Richard Rohr with CAC’s Daily Meditation Team, Mark Longhurst (left) and Ali Kirkpatrick (right).
Dear CO Few,
As I sit here in my 83rd year, I’m delightfully surprised I am still writing to you! God has given me more time and energy than I could ever have hoped for. Lately, I’ve been reflecting—sometimes even dreaming at night—about my time in college, my years intensely studying theology, and how earnest yet ego-driven I was to get ordained and become a priest. But I am immensely grateful for how God has used it all. The more I reflect, the more I think, “God, you were so gracious and patient with me! I didn’t always get it right, but you still used me.” And that is how it is for you and everyone else as well. God uses us in ways that we cannot possibly imagine, and often in spite of ourselves.
Throughout all these years I’ve tried to pass my words through three gates: “Is it true? Is it loving? Is it necessary?” Because we must be sustained by a sense of what we are for, and not just what we are against. The contemplative path isn’t primarily about learning—it’s about living. Through contemplation, we begin to see differently, to love more deeply, and to act with courage. Spreading this message seems to be needed now more than ever, and with your support, that is exactly what we will do.
One of my greatest joys is to continue seeing the ripples of loving action that this CAC community and our Daily Meditations make around the world. Please read the letter below from CAC’s Executive Director Michael Poffenberger who we recently celebrated for his tenth anniversary with CAC. Tomorrow, the Daily Meditations will continue exploring the theme of “Seeing Nature Through New Eyes.”
Peace and Every Good,
Richard Rohr, OFM
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| Learning from the Mystics: Maximus the Confessor |
| Quote of the Week: “We are his members and his body, and the fullness of Christ of God who fills all things in every way according to the plan hidden in God the Father before the ages. And we are being recapitulated in him through his Son our Lord Jesus the Christ of God.” – Ambiguum 7. Reflection Maximus the Confessor was a fascinating person from history. He was nearly martyred for his faith but has come to be known as one of the more profound and enigmatic writers of the church. As a Greek-speaking and writing theologian, this meant that he had a particular perspective that he was coming from. He was not learning from the Bible through a secondary language, he was learning from the New Testament as a primary source, directly! Believe it or not, the famous Augustine of Hippo only read the Bible and wrote about it in Latin. This may not seem as though it is a major issue, but in reality, it means that Maximus might have thought closer to the New Testament writers than Augustine! In Philippians 2:5-11, we have the famous hymn which Paul wrote in his letter. “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:Who, being in the very nature God,did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;rather, he made himself nothingby taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.And being found in appearance as a man,he humbled himselfby becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross!Therefore God exalted him to the highest placeand gave him the name that is above every name,that in the name of Jesus, every knee should bow,in heaven and on earth and under the earth,and every tongue openly and joyfully profess that Jesus Christ is Lord,to the Glory of God the Father.” When we say that Jesus “emptied” Himself, it is using a famous Greek word, “kenosis.” It describes the process of pouring out. This means that the English translation here is quite good! However, if God is pouring Himself out, what is God pouring Himself out into? Well, the letter to the Ephesians highlights this mystery as does several other letters from the apostle Paul. In other writings from Paul, he writes about God “filling” things up. The Greek word here is “plerosis.” It means to “fill” something. For Maximus the Confessor, this is a primary mystery of the cosmos, God “filling all things in every way.” You, me, the trees, the skies, the rivers, our neighbors, the movie theater, Easter candy, sunrises, and sunsets. All things… And, for Maximus the Confessor, all things means all things! This means that the only thing missing is our perception, appreciation, and wonder at this mystery of God “filling all things in every way.” The fact that we cannot see it or have difficulty believing it does not make it untrue. In reality, if only we had the spiritual eyes to see this reality, it would change the way we do practically everything! May we have the eyes to see and the faith to apprehend God “filling all things in every way!” Prayer Heavenly Father, who has chosen to self-reveal in the person and work of Jesus of Nazareth, by Your Spirit help us to apprehend this mystery… That you have chosen to pour Yourself out, that You then fill all things! This is a mystery beyond our comprehension but grant us the eyes to see this truth in the reality around us! Amen and amen! |
| Life Overview: Who is He: Maximus of Constatinople (also known as Maximus the Confessor) When: Born in Haspin, Israel and died on August 13th, 662AD. Why He is Important: Maximus was a theologian that still worked within the Greek of the New Testament. At the time, there was a growing divide between the Greek speaking theologians and the Latin speaking theologians. Maximus is considered an underrated Greek speaking theologian. Most Known For: Although he was not a martyr, he died shortly after refusing to recant his Christian beliefs and therefore had his hand cut off (so he could not write anymore) and his tongue cut out (so he could not teach anymore). Hence, the moniker, ‘the Confessor.” During his life he was tried as a heretic, but later cleared and venerated as a saint for holding so devoutly to the Chalcedonian Creed.. Notable Works to Check Out: On the Cosmic Mystery of Jesus ChristOn the Ecclesiological MystagogyTwo Hundred Chapters on Theology Books About Maximus the Confessor:The Whole Mystery of Christ by Jordan Daniel WoodCosmic Liturgy: The Universe According to Maximus the Confessor by Hans Urs von Balthasar |
