0
I cannot figure out if Carolyn Sawicki is holding my hand or slapping me awake from a nightmare. How could I choose? Summarizing aspects of Edward Schillbeeckx’s thinking she casually shreds the past fifteen years of my life. Nothing matters but this.
The experience of grace grows out of the fundamental experience of one’s own createdness and of the creaturely status of all that is. The non-necessary gratuity of existence, its giftedness, is the matrix . . . for the unfathomable “Abba experience” that Jesus enjoys with God (Seeing the Lord 323).
Why do I insist on making this so difficult?
God could not be more the world; God could not be more the self. God is so much the world and the self that both are undone in God, leaving only God, endlessly experienced as a self, in a world. There is only this: this this.
Happiness is a natural effect of being present to all that is without discriminating amongst it. When we penetrate the illusion of separate interests, the gift of our attention is happiness.
Which means, of course, that Sawicki is right. Happiness restores to our awareness a “symbolic utopian vision in light of which Christian emancipatory action can be taken” (324).
1
In a dream we are walking
down an unfamiliar road.
The night is heavy and still –
no stars, no moon.
After a while I ask,
“what if we arrive early?”
You don’t answer at first.
You’ve been silent a long time.
I almost forget the question.
But then you stop, remove your hood
and turn to me. “What if
we are already there,” you say.
Your voice is softer
than I remember. I can’t quite
make out your face.
You could be anyone
who turns into light
and loves for the sake of love.
2
Sawicki again: “The word that became flesh was yes and Mary said it” (326).
Discover more from Sean Reagan
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
“God could not be more the world; God could not be more the self. God is so much the world and the self that both are undone in God, leaving only God, endlessly experienced as a self, in a world. There is only this: this this.” I almost stopped reading after this. It was enough. Thank you, Sean, for these blessed gifts.
🙏🙏
““What if we are already there,” you say.”
Indeed, in Truth we never left. We are merely meandering our way through vague and foggy memories of an imagined journey that never was.
Oh my, my dear brother Sean! I dare say, of all your Advent posts, those which are the briefest in words have hit me with the most intense sense of inspiration as having come directly from the heart and mind of God!
It’s true, we all do it, but really, why DO we insist on making this so difficult?
What wonderful reminders you have given us this morning! May they stick with us all throughout this day, and all those to follow! 💗
Thank you, Donna . . . I’m glad to have such kind and gentle companions on this non-journey of a journey 🙂 And thanks for the note about brevity – I hear that.
I think the answer to why we do that is fear and fear is a defense against love but the work – I know you know this – is actually entering into relationship with the source of the fear. undoing is participatory and collaborative! And that is easier to say than to do . . .
Thank you for helping me figure all this out 🙏🙏
~ Sean
… Happiness is a natural effect of being present to all that is without discriminating amongst it.
Yeah, I love that. That it’s all already been allowed, pre approved, no need for me to discriminate… hence the whole forgiveness practice for the me discriminating, to bring back the awareness.
It’s like you are appending jewels here, Amanda. I am REALLY grateful for you 🙏🙏
~ Sean
I’m just floating from your Advent entries, Sean. This is my experience. The comments from our fellow travelers reflect my same thoughts, writing what I can’t right now. Grateful for you all.
Thanks, Denise – really appreciate your presence – it is enough 🙏🙏
~ Sean