed that some of those accompanying me have taken the time to collaborate on my reflections. I'd like to highlight and thank the ones here that have worked with me most closely on these reflections.
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Deacon Art Miller - well know in the Archdioceses of Hartford, CT and beyond for his tireless and inspired preaching, teaching, caring, living and growing in the depth of his Christian faith and love of God. So far Deacon Art has been discussing and reviewing my Blog reflections.
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Levels Of Awareness and Actions Of True Self
Reflecting on my study and most importantly on the experiences of my Spiritual Journey, the Level of Awareness becomes an important factor to explain how I experience myself, God, others, life, and my own actions. Throughout the course of any given day, I find myself moving through various different levels of Awareness. With proper presence to Levels of Awareness I'm better able to open to my True Self and express Genuine Action. I'd like to briefly share something about each Level of Awareness as I have experienced them.
Ordinary Awareness (more accurately non-Awareness) are my habitual, automatic and unconscious reactions to the external stimulus of life based on the conditions of my upbringing, my learned behaviors and buried life experiences; both good and bad. This is well described in Fr. Keating's The Human Condition. Living in Ordinary Awareness is useful as it provides me the automatic patterns for navigating life and allows me to provide for my basic needs. Ordinary Awareness, however, keeps my true motivations hidden from me and therefore leaves me little genuine freedom or choice. When my true motivations are hidden from me, they can be used and manipulated by outside forces and factors even those implanted long ago. Living out of Ordinary Awareness seems to be the experience that St. Paul wrote about in Romans 7:19-20 “19 For I do not do the good I want, but I do the evil I do not want. 20 Now if [I] do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.”
Human Awareness allows me to become conscious of the Psychological, Emotional and Physical realities that drive Ordinary Awareness. Human Awareness gives me presence to my unconscious reactions and gets me in touch with their underlying triggers. Fostering Human Awareness gives me the capability to remain attentive to myself in the moment and provides greater clarity and freedom of action which clears the way to Spiritual Awareness. Through Human Awareness I begin to deal with the Psychological and Emotional factors controlling my behavior and so am more easily able to open to Spiritual Awareness. Mindfulness and Contemplative practices result in deepening Human Awareness and healing as can Counseling and Therapy. Remaining open, aware and present in Human Awareness can be difficult and I believe is what is written about in Luke 9:23-24: “23 Then he said to all, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.”
Spiritual Awareness is an openness to God’s grace, the Fruits and Gifts of the Spirit and guidance by the Holy Spirit. My personal experience of Spiritual Awareness is rooted in the Heart and is felt as deep acceptance and compassion for myself,and others. This is where I feel a diminished sense of self-importance and truly connected to God, others and all of creation. Spiritual Awareness opens me to the guidance and insights of the Holy Spirit (in Spiritual Direction, Contemplative Group discussion and reflection as well as in life interactions). Heartfulness practices such as Contemplative Prayer and prayer in general as well as a focus on Loving-Kindness and Compassion can create openings for Spiritual Awareness. It is my experience that opening to the compassion of Spiritual Awareness provides the sustenance and healing for the work of Human Awareness. To me, St. Paul best terms Spiritual Awareness as the Mind of Christ: 1 Corinthians 2:10-16: “16 For “who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to counsel him?” But we have the mind of Christ.”
True Self is intertwined with the spark of the Divine Indwelling each of us. It is my union with the Cosmic Christ, or my individual part in the Mystical Body of Christ. As is written in Jeremiah 1:5: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you…” Genuine Action arises out of the True Self and is informed by Spiritual Awareness. Human Awareness permits the inspiration of Genuine Action to surface and be realized in my life.
At this point in my Spiritual Journey I have been blessed by experiences of Spiritual Awareness and have experienced the genuine actions of True Self. I find myself more often opening to difficult task of Human Awareness when prompted by times when the actions or perceptions of Ordinary Awareness catch me by surprise or make me behave in a way that I wouldn't expect or desire.
Ordinary Awareness (more accurately non-Awareness) are my habitual, automatic and unconscious reactions to the external stimulus of life based on the conditions of my upbringing, my learned behaviors and buried life experiences; both good and bad. This is well described in Fr. Keating's The Human Condition. Living in Ordinary Awareness is useful as it provides me the automatic patterns for navigating life and allows me to provide for my basic needs. Ordinary Awareness, however, keeps my true motivations hidden from me and therefore leaves me little genuine freedom or choice. When my true motivations are hidden from me, they can be used and manipulated by outside forces and factors even those implanted long ago. Living out of Ordinary Awareness seems to be the experience that St. Paul wrote about in Romans 7:19-20 “19 For I do not do the good I want, but I do the evil I do not want. 20 Now if [I] do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.”
Human Awareness allows me to become conscious of the Psychological, Emotional and Physical realities that drive Ordinary Awareness. Human Awareness gives me presence to my unconscious reactions and gets me in touch with their underlying triggers. Fostering Human Awareness gives me the capability to remain attentive to myself in the moment and provides greater clarity and freedom of action which clears the way to Spiritual Awareness. Through Human Awareness I begin to deal with the Psychological and Emotional factors controlling my behavior and so am more easily able to open to Spiritual Awareness. Mindfulness and Contemplative practices result in deepening Human Awareness and healing as can Counseling and Therapy. Remaining open, aware and present in Human Awareness can be difficult and I believe is what is written about in Luke 9:23-24: “23 Then he said to all, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.”
Spiritual Awareness is an openness to God’s grace, the Fruits and Gifts of the Spirit and guidance by the Holy Spirit. My personal experience of Spiritual Awareness is rooted in the Heart and is felt as deep acceptance and compassion for myself,and others. This is where I feel a diminished sense of self-importance and truly connected to God, others and all of creation. Spiritual Awareness opens me to the guidance and insights of the Holy Spirit (in Spiritual Direction, Contemplative Group discussion and reflection as well as in life interactions). Heartfulness practices such as Contemplative Prayer and prayer in general as well as a focus on Loving-Kindness and Compassion can create openings for Spiritual Awareness. It is my experience that opening to the compassion of Spiritual Awareness provides the sustenance and healing for the work of Human Awareness. To me, St. Paul best terms Spiritual Awareness as the Mind of Christ: 1 Corinthians 2:10-16: “16 For “who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to counsel him?” But we have the mind of Christ.”
True Self is intertwined with the spark of the Divine Indwelling each of us. It is my union with the Cosmic Christ, or my individual part in the Mystical Body of Christ. As is written in Jeremiah 1:5: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you…” Genuine Action arises out of the True Self and is informed by Spiritual Awareness. Human Awareness permits the inspiration of Genuine Action to surface and be realized in my life.
At this point in my Spiritual Journey I have been blessed by experiences of Spiritual Awareness and have experienced the genuine actions of True Self. I find myself more often opening to difficult task of Human Awareness when prompted by times when the actions or perceptions of Ordinary Awareness catch me by surprise or make me behave in a way that I wouldn't expect or desire.