Richard Rohr<\/p>\n
Disciples of Love<\/p>\n
Tuesday, December 5, 2017\n<\/iframe><br \/>\nTrue, what Christians are after is different from what Buddhists are after. For Christians, it\u2019s identification with the Christ-Spirit. For Buddhists, it\u2019s realizing their Buddha-nature. And yet, both of these very different experiences have something in common: they are unitive, non-dualistic, mystical experiences in which we find that our own identity is somehow joined with that which is both more than, and at the same time one with, our identity. \u2014Paul F. Knitter [1]<br \/>\n\u201cPutting on the mind of Christ\u201d . . . [is] what we are actually supposed to be doing on this path: not just admiring Jesus, but acquiring his consciousness. \u2014Cynthia Bourgeault [2]<br \/>\nIn my (Richard\u2019s) view, we would do better if we had the faith of Jesus (open, humble, trusting toward God and reality) instead of simply having faith in Jesus (which history has shown usually becomes competitive and sectarian).<br \/>\nToday James Finley, one of CAC\u2019s core faculty members, continues reflecting on interfaith friendship:<br \/>\nWhen we seek what is truest in our own tradition, we discover we are one with those who seek what is truest in their tradition. There is a point of convergence where we meet each other and we recognize each other as seekers of awakening.<br \/>\nIn order to do this, it\u2019s important to understand the distinction between exoteric and esoteric aspects of religion. Exoteric qualities are the specific sets of beliefs, customs, rituals, and traditions that make each religion unique. We are not attempting to blur the line between religions at this level. As Thomastic philosopher Jacques Maritain (1906-1973) says, \u201cdistinguish to unite.\u201d [3] Being clear about the Gospel of Jesus allows us to have a meaningful conversation with a Buddhist who is very clear about the Dharma. How could that not be good for all concerned? (Unfortunately, many Christians\u2014both liberals and conservatives\u2014are not at all clear about their own essential Gospel.)<br \/>\nEsoteric qualities have to do with transformation of hearts. In the free fall into the boundless abyss of God, we meet one another, beyond all distinctions. This is the oneness that includes and is not limited by differences.<br \/>\nIn the Christian Scripture Paul writes, \u201cMay the mind that is in Christ Jesus also be in you\u201d (Philippians 2:5). This is the truest depth of our Christian tradition, what it truly means to be a disciple of Jesus. We are called to recognize, surrender to, and ultimately be identified with the mystery of God utterly beyond all concepts, all words, and all designations. This is our destiny.<br \/>\nAnd, what\u2019s more, we are to realize that this destiny\u2014the boundless, oceanic, birthless, deathless mystery of God\u2014is manifesting itself and giving itself to us completely in every breath and heartbeat. If we fully experienced the generosity of God loving us into existence, we would then bear witness to that realization by the way we treat ourselves, others, and all living things. There is a way to do this that will not compromise our faith in our own tradition but enrich it.<\/p>\n<p>Gateway to Silence:<br \/>\nWe are already one.<\/p>\n<p>________________________________________<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Temple of the Holy Spirit\u201d<\/p>\n<h4>By <a href=\"https:\/\/utmost.org\/oswald-chambers-bio\">Oswald Chambers<\/a><\/h4>\n<p><!-- \/.col-12 --> <!-- \/.row --><\/p>\n<div class=\"clearfix\">\u00a0<strong>\u2026only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you. \u2014<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?version=31&search=Genesis+41%3A40\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Genesis 41:40<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n<div class=\"row entry-meta\">\n<div class=\"col-sm-4\">\n<p><!--\n\n\n<div class=\"mobile-sharing-button\"><\/div>\n\n\n--><\/p>\n<div class=\"top-sharing\">\n<div class=\"sharedaddy sd-sharing-enabled\">\n<div class=\"robots-nocontent sd-block sd-social sd-social-icon-text sd-sharing\">\n<div class=\"sd-content\">\n<p>\u00a0I am accountable to God for the way I control my body under His authority. Paul said he did not \u201cset aside the grace of God\u201d\u2014 make it ineffective (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Galatians+2:21\">Galatians 2:21<\/a>). The grace of God is absolute and limitless, and the work of salvation through Jesus is complete and finished forever. I am not being saved\u2014 I am saved. Salvation is as eternal as God\u2019s throne, but I must put to work or use what God has placed within me. To \u201cwork out [my] own salvation\u201d (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Philippians+2:12\">Philippians 2:12<\/a>) means that I am responsible for using what He has given me. It also means that I must exhibit in my own body the life of the Lord Jesus, not mysteriously or secretly, but openly and boldly. \u201cI discipline my body and bring it into subjection . . .\u201d (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=1+Corinthians+9:27\">1 Corinthians 9:27<\/a>). Every Christian can have his body under absolute control for God. God has given us the responsibility to rule over all \u201cthe temple of the Holy Spirit,\u201d including our thoughts and desires (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=1+Corinthians+6:19\">1 Corinthians 6:19<\/a>). We are responsible for these, and we must never give way to improper ones. But most of us are much more severe in our judgment of others than we are in judging ourselves. We make excuses for things in ourselves, while we condemn things in the lives of others simply because we are not naturally inclined to do them.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"entry-content\">\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>Paul said, \u201cI beseech you\u2026that you present your bodies a living sacrifice\u2026\u201d (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Romans+12:1\">Romans 12:1<\/a>). What I must decide is whether or not I will agree with my Lord and Master that my body will indeed be His temple. Once I agree, all the rules, regulations, and requirements of the law concerning the body are summed up for me in this revealed truth-my body is \u201cthe temple of the Holy Spirit.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Richard Rohr Disciples of Love Tuesday, December 5, 2017 True, what Christians are after is different from what Buddhists are after. For Christians, it\u2019s identification with the Christ-Spirit. For Buddhists, it\u2019s realizing their Buddha-nature. And yet, both of these very different experiences have something in common: they are unitive, non-dualistic, mystical experiences in which we […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16229"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=16229"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16229\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16231,"href":"https:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16229\/revisions\/16231"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=16229"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=16229"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=16229"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}