{"id":24551,"date":"2024-12-17T10:04:49","date_gmt":"2024-12-17T15:04:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/?p=24551"},"modified":"2024-12-17T10:22:57","modified_gmt":"2024-12-17T15:22:57","slug":"24551","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/?p=24551","title":{"rendered":"A Gift and Guarantee"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Andrew Peterson - Be Kind to Yourself (Official Lyric Video)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/sYiM-sOC6nE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>God said, \u201cLet us make humans in our image, according to our likeness.\u201d\u202f<br>\u2014Genesis 1:26&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Father Richard locates our essential goodness in being created in the image and likeness of God.&nbsp;<\/em>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Centuries of Christian theology confirm that the \u201cimage\u201d described in Genesis refers to our eternal essence in God which cannot be increased or\u202fdecreased. It is the soul\u2019s objective union with God.\u202fWe (and every other created thing) <strong>begin with a divine DNA, an inner destiny as it were, a blueprint tucked away in the cellar of our  being, that begs to be allowed, to be fulfilled, and to show itself. <\/strong>\u201c<strong>It is the Holy Spirit poured into your heart, and it has been given to you\u201d (Romans 5:5)<\/strong>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My \u201cI am\u201d is merely a further breathing forth of the eternal and perfect \u201cI Am Who Am\u201d of the Creator (Exodus 3:14). <strong>This \u201cbeingness\u201d precedes all doing. I am loved\u2014or better, I am love\u2014before I do anything right or wrong, worthy or unworthy. <\/strong>To put it philosophically, ontology precedes morality. The divine indwelling is a gratuitous gift, standing presence, and guarantee. We are the containers, temples, and recipients of this gift. In a certain sense, it had nothing to do with us. Yet it is our own inherent and irrevocable dignity. <strong>I call it the True Self, an immortal, imperishable diamond. Without doubt, this is our \u201coriginal blessing.\u201d&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The indwelling divine image moves toward fulfillment in each of us throughout our lifetimes. \u201cLikeness\u201d refers to our\u202fpersonal and unique embodiment of that inner divine image. It is our gradual realization of this gift. We all have the same objective gift, but different ways of saying yes and consenting to it. <strong>There are as many ways to manifest God as there are beings in the universe<\/strong>. Our personal and collective embodiments reveal aspects of the sacred through our personhood, relationships, fields of work and study, culture, economy, politics, and justice. <strong>Though we differ in likeness, the\u202fimage of God (<em>imago Dei<\/em>) persists and shines through all created things.<\/strong> [1]&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The clear <strong>goal and direction of biblical revelation is toward a full mutual indwelling<\/strong>. We see the movement toward union as God walks in the garden with naked Adam and Eve and \u201call the array\u201d of creation (Genesis 2:1). The theme finds its <strong>climax in the realization that \u201cthe mystery is Christ within you, your hope of glory\u201d <\/strong>(Colossians 1:27). As John excitedly puts it, \u201cYou know him because he is with you and he is in you!\u201d (John 14:17). The <strong>eternal mystery of incarnation will have finally met its mark, and \u201cthe marriage feast of the Lamb will begin\u201d (Revelation 19:7\u20139). As in the beginning, so in the end. Amen. Let it be so.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>===================<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Learning from the Mystics:<\/strong><br><strong><br>Meister Eckhart, OP<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><a href=\"x-webdoc:\/\/1A044E3E-55D4-420B-8C56-D1A1127ADCA4\/johnchaffee.com\"><\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong><u>Quote of the Week:<\/u><\/strong><em>  \u201c<strong>The eye through which I see God is the same eye through which God sees me<\/strong>; my eye and God&#8217;s eye are one eye, one seeing, one knowing, one love.\u201d-Meister Eckhart<\/em><br><br><strong><u>Reflection:<\/u><\/strong>&nbsp;Meister Eckhart was a master of paradox. &nbsp;This quote above is a prime example of that, and, is likely his most well known quote.&nbsp;Our brains are designed to&nbsp;understand the world in polarities. &nbsp;This means we that only understand &#8220;up&#8221; in reference to &#8220;down.&#8221; &nbsp;We only know &#8220;good&#8221; in reference to &#8220;evil.&#8221; &nbsp;&#8220;Lost&#8221; in distinction from &#8220;found.&#8221;&nbsp;Meister Eckhart, though, wanted to<strong> hold the opposites alongside one another.<\/strong> &nbsp;<strong>God and mankind are to be understood in distinction, sure, but also through their unity or intimacy. <\/strong>&nbsp;Since God became Man, then perhaps this should impact the way by which we understand our own humanity&#8230;&nbsp;<strong>God sees the world through us, knows the world through us, and loves the world through us<\/strong>. &nbsp;This is an intimacy that many misunderstood as going too far. &nbsp;However, for Meister Eckhart, there are <strong>two Incarnations.&nbsp;There is the Incarnation of God in Jesus of Nazareth and there is the indwelling of the Christ through YOU.<\/strong>&nbsp;Sometimes Meister Eckhart would talk&nbsp;about this as another Christmas. &nbsp;Sometimes he would ask the question, &#8220;Why does it matter if Christ was born in Bethlehem if he is not also born within you?&#8221;&nbsp;It is in this very real sense that we are truly the presence of God himself to one another&#8230; so may we live and love accordingly.<br><br><strong><u>Prayer<\/u><\/strong>&nbsp;   <em>Heavenly Father, we are grateful for the Incarnation. &nbsp;We recognize its importance and vitality, all the while recognizing Your desire to see, know and love the world through us. &nbsp;Strip away every part of us that is an obstacle to that end and help each of us to be little christs to one another. &nbsp;In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. &nbsp;Amen and amen.<\/em><br><br><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Life Overview of Meister Eckhart:&nbsp;<br><\/span><\/strong><br><strong>Who Were They:<\/strong>&nbsp;Eckhart von Hochheim, later to be known as Meister Eckhart, OP (Order of Preachers aka Dominicans).<br><strong>Where:<\/strong>&nbsp;Born near Gotha, Landgraviate of Thuringia (now Germany). &nbsp;Died in Avignon, Kingdom of Arles (now France).<br><br>&nbsp;<strong>When:<\/strong>&nbsp;1260-1328AD<br>&nbsp;<br><strong>Why He is Important:<\/strong>&nbsp;Without a doubt, Meister Eckhart was misunderstood in his day and age. &nbsp;He was almost excommunicated but that was largely due to the Inquisition not being able to understand the complexity and paradox of his teaching. &nbsp;Over time, he has come to be known as an impressive figure of theology and spirituality.<br><br>&nbsp;<strong>What Was Their Main Contribution:<\/strong>&nbsp;Meister Eckhart is most known for being a Dominican monk who understood the Christian faith with &#8220;an eastern mind.&#8221; &nbsp;He often taught through paradox and what has come to be known as &#8220;non-dual&#8221; thinking (rising above either\/or conceptualizations).<br><br><strong>Books to Check Out:<\/strong><br><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/clicks.aweber.com\/y\/ct\/?l=7brA&amp;m=8ff726ENay90RJVk&amp;b=robAr9GE1qsDebMy8cml4Q\" target=\"_blank\">Meister Eckhart&#8217;s Book of the Heart: Meditations of the Restless Soul<\/a><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/clicks.aweber.com\/y\/ct\/?l=7brA&amp;m=8ff726ENay90RJVk&amp;b=1HdJ3yQW_1zyesDlPbLZLg\" target=\"_blank\">Dangerous Mystic: Meister Eckhart&#8217;s Path to the God Within by Joel Harrington<\/a><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/clicks.aweber.com\/y\/ct\/?l=7brA&amp;m=8ff726ENay90RJVk&amp;b=VCP.sGkDsMb80K5H4DFDsQ\" target=\"_blank\">Meister Eckhart, from Whom God Hid Nothing: Sermons, Writings and Sayings<\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>God said, \u201cLet us make humans in our image, according to our likeness.\u201d\u202f\u2014Genesis 1:26&nbsp; Father Richard locates our essential goodness in being created in the image and likeness of God.&nbsp;&nbsp; Centuries of Christian theology confirm that the \u201cimage\u201d described in Genesis refers to our eternal essence in God which cannot be increased or\u202fdecreased. It is [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"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\/24551"}],"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\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=24551"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24551\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24558,"href":"https:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24551\/revisions\/24558"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=24551"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=24551"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=24551"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}