Contemplations
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No matter our age or the circumstances of our life, it is always a joy to behold a rainbow in the sky. It has the power to bring one to a standstill at any given moment no matter what we are involved in. It reveals the nature of the light as it shines into the darkness. It initiates a small pause and one is nourished by the beauty and filled with the hope and promise that the rainbow heralds.
One may imagine this picture to be a most appropriate symbol for this time of the year as we begin our new liturgical year with the season of Advent. The season in which we prepare ourselves to be able to celebrate Christmas more fully, more consciously. |
This time of year, as busy and chaotic as it often is, invites us to find time to pause and to think about Christ’s coming to the earth. To take this up and to ponder as Mary did when the angel left her and what this might mean for us today. The more we think about this and enter into an imagination, we can feel a sense of expectancy growing in us, a mood of anticipation starts to live in us and will grow stronger the more we develop our thoughts around it. It is this activity and experience that gives this time of year its special character.
Both expectation and anticipation are wonderful experiences. They allow one to imagine and to experience the ideal. These ideal pictures are true in the spirit world and although they might not fully materialise on earth it is good to endeavour to bring them about as fully as possible. Hope is the feeling that grows out of anticipation and expectation. Hope is kindled by true realities of the spirit when we allow them to grow and develop in us.
Along with the image of the rainbow which is often experienced in the full light of daytime and reminds us of hope, there is a special time of day that if we are aware of it, can give us a similar experience to the rainbow, and that is the dawn. The time when we can feel the light approaching and can feel the hope that the day brings and the potential it may hold. It is also a time when we may feel the challenges that we will have to face in the day, the struggles that have not left us in the night. But it often feels that the hope that comes with the new day gives us the courage we need. We may think of Advent as the light or dawn before the sunrise of Christmas.
In many traditions that mark the weeks of Advent with candles on an Advent wreath the first candle of Advent is often referred to as the candle of hope. Hope also contains within it the ability to wait and to endure. Advent is not to be experienced without effort. The more we try to cultivate the feelings of anticipation and expectation for what is coming, the more challenges we will find ourselves facing. Not only the outer material challenges of this time of year but real inner struggles and relationship challenges can often arise and demand our attention and care. Strength of will is needed to renew the tranquillity again and again.
There are a multitude of inspirational pictures and verses that can inspire our contemplations but we might like to begin with words from Isaiah:
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light: on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. Is 9:2
Both expectation and anticipation are wonderful experiences. They allow one to imagine and to experience the ideal. These ideal pictures are true in the spirit world and although they might not fully materialise on earth it is good to endeavour to bring them about as fully as possible. Hope is the feeling that grows out of anticipation and expectation. Hope is kindled by true realities of the spirit when we allow them to grow and develop in us.
Along with the image of the rainbow which is often experienced in the full light of daytime and reminds us of hope, there is a special time of day that if we are aware of it, can give us a similar experience to the rainbow, and that is the dawn. The time when we can feel the light approaching and can feel the hope that the day brings and the potential it may hold. It is also a time when we may feel the challenges that we will have to face in the day, the struggles that have not left us in the night. But it often feels that the hope that comes with the new day gives us the courage we need. We may think of Advent as the light or dawn before the sunrise of Christmas.
In many traditions that mark the weeks of Advent with candles on an Advent wreath the first candle of Advent is often referred to as the candle of hope. Hope also contains within it the ability to wait and to endure. Advent is not to be experienced without effort. The more we try to cultivate the feelings of anticipation and expectation for what is coming, the more challenges we will find ourselves facing. Not only the outer material challenges of this time of year but real inner struggles and relationship challenges can often arise and demand our attention and care. Strength of will is needed to renew the tranquillity again and again.
There are a multitude of inspirational pictures and verses that can inspire our contemplations but we might like to begin with words from Isaiah:
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light: on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. Is 9:2
by Rev. Bridgette Siepker
The growing of grapes and the making of wine was an integral part of the lives of the people living in biblical times. It was common in many cultures and religions.
Relics of old winepresses can be found all over the Holy Land; out in the country, on mountain and hillside slopes, and in and around what were once villages and towns.
A typical winepress consisted of two vats carved out of stone. A larger shallow one in which the harvest of grapes was deposited and pressed and the second, smaller but deeper, into which the juice of the grapes ran.
The harvest of grapes and the pressing of the grapes was always a festive community affair steeped in ritual and tradition and often one that was celebrated, and into which much joy and blessing flowed. The juice would be made into wine and this was not only consumed as part of the daily diet but was also used for and ensured the continuation of ritual offerings in the temple.
An abundant wine harvest was a sure blessing from a God.
Initially the ripe grapes bursting with juice need little pressure for the skin to burst and the excess and an abundance of juice to flow. This juice, called the free flow, is the most sought after and is kept separate, for as pure and as concentrated as it is, this alone does not make good wine. The grape still holds much which is valuable and useful in the making of a balanced wine that has particular flavour, rich colour and the right potency. It is in the makers best interests to continue the procedure of pressing the grapes in order to extract all that is necessary, to extract all that the grape has been able to produce and all that is useful. The extraction of the juice is a labour-intensive process. The worker of the winepress must be conscious and aware at all times as it is not just the uncontrolled pressing and crushing of the grapes that is needed but rather a controlled pressing that slowly releases all that is desirable holding back all that is not needed.
This is a conscious activity. The one operating the winepress watches with interest and care which turns to joy and delight as the harvest comes to completion.
In Revelation Chapter 19 Christ is referred to as the one who “treads the winepress”. We may ask ourselves what this means for us today. If Christ is treading the winepress then who is it that makes up the harvest being tread upon?
We might imagine that we as human beings, on a journey of becoming, are that harvest. We might be able to imagine that the pressures of life, the areas of discomfort, our sufferings and challenges, these are the effects of the winepress. For each of our lives holds a potential of a fruitful yield, a fruitful harvest, and through the work of the one that treads the winepress all that is needed can be carefully extracted, purified, refined and turned into choice wine.
Relics of old winepresses can be found all over the Holy Land; out in the country, on mountain and hillside slopes, and in and around what were once villages and towns.
A typical winepress consisted of two vats carved out of stone. A larger shallow one in which the harvest of grapes was deposited and pressed and the second, smaller but deeper, into which the juice of the grapes ran.
The harvest of grapes and the pressing of the grapes was always a festive community affair steeped in ritual and tradition and often one that was celebrated, and into which much joy and blessing flowed. The juice would be made into wine and this was not only consumed as part of the daily diet but was also used for and ensured the continuation of ritual offerings in the temple.
An abundant wine harvest was a sure blessing from a God.
Initially the ripe grapes bursting with juice need little pressure for the skin to burst and the excess and an abundance of juice to flow. This juice, called the free flow, is the most sought after and is kept separate, for as pure and as concentrated as it is, this alone does not make good wine. The grape still holds much which is valuable and useful in the making of a balanced wine that has particular flavour, rich colour and the right potency. It is in the makers best interests to continue the procedure of pressing the grapes in order to extract all that is necessary, to extract all that the grape has been able to produce and all that is useful. The extraction of the juice is a labour-intensive process. The worker of the winepress must be conscious and aware at all times as it is not just the uncontrolled pressing and crushing of the grapes that is needed but rather a controlled pressing that slowly releases all that is desirable holding back all that is not needed.
This is a conscious activity. The one operating the winepress watches with interest and care which turns to joy and delight as the harvest comes to completion.
In Revelation Chapter 19 Christ is referred to as the one who “treads the winepress”. We may ask ourselves what this means for us today. If Christ is treading the winepress then who is it that makes up the harvest being tread upon?
We might imagine that we as human beings, on a journey of becoming, are that harvest. We might be able to imagine that the pressures of life, the areas of discomfort, our sufferings and challenges, these are the effects of the winepress. For each of our lives holds a potential of a fruitful yield, a fruitful harvest, and through the work of the one that treads the winepress all that is needed can be carefully extracted, purified, refined and turned into choice wine.
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As the countenance of Christ, we hear in the Michaelmas epistle how the Archangel Michael treads under his feet “that which would fetter the human soul in chains of earthly slavery”. We can think of this process of being in the winepress and being pressed not only as a fruitful harvesting but at the same time an opportunity to work with and transform aspects of the dragon that lives in us. The more we can participate in this kind of activity the more we can be sure that we are working towards and becoming more and more free.
We can be sure as that as we endure these pressures, this harvesting process, the one who is treading the winepress is doing it not with anger or vengeance or punitive intent but rather with care, interest and deep love. This is turned to joy and delight as that which is being pressed yields to the pressure and brings about transformation. As human beings with a developing “I” consciousness we have the ability to turn away from these pressures, to resist what is being brought to us, to seek something else for ourselves. The invitation to participate in the working of the winepress is a free invitation. We may choose to find meaning in the pressures that life brings in another way. However, when we yield to the great pressing and participate in the invitation to enter the winepress we allow the winemaker to do his job. We are required to surrender to the process - not passively but by actively being involved and participating. Thus we participate in our becoming. We know that Christ is always with us in this process as he himself has gone through the great pressing. He has shown us how it can be and how from out of the harvest of the press we find the substance of redemption. The one who was pressed becomes the one who now treads the press for all of humanity. |
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by Rev. Bridgette Siepker
The very rare eclipse of the moon earlier this month generated a lot of interest, and many people took the time to sit outside and watch the phenomenon of a lunar eclipse unfold. It was interesting to most, as this is a phenomenon that does not occur very often.
For some evenings before, we had witnessed the moon slowly coming into her fullness, brighter and brighter as is so each month, more and more able to fully reflect the light of the sun. Then, just on the evening that we were expecting to see her in her fullness and to witness her radiance, she was completely overshadowed.
One had the sense of something moving between the sun and the moon, interfering with this unique relationship. Something interfering between the one shining and the one reflecting, between the one giving and the one receiving. The living dynamic between the two heavenly bodies was interrupted. The great shadow that was cast over the moon left her dull and lifeless.
This dynamic relationship between the moon and the sun can be likened to our relationship with the Divine.
For some evenings before, we had witnessed the moon slowly coming into her fullness, brighter and brighter as is so each month, more and more able to fully reflect the light of the sun. Then, just on the evening that we were expecting to see her in her fullness and to witness her radiance, she was completely overshadowed.
One had the sense of something moving between the sun and the moon, interfering with this unique relationship. Something interfering between the one shining and the one reflecting, between the one giving and the one receiving. The living dynamic between the two heavenly bodies was interrupted. The great shadow that was cast over the moon left her dull and lifeless.
This dynamic relationship between the moon and the sun can be likened to our relationship with the Divine.
Image of God and Adam in Chartres Cathedral
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We may experience the divine as the sun blessing us, embracing us with love, providing for all our needs, holding the picture of who we are striving to become. We may imagine ourselves to be like the moon endeavouring to reflect the Christ within us into the world, constantly receiving our source of life from the Son.
It is a natural phenomenon for the moon to reflect the light of the sun. Human beings, however, are always left free with this possibility. Our true nature is that which comes from being created in the image of God - our true nature of which Christ is the archetype. WE may ask ourselves, “What does it mean to be made in the image of God? What does it mean that I am called to reflect this image? What is it that I really want to reflect?” We are constantly being invited deeper and deeper into this relationship, to consciously explore what these questions may mean and what they require of us. It is an active participation as opposed to a passive one and requires at least our conscious thought and effort if we are to take it seriously. If we work in this way, then we should also be aware of those things that tend to come between ourselves and the Divine, those aspects that influence this dynamic relationship and prevent it from developing. We should be aware of the shadows that overpower our ability to reflect our true nature, that stop us from receiving from our “source of light and life”. At this time of Michaelmas, we might even imagine these things that come between us and the Divine to be “the dragon” - thoughts, actions and feelings that prevent us from shining, exploring our true nature, revealing who we truly are. |
One of the most powerful negative forces that we face today is that of fear and anxiety. Wherever there is fear and anxiety about something in our lives we can be sure that it is there that Christ might ask us, as he does his disciples in the gospel, “How weak is your faith?”* We always have before us an opportunity to investigate from where these fears arise and where the source of their root is. The more conscious we become of what might separate us from the Divine and the more we understand the dynamics involved, the more we can work to overcome and replace the feelings of fear, anxiety and uncertainty with feelings of faith and trust in our development, faith in the working of our angel, faith in the love and compassion of the Divine in the unfolding of our destiny.
When we think about this consciously and with truthfulness, the light of our thinking slowly dispels the shadows, and they disappear. We can let Christ’s words enter our hearts and work there. “Your father in the heavens knows all your needs”.
With the help of Michael we may find the courage needed to face these fears and anxieties, the courage needed to let go of them, to free ourselves of them and to allow more of our true selves to be revealed as our faith is deepened.
* Matthew 6
When we think about this consciously and with truthfulness, the light of our thinking slowly dispels the shadows, and they disappear. We can let Christ’s words enter our hearts and work there. “Your father in the heavens knows all your needs”.
With the help of Michael we may find the courage needed to face these fears and anxieties, the courage needed to let go of them, to free ourselves of them and to allow more of our true selves to be revealed as our faith is deepened.
* Matthew 6
by Rev. Bridgette Siepker
How wonderful it is to feel the arrival of a somewhat early spring. The freshness of the new leaves and the scent of the blossoms fill and renew the air. What may have seemed almost dead just a few weeks ago is now thriving, alive and covered in green. It is as if the plants themselves were working throughout the winter harbouring and nurturing forces that are now ready to be released. All that was closed off is now ready to come into the light.
Trees begin to cover their starkness with a mantle of green encouraging us to “breathe” more deeply and we delight in the new blossoms that appear from the bulbs hidden away and the many seeds that lay dormant. Their sensitivity and receptivity to the ever increasing warmth and light has brought about the formation and the unfolding of the bud.
We search for and recognise the star image in each blossom and are reminded of the cosmos that they reflect. Through their opening they reflect aspects of their true home and the forces which influence their coming into being and their offering of themselves. We may feel inspired by this joyful and abundant display.
In the midst of the unfolding spring we find ourselves midway along our path to Michaelmas. This is the path we embarked on at the end of St John's time, a path that continually leads us further along into our becoming. A path full of challenges. It is here at this midway point that we encounter two stories of healing - one of a blind man (Luke 18: 35-43) and one of a man who is deaf and cannot speak properly. (Mark 7: 31-37). In both stories the men experience an encounter with Christ and they are changed. The men are made whole, that which was missing was restored, that which left them wanting was bestowed on them and they were able to live their lives more fully - to continue their journey of becoming.
In the story of the deaf man from Mark's gospel, we encounter the Aramaic word spoken by Christ to the man. “Ephphatha” We are told that this word means “to open”. One may have the impression that Christ was commanding the deaf man’s ears to open so that he could hear, but in the command “Ephphatha” the man's tongue is also loosened and he is able to speak. Perhaps the command to open was more directed to the soul of the man and in opening to possibilities in faith, all that was blocked fell away. One certainly has this impression with the blind man in Luke's gospel too, who is told to “receive” his sight - to receive something also requires a certain gesture of openness to what is being given.
More than a command, this word might be considered an invitation to us. We may take the time to ponder what this word “Ephphatha” may mean for us in our time? What it may mean for each one of us individually? To what are we being invited to “open to”?
When we open ourselves to God's healing and grace, to small opportunities that may effect change in our lives, we grow a little closer to our true self, to the one we are in the process of becoming. Our higher self is reflected a little more clearly in our everyday being.
When we stay closed off to opportunities, to blessings and graces, our narrow path becomes all the more challenging and we become more and more deaf and blind to the help that is offered to us from the Spiritual world.
Jan Richardson writes a beautiful poem about becoming quiet and still - finding the way to opening. May we be inspired by the opening of nature around us to the ever increasing light and may we find the courage to open our hearts and to remain as pliable and tender as those spring shoots that are so abundant.
Trees begin to cover their starkness with a mantle of green encouraging us to “breathe” more deeply and we delight in the new blossoms that appear from the bulbs hidden away and the many seeds that lay dormant. Their sensitivity and receptivity to the ever increasing warmth and light has brought about the formation and the unfolding of the bud.
We search for and recognise the star image in each blossom and are reminded of the cosmos that they reflect. Through their opening they reflect aspects of their true home and the forces which influence their coming into being and their offering of themselves. We may feel inspired by this joyful and abundant display.
In the midst of the unfolding spring we find ourselves midway along our path to Michaelmas. This is the path we embarked on at the end of St John's time, a path that continually leads us further along into our becoming. A path full of challenges. It is here at this midway point that we encounter two stories of healing - one of a blind man (Luke 18: 35-43) and one of a man who is deaf and cannot speak properly. (Mark 7: 31-37). In both stories the men experience an encounter with Christ and they are changed. The men are made whole, that which was missing was restored, that which left them wanting was bestowed on them and they were able to live their lives more fully - to continue their journey of becoming.
In the story of the deaf man from Mark's gospel, we encounter the Aramaic word spoken by Christ to the man. “Ephphatha” We are told that this word means “to open”. One may have the impression that Christ was commanding the deaf man’s ears to open so that he could hear, but in the command “Ephphatha” the man's tongue is also loosened and he is able to speak. Perhaps the command to open was more directed to the soul of the man and in opening to possibilities in faith, all that was blocked fell away. One certainly has this impression with the blind man in Luke's gospel too, who is told to “receive” his sight - to receive something also requires a certain gesture of openness to what is being given.
More than a command, this word might be considered an invitation to us. We may take the time to ponder what this word “Ephphatha” may mean for us in our time? What it may mean for each one of us individually? To what are we being invited to “open to”?
When we open ourselves to God's healing and grace, to small opportunities that may effect change in our lives, we grow a little closer to our true self, to the one we are in the process of becoming. Our higher self is reflected a little more clearly in our everyday being.
When we stay closed off to opportunities, to blessings and graces, our narrow path becomes all the more challenging and we become more and more deaf and blind to the help that is offered to us from the Spiritual world.
Jan Richardson writes a beautiful poem about becoming quiet and still - finding the way to opening. May we be inspired by the opening of nature around us to the ever increasing light and may we find the courage to open our hearts and to remain as pliable and tender as those spring shoots that are so abundant.
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Blessing in the Chaos
Jan Richardson
To all that is chaotic in you, let there come silence. Let there be a calming of the clamouring, a stilling of the voices that have laid their claim on you, that have made their home in you, that go with you even to the holy places but will not let you rest, will not let you hear your life with wholeness or feel the grace that fashioned you. Let what distracts you cease. Let what divides you cease. Let there come an end to what diminishes and demeans. and let depart all that keeps you in its cage. Let there be an opening into the quiet that lies beneath the chaos, where you find the peace you did not think possible and see what shimmers beneath the storm. |
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by Rev. Bridgette Siepker
It is wonderful to be outdoors in these last weeks of winter. Signs of spring seem to catch you by surprise and the more you see the more you feel a sense of hope welling within. With these early signs that the light and the warmth are slowly returning we may look to our surroundings and in true tradition start to “spring clean”.
This action of spring cleaning heralds in the “new” that is coming. By clearing out all that is old and dead, all that has passed its usefulness and all that no longer serves us, we make a space for something new to arrive. This can be very satisfying when we apply these ideas to our home or office or garden. These are physical spaces in which we can practically work and be creative.
What is good for the outer spaces in our life in this regard, is also good for the inner ones. There are certain inner spaces that might need our attention and care just as much as some of the physical spaces around us need our consideration. The re-evaluation, the sorting and assessing that happens can also be applied to the inner path or inner journey that we find ourselves travelling along. This invitation to a conscious and honest evaluation of the nature of our journey where we are on the “road”, allows us to re-align ourselves with our higher purpose, with our higher ideals.
In our assessing we might want to be reminded of the picture Christ gave of the nature of the inner path that leads to life.
This action of spring cleaning heralds in the “new” that is coming. By clearing out all that is old and dead, all that has passed its usefulness and all that no longer serves us, we make a space for something new to arrive. This can be very satisfying when we apply these ideas to our home or office or garden. These are physical spaces in which we can practically work and be creative.
What is good for the outer spaces in our life in this regard, is also good for the inner ones. There are certain inner spaces that might need our attention and care just as much as some of the physical spaces around us need our consideration. The re-evaluation, the sorting and assessing that happens can also be applied to the inner path or inner journey that we find ourselves travelling along. This invitation to a conscious and honest evaluation of the nature of our journey where we are on the “road”, allows us to re-align ourselves with our higher purpose, with our higher ideals.
In our assessing we might want to be reminded of the picture Christ gave of the nature of the inner path that leads to life.
“Enter through the narrow gate. Only the road which leads into the abyss is wide and comfortable. And many are they who travel along it. But narrow is the gate and full of hardship the path which leads to the higher life, and only a few find it.” (Mt 7: 13-14)
The encouraging aspect of this statement (because it certainly is also a warning and quite daunting!) is that the narrow path, albeit full of hardship, leads to the higher life. In other words it leads us more fully into our lives, more fully into being human. It is a path that will teach us how to be human.
It is a picture of the Christ path and we can be sure that this means it is a path to love.
It is a path gifted to us out of love that will teach us the way of love.
It is also a path that is individually crafted for each particular person as each path is guaranteed to bring us closer to who we are individually and who we intend or wish to become. It is narrow in the sense that we are to walk it alone because it is ours.
The companionship of being on the way with others in community comes with the knowledge that others are doing it too. They too have to embrace and endure the hardship of their unique path that is bringing them into the fullness of their humanity, leading them to their higher selves, leading them to Christ. This is surely the path of blessing.
The temptation is great to turn away from the challenges that an individual path may present and to go with the crowd - with the popular way. To participate in the latest trends and movements and to appear from the outside to be on your way when really deep down you still harbour the anxieties, fears, bitterness and hurt that influence and underly your daily actions and attitudes. We try to find ways to numb the constant and compelling call to step onto the narrow way but it feels easier to stay in the comfort of the known and what we perceive to be able to control.
When we step onto the narrow way and consciously take hold of the things that plague us, when we find the courage to step out of what is comfortable and known into what may seem unknown and unfamiliar, then we are opening ourselves for something new to enter in. We are truly living in the gesture of “spring cleaning” and its effects begin to take hold. We can be assured that when we are faithful and continue to endeavour along this narrow way we can rely on other promises of Christ to help us.
It is a picture of the Christ path and we can be sure that this means it is a path to love.
It is a path gifted to us out of love that will teach us the way of love.
It is also a path that is individually crafted for each particular person as each path is guaranteed to bring us closer to who we are individually and who we intend or wish to become. It is narrow in the sense that we are to walk it alone because it is ours.
The companionship of being on the way with others in community comes with the knowledge that others are doing it too. They too have to embrace and endure the hardship of their unique path that is bringing them into the fullness of their humanity, leading them to their higher selves, leading them to Christ. This is surely the path of blessing.
The temptation is great to turn away from the challenges that an individual path may present and to go with the crowd - with the popular way. To participate in the latest trends and movements and to appear from the outside to be on your way when really deep down you still harbour the anxieties, fears, bitterness and hurt that influence and underly your daily actions and attitudes. We try to find ways to numb the constant and compelling call to step onto the narrow way but it feels easier to stay in the comfort of the known and what we perceive to be able to control.
When we step onto the narrow way and consciously take hold of the things that plague us, when we find the courage to step out of what is comfortable and known into what may seem unknown and unfamiliar, then we are opening ourselves for something new to enter in. We are truly living in the gesture of “spring cleaning” and its effects begin to take hold. We can be assured that when we are faithful and continue to endeavour along this narrow way we can rely on other promises of Christ to help us.
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“Come to me all who have hardships and heavy burdens to bear. I will give you new forces of life. Take my yolk upon you and learn from my Being: In me courage and humility of heart are combined. You shall find sources of new life forces for your souls; for my yolk is gentle and my burden is light.” (Mt 11: 28)
This assurance of help for the those on the narrow way when thoughtfully meditated upon is heart warming and encouraging and allows us to possibly look with a little more courage and assess with a little more honesty where we are and where we wish to go. It also holds the promise that although the path leads to higher life in Christ, Christ is with us now and accompanying us along the way. We are not alone. The One we are journeying to is the One who closely accompanies us and is willing us to endure and provides all that we need in order to succeed if we only but ask and reach out for the blessings which are offered. Consciousness of Christ’s companionship and acknowledgement of his presence provides a light for this narrow way.
May you all be blessed, those who are seeking and travelling the narrow path, the path of love and transformation - may you recognise your fellow travellers by the fruits of their labours and have compassion on them. |
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A voice of one that cries in the desert:
Prepare a way for the Lord Make his path straight Let every valley be filled in Every mountain and hill be levelled, winding ways be straightened and rough roads made smooth and all humanity will see the salvation of God. |
These are the words from Isaiah describing the essence of the message that the prophet would use to announce the coming of the Messiah. John's words are “Repent, change your ways, make your path straight” Isaiah’s description gives us the magnitude of this message of change. This is a complete change that we are being called to. This is a change that renders the ‘original’ unrecognisable. It is a change of both heart and mind and deed. It is a complete “metanoia”.
In a physical and practical sense this is a tall order. To be able to effect change on such a large scale is a huge undertaking. Even today with all of our technology and all the equipment that we may have on hand, to move mountains and to fill in valleys, to make roads smooth and straight is very demanding work. It requires great effort, planning and coordination. It is work that happens slowly and over an extensive period of time.
As Christians this is what we are being called to do within the depths of our souls. This is what we are reminded of in the time of St John. We are given an opportunity to look at where we are in relation to this great task we have been given - that we are charged with. The call sounds on, even after the coming of Christ. We are to continually be in a state of change and transformation if we want to take up this call seriously.
One may feel quite overwhelmed when you consider the nature of the change that is being called for. We may ask: How is it possible for me in all of my weakness to take up such a path. Surely it is for those who are enlightened, for the saints among us, for those who are stronger than me?
We may find our inspiration and encouragement from the beautiful image in the Isenheimer Altar piece. A picture of John the Baptist painted by the inspired artist Mathias Grunewald. He is depicted a little larger than life at the scene of the crucifixion. He has an enlarged finger pointing to Christ on the cross. He is showing us the way in which we can take up this extraordinary path that he spoke about and called us to. Behind him on the painting are his words from John's gospel 3:30 “He must grow greater I must grow less”.
“He” is the picture of Christ, the picture of self sacrifice, the ultimate picture of love. If we can fill our thoughts and feelings and imbue our actions with love, then we can be sure that we have embarked on this great journey of transformation. This is the way we are to complete the great task of change. One thought, one deed, one altered feeling at a time.
In a physical and practical sense this is a tall order. To be able to effect change on such a large scale is a huge undertaking. Even today with all of our technology and all the equipment that we may have on hand, to move mountains and to fill in valleys, to make roads smooth and straight is very demanding work. It requires great effort, planning and coordination. It is work that happens slowly and over an extensive period of time.
As Christians this is what we are being called to do within the depths of our souls. This is what we are reminded of in the time of St John. We are given an opportunity to look at where we are in relation to this great task we have been given - that we are charged with. The call sounds on, even after the coming of Christ. We are to continually be in a state of change and transformation if we want to take up this call seriously.
One may feel quite overwhelmed when you consider the nature of the change that is being called for. We may ask: How is it possible for me in all of my weakness to take up such a path. Surely it is for those who are enlightened, for the saints among us, for those who are stronger than me?
We may find our inspiration and encouragement from the beautiful image in the Isenheimer Altar piece. A picture of John the Baptist painted by the inspired artist Mathias Grunewald. He is depicted a little larger than life at the scene of the crucifixion. He has an enlarged finger pointing to Christ on the cross. He is showing us the way in which we can take up this extraordinary path that he spoke about and called us to. Behind him on the painting are his words from John's gospel 3:30 “He must grow greater I must grow less”.
“He” is the picture of Christ, the picture of self sacrifice, the ultimate picture of love. If we can fill our thoughts and feelings and imbue our actions with love, then we can be sure that we have embarked on this great journey of transformation. This is the way we are to complete the great task of change. One thought, one deed, one altered feeling at a time.
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In all that I concern myself with, others with whom I am in relationship with - friends. family, colleagues and community; all the events of my life, the events of the world, I can ask the question: “Where can I in my unchecked thoughts and feelings, my rash responses, decrease, and how can the presence and influence of Christ increase? Where and how do I make space for the Christened thought, the deed permeated with love, the measured conscious response?” When I concern myself with bringing more love into the circumstances around me or commit to finding where love lives we can feel that we are on the path of change.
If I slowly start to ask this question more and more it will gradually become part of the way I respond to the world. It will become the light that illuminates the way forward - “the light we carry in our lanterns.” It is the light that gives us courage and strength to continue the journey when the way forward seems impossible and unclear. St John's call to change is a call to love. Here unchecked, and unconscious self love diminishes and we are invited to freely cultivate and nurture Christ’s love within us. We need to become strong in ourselves to be able to get out of the way sufficiently so that Christ’s love and light can shine through us into the world. |
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by Rev. Richard Goodall
The idea that the Sacrament of Consultation is only to be made use of when one is facing difficulties or a crisis of some kind - is the wrong idea.
It is far more in line with the intention behind this sacrament when we think of it as general soul/spiritual maintenance to be celebrated and experienced regularly - no matter what is going on in our lives.
It is a gesture of offering which opens us up to our highest God-given will and thereby keeps us on track with what our lives are all about. It develops within us a heart sense organ with which we learn to differentiate between what is particularly relevant and what is irrelevant for our unique life’s path - in all that comes towards us every day. In this way we begin to live more effectively, decisively and with greater purpose.
Repeatedly experiencing this sacrament (perhaps every three months) awakens in us a sense of deep peace in the knowledge that we are doing what we came into this life to do. We learn to sustain a connection to our own will of incarnation and therefore live a life which feels meaningful.
At the same time we become better at learning to offer the spiritual world a place in our soul into and through which it can work into the world. This in turn means that the more people who participate in this sacrament – the greater the offering substance in the Act of Consecration of Man becomes and therefore the greater the possibility for the spiritual world to work into the periphery of our community and bring about its growth.
Therefore the Sacrament of Consultation is both individually healing and at the same time community building and community strengthening.
It is there for the asking. Just ask.
It is far more in line with the intention behind this sacrament when we think of it as general soul/spiritual maintenance to be celebrated and experienced regularly - no matter what is going on in our lives.
It is a gesture of offering which opens us up to our highest God-given will and thereby keeps us on track with what our lives are all about. It develops within us a heart sense organ with which we learn to differentiate between what is particularly relevant and what is irrelevant for our unique life’s path - in all that comes towards us every day. In this way we begin to live more effectively, decisively and with greater purpose.
Repeatedly experiencing this sacrament (perhaps every three months) awakens in us a sense of deep peace in the knowledge that we are doing what we came into this life to do. We learn to sustain a connection to our own will of incarnation and therefore live a life which feels meaningful.
At the same time we become better at learning to offer the spiritual world a place in our soul into and through which it can work into the world. This in turn means that the more people who participate in this sacrament – the greater the offering substance in the Act of Consecration of Man becomes and therefore the greater the possibility for the spiritual world to work into the periphery of our community and bring about its growth.
Therefore the Sacrament of Consultation is both individually healing and at the same time community building and community strengthening.
It is there for the asking. Just ask.
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by Rev. Richard Goodall
With Ascension the ever deepening polarity of spirit and matter – of heaven and earth – is overcome in a great cosmic marriage brought into existence by the resurrected Christ’s ascent to the Father. This is a reality which exists only in the being of Christ because He it is who overcame death in his own bodily nature. However in Ascension this resurrected bodily nature expands to permeate the whole of earthly existence and therefore imbues it with a potential to overcome every form of separation of spirit and matter. Also the spiritual world is imbued with this new possibility through the Christ’s Ascension. For the first time an earthly physical body from which all forces of death have been expunged lives in its midst. This is the beginning if a new heaven and a new earth!
This potential therefore lives in us as human beings as well. But the fact remains that this new power to overcome the separating effects of the fall is only a reality in the being of Christ. Only with His power in our soul are we able to incrementally transform the potential inherent in the world into an earthly reality. He does this through His power in us!
The question is: “How do we connect with His power in our soul?”
This begins with us bringing about a living and real imagination of the cosmic Christ as a real being who imbues our whole environment. He is in reality ever present. This imagination is something to live with until it becomes something that we feel in our heart. With practice it becomes a subtle but ever more real sense of presence filled with love, understanding and strength. This feeling is referred to as “heart vision”. When we repeatedly turn to Him in this way He creates in us the organ of perception with which we can perceive His presence. It is in this peace-filled place of our heart’s vision that we experience Christ’s power in our soul.
This potential therefore lives in us as human beings as well. But the fact remains that this new power to overcome the separating effects of the fall is only a reality in the being of Christ. Only with His power in our soul are we able to incrementally transform the potential inherent in the world into an earthly reality. He does this through His power in us!
The question is: “How do we connect with His power in our soul?”
This begins with us bringing about a living and real imagination of the cosmic Christ as a real being who imbues our whole environment. He is in reality ever present. This imagination is something to live with until it becomes something that we feel in our heart. With practice it becomes a subtle but ever more real sense of presence filled with love, understanding and strength. This feeling is referred to as “heart vision”. When we repeatedly turn to Him in this way He creates in us the organ of perception with which we can perceive His presence. It is in this peace-filled place of our heart’s vision that we experience Christ’s power in our soul.
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by Rev. Michaël Merle
This response to the Greek and Russian Orthodox greeting at Easter: “He is Risen! Alleluia!” consolidates the firm faith and foundation of knowing the reality of the resurrection. Christianity is founded on this knowledge: that Jesus Christ is risen.
Our religious worship and expression are based on the fulfilment of the promise of resurrection. We are an Easter people, and our religious life and practice is a proclamation of living in this reality. What do the gospels bring us as a central theme – a central message? We could certainly turn to Mark’s Gospel and consider the first verse as well as verse fifteen of the first chapter to see what is established as the purpose of writing down the events of the life, ministry and death and resurrection of Jesus, the Christ. Emil Bock’s translation rendered into English by Jon Madsen opens up the full expression of verses one and fifteen of Mark chapter one:
The new word from the realms of the angels sounds forth through Jesus Christ… “The time is fulfilled, the Kingdom of God is near. Change your hearts and minds and fill yourselves with the power of the Gospel.”
We could add to that the words of the angel in Mark chapter sixteen:
“He is risen …”
And then conclude with the last two verses of Mark:
And when Jesus, the Lord, had thus spoken to them, his being grew wide, expanding into the spheres of the heavens, where he sits on the throne at the right hand of God, as the fulfiller of HIS deeds. And the disciples went forth and proclaimed the message everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and gave weight to their words by the revelations of spiritual power which attended their way.
Our way is the way of resurrection and what follows from the Easter Mystery: Ascension and the sending of the Holy Spirit at Whitsun. The way of life and the transformation of our being human into the full picture of the true image of the human being is the reality of our expression: in word and deed and being. This is made possible through the grace of Christ and the Mystery of Resurrection. He is Risen, indeed! Alleluia! In The Act of Consecration of Man (the true image of The Human Being) we hear that the Christ-offering (the life-giving sacrifice of Christ captured in the salvation bearing bread – the Body of Christ - and the strength bestowing wine – the Blood of Christ) needs to come alive in us and also through us in our actions and lives. Our way is to walk underway with the Risen One: the Christ. We are called as Christians (our vocation) to walk with Christ in the power of resurrection so as to go into life (our apostolate) as true followers of Christ, our support and guide on our ways of life (our discipleship). We shall be able to face sorrow in and through the comfort of this way, and experience the peace and joy that Christ gives us when we fulfil our vocation as true apostles and disciples in everyday life.
May the Risen One bless us this Easter so that our words go out to others in the full expression of the peace and joy and love that speaks of Christ as the meaning of our earthly existence.
Our religious worship and expression are based on the fulfilment of the promise of resurrection. We are an Easter people, and our religious life and practice is a proclamation of living in this reality. What do the gospels bring us as a central theme – a central message? We could certainly turn to Mark’s Gospel and consider the first verse as well as verse fifteen of the first chapter to see what is established as the purpose of writing down the events of the life, ministry and death and resurrection of Jesus, the Christ. Emil Bock’s translation rendered into English by Jon Madsen opens up the full expression of verses one and fifteen of Mark chapter one:
The new word from the realms of the angels sounds forth through Jesus Christ… “The time is fulfilled, the Kingdom of God is near. Change your hearts and minds and fill yourselves with the power of the Gospel.”
We could add to that the words of the angel in Mark chapter sixteen:
“He is risen …”
And then conclude with the last two verses of Mark:
And when Jesus, the Lord, had thus spoken to them, his being grew wide, expanding into the spheres of the heavens, where he sits on the throne at the right hand of God, as the fulfiller of HIS deeds. And the disciples went forth and proclaimed the message everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and gave weight to their words by the revelations of spiritual power which attended their way.
Our way is the way of resurrection and what follows from the Easter Mystery: Ascension and the sending of the Holy Spirit at Whitsun. The way of life and the transformation of our being human into the full picture of the true image of the human being is the reality of our expression: in word and deed and being. This is made possible through the grace of Christ and the Mystery of Resurrection. He is Risen, indeed! Alleluia! In The Act of Consecration of Man (the true image of The Human Being) we hear that the Christ-offering (the life-giving sacrifice of Christ captured in the salvation bearing bread – the Body of Christ - and the strength bestowing wine – the Blood of Christ) needs to come alive in us and also through us in our actions and lives. Our way is to walk underway with the Risen One: the Christ. We are called as Christians (our vocation) to walk with Christ in the power of resurrection so as to go into life (our apostolate) as true followers of Christ, our support and guide on our ways of life (our discipleship). We shall be able to face sorrow in and through the comfort of this way, and experience the peace and joy that Christ gives us when we fulfil our vocation as true apostles and disciples in everyday life.
May the Risen One bless us this Easter so that our words go out to others in the full expression of the peace and joy and love that speaks of Christ as the meaning of our earthly existence.
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by Rev. Michaël Merle
Change is an interesting word because it actually is the word that begins the New Testament, that begins the Christian journey. It is the word that actually changes what has been to what is. It is the world used by John the Baptist to prepare everyone for the Word that will be spoken by Christ Jesus. When we look at Mark’s Gospel we hear the beginnings of the peaching of the Gospel in Jesus’ own words. “His words were: ‘The time is fulfilled, the Kingdom of God is near, change your hearts and minds and fill yourselves with the power of the Gospel’.” (Mark 1: 15)
Metanoia – change! It is what is required. Unfortunately, many people think of it as a once-off event. “I changed! Done!” And yet, as we encounter everything that is in the Gospels we realise that, actually, the whole Christian journey is about change. Every day, in every moment we are in a process of change. This moment is the present, and the moment before is now the past, things have already changed, often without one even noticing. In every moment we are in a new present moment.
A few years ago, a book came out called The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. The full title of the book is quite interesting because when we think of habits we think of the opposite of change. Habits are that which we do routinely. However, this book is interesting because of its sub-title: Why we do what we do and how to change. The word ‘change’ is italicised and in red on the cover design. The author decides to speak about routine when speaking about habits. This is very helpful in that when we do something routinely, we do not think about what we are doing. Rudolf Steiner says about habits that our habits are sustained by our living body, that means by our etheric body, our etheric forces. Therefore, our habits that we take into ourselves – those behaviours that in-habit us – need to be living, not dead. If our habits are alive, they are open to change.
Rudolf Steiner suggests that the habits that we have need to be shaken from time to time so that they do not become routine. This can apply even to the way in which we brush our teeth. We fall into a pattern without thinking and it is good to change the way we do what we do. The habit of brushing our teeth is good, but the routine we follow is something to guard against.
We have a wonderful way to distinguish between a routine and a good habit. When we participate in the Act of Consecration of the Human Being it can so easily appear to us to be a routine. We have heard it before, we have seen it before, and for an artificial intelligence observing it, it would look and sound the same. It would come across as routine. And yet we know that in our participation, in our living out this living habit of the ritual, we are open to the reality that it is ever changing. It is never exactly the same.
So, change is what it is to be Christian, to be alive to it. Don’t be surprised by it. We should never be a community that says, “we have always done it this way”, or “that is how we do it”. No, that is how we did it. How are we choosing in this moment by choosing to do it out of the spirit of change? We are naturally fearful of change because we like the security of routine. But every day we wake up is a new day and every day has the possibility to change, and not always be the same. Every day!
We always have an opportunity to look at things and bring about the changes that we need to have in our mindset, in our heart-thinking, in order that something happens.
In the book The Power of Habit the author speaks about a cue. This cue triggers us to go into a routine – I am about to brush my teeth, enter tooth brushing routine! The routine is a repetition, nothing changes. Then we live with the reward of that routine. He says that in order to change the habit – he speaks of ‘cue-routine-reward’ as the elements of a stuck habit – one can’t change the trigger, and one cannot change the reward unless one changes the routine. The example he gives is one of gambling: the cue is the urge to walk into a casino, the routine is a mindset that no matter what happens the feeling that the next try is going to be the winning one, no matter how many losses have gone before, the reward is being stuck in losses. Only if the routine changes will the reward change. The mindset must become that a loss is a sign to stop and leave the casino. The change must be in how we respond to the cue (the trigger). Then he lays out four steps for changing habits.
Metanoia – change! It is what is required. Unfortunately, many people think of it as a once-off event. “I changed! Done!” And yet, as we encounter everything that is in the Gospels we realise that, actually, the whole Christian journey is about change. Every day, in every moment we are in a process of change. This moment is the present, and the moment before is now the past, things have already changed, often without one even noticing. In every moment we are in a new present moment.
A few years ago, a book came out called The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. The full title of the book is quite interesting because when we think of habits we think of the opposite of change. Habits are that which we do routinely. However, this book is interesting because of its sub-title: Why we do what we do and how to change. The word ‘change’ is italicised and in red on the cover design. The author decides to speak about routine when speaking about habits. This is very helpful in that when we do something routinely, we do not think about what we are doing. Rudolf Steiner says about habits that our habits are sustained by our living body, that means by our etheric body, our etheric forces. Therefore, our habits that we take into ourselves – those behaviours that in-habit us – need to be living, not dead. If our habits are alive, they are open to change.
Rudolf Steiner suggests that the habits that we have need to be shaken from time to time so that they do not become routine. This can apply even to the way in which we brush our teeth. We fall into a pattern without thinking and it is good to change the way we do what we do. The habit of brushing our teeth is good, but the routine we follow is something to guard against.
We have a wonderful way to distinguish between a routine and a good habit. When we participate in the Act of Consecration of the Human Being it can so easily appear to us to be a routine. We have heard it before, we have seen it before, and for an artificial intelligence observing it, it would look and sound the same. It would come across as routine. And yet we know that in our participation, in our living out this living habit of the ritual, we are open to the reality that it is ever changing. It is never exactly the same.
So, change is what it is to be Christian, to be alive to it. Don’t be surprised by it. We should never be a community that says, “we have always done it this way”, or “that is how we do it”. No, that is how we did it. How are we choosing in this moment by choosing to do it out of the spirit of change? We are naturally fearful of change because we like the security of routine. But every day we wake up is a new day and every day has the possibility to change, and not always be the same. Every day!
We always have an opportunity to look at things and bring about the changes that we need to have in our mindset, in our heart-thinking, in order that something happens.
In the book The Power of Habit the author speaks about a cue. This cue triggers us to go into a routine – I am about to brush my teeth, enter tooth brushing routine! The routine is a repetition, nothing changes. Then we live with the reward of that routine. He says that in order to change the habit – he speaks of ‘cue-routine-reward’ as the elements of a stuck habit – one can’t change the trigger, and one cannot change the reward unless one changes the routine. The example he gives is one of gambling: the cue is the urge to walk into a casino, the routine is a mindset that no matter what happens the feeling that the next try is going to be the winning one, no matter how many losses have gone before, the reward is being stuck in losses. Only if the routine changes will the reward change. The mindset must become that a loss is a sign to stop and leave the casino. The change must be in how we respond to the cue (the trigger). Then he lays out four steps for changing habits.
- Identify the routine – identify when one falls into the rut where we keep doing the same thing and to our surprise the outcome remains the same.
- Experiment with different rewards. See what it feels like to walk out of the casino, in his example. See what it feels like to imagine a different scenario. What does it feel like to budget for the changes we anticipate, or the changes that may not come but are worth considering.
- Isolate the cue or trigger.
- Have a plan.
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The task is to work with a plan. Will the plan change? It is inevitable. Can a plan change? Definitely. Plans are designed to change, but without a plan the changes go unnoticed.
We are planning for change all the time. This gives us the expression: The human being proposes, and God disposes. We plan, but we cannot know the future. All we can know is that it will not be as we imagine. Yet, we should engage in some careful imagining. It will bring us the opportunity to meet change. Planning when we know that we will meet change is an essential part of what it is to be human, and an essential part of what it means to be Christian. Metanoia – change your heart and mind in every moment, all the time. |
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by Rev. Michaël Merle
In February 2020 I wrote a contemplation about perceptions and perspectives. In rereading it and considering what perspectives we should develop today, an enigmatic verse of scripture came to mind. In Matthew 10:16 we read: “Behold I send you as sheep amongst the wolves, therefore be you as shrewd as the serpent and as innocent as the dove.”
The translation can be somewhat complicated to get just right. The verse may be rendered in different ways: the specific characteristic of the serpent can be found to be described as shrewd but also as intelligent, prudent, sensible or wise. What exactly is this characteristic of the serpent? The Greek of the New Testament would suggest that the characteristic may be best translated as mindset. That would mean that we would translate the verse as: “… therefore develop the mindset of the serpent …” We may ask ourselves what does this mean? It would help of course if we understood to what the serpent is a reference. Why refer to an animal not usually considered in a positive light? The serpent in the Garden of Eden is often described as shrewd (cunning and deceptive). Is this the reference being made here? The reference here is to that quality in us as human beings of the rising serpent-like energy of human achievement and effort. It is described in other terms as the rising kundalini. The temptation in Eden may also be thought of in terms of this rising capacity in us to intuit and to the insights (perspectives) we might develop. Our formative life-forces may be thought of in this picture of the rising serpent-like energy. These are the forces we develop and strengthen through the activity of the soul: through our thinking supported by our feeling and made manifest in our words and actions. So, as we are sent out, we should endeavour to develop a mindset derived from our efforts to form our thoughts according to the human desire to comprehend the reality of the world, to understand it and be able to relate to it through our thinking. This is the positive aspect of being shrewd, prudent and wise.
But what of the innocence of the dove? The translation should render the verse: “… and the undiluted focus of the dove …” This allows us to consider the quality described here as purity. This has led to the idea of innocence but, in reality, the purity being described here is one of “undiluted focus”: a purity of purpose. Again, if we understand the reference here to the dove, we may gain a much better insight into exactly what is meant. Here the reference is to the dove-like activity of the Spirit. The image we are needing to cultivate is that of the Spirit descending like a dove and uniting with the being of Jesus in the waters of the Jordan at his baptism. The reference is to the activity of the Spirit in us. This is a description of the purity of purpose that the Spirit inspires in us. This is the experience of grace – the grace of God.
The translation can be somewhat complicated to get just right. The verse may be rendered in different ways: the specific characteristic of the serpent can be found to be described as shrewd but also as intelligent, prudent, sensible or wise. What exactly is this characteristic of the serpent? The Greek of the New Testament would suggest that the characteristic may be best translated as mindset. That would mean that we would translate the verse as: “… therefore develop the mindset of the serpent …” We may ask ourselves what does this mean? It would help of course if we understood to what the serpent is a reference. Why refer to an animal not usually considered in a positive light? The serpent in the Garden of Eden is often described as shrewd (cunning and deceptive). Is this the reference being made here? The reference here is to that quality in us as human beings of the rising serpent-like energy of human achievement and effort. It is described in other terms as the rising kundalini. The temptation in Eden may also be thought of in terms of this rising capacity in us to intuit and to the insights (perspectives) we might develop. Our formative life-forces may be thought of in this picture of the rising serpent-like energy. These are the forces we develop and strengthen through the activity of the soul: through our thinking supported by our feeling and made manifest in our words and actions. So, as we are sent out, we should endeavour to develop a mindset derived from our efforts to form our thoughts according to the human desire to comprehend the reality of the world, to understand it and be able to relate to it through our thinking. This is the positive aspect of being shrewd, prudent and wise.
But what of the innocence of the dove? The translation should render the verse: “… and the undiluted focus of the dove …” This allows us to consider the quality described here as purity. This has led to the idea of innocence but, in reality, the purity being described here is one of “undiluted focus”: a purity of purpose. Again, if we understand the reference here to the dove, we may gain a much better insight into exactly what is meant. Here the reference is to the dove-like activity of the Spirit. The image we are needing to cultivate is that of the Spirit descending like a dove and uniting with the being of Jesus in the waters of the Jordan at his baptism. The reference is to the activity of the Spirit in us. This is a description of the purity of purpose that the Spirit inspires in us. This is the experience of grace – the grace of God.
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So, how do we go out in strength of sending? We do so when we combine our human effort (the mindset we can develop through our thinking and the establishment of clear insight) with the grace of the divine (the purity of purpose provided by the love of God and his blessings in our lives). We do not go out in the hubris of our capacities but rather in the humility of knowing that our efforts are only fruitful when matched with the freely given grace of the Spirit. As we face all the wolf-like difficulties of life, we who go forward (the literal meaning of the Greek word for sheep) should do so through our natural human efforts of soul and through the spiritual grace of the divine freely bestowed upon us.
Grace does not absolve us of effort. Equally effort alone can only lead to an unfortunate arrogance and ultimately to our own downfall. We are encouraged in the words of the teaching of the Christ Jesus to combine the serpent-like effort of human thinking with the dove-like purity of purpose of the grace of God. When our rising efforts meet the descending grace of the Spirit, we are able to go forward in our sending: to meet the challenges of life and to find our purpose and meaning: to create a society of love, justice, peace, truth and freedom. |
by Rev. Michaël Merle
In January of 2018, some 7 years ago, I shared my thoughts on New Year Resolutions, and below is the contemplation I wrote at the time:
It is now customary to make resolutions for change in the new year. Quite often these are met with wry smiles and bets for how long they will last. Jokes aside, resolving something new, something different that speaks with promise for a better life, a healthy lifestyle, a more integrated life path has significant value. The resolutions many take from January first may not last as long as intended but for some it heralds a step, a move in a new and much desired direction. These new year resolutions often focus on physical or spiritual health – a renewed sense of wellbeing.
Of course the church year begins several weeks before the first of January, with the First Sunday of Advent. A prominent Advent figure is John-the-Baptist, often described as a forerunner of the Christ. John’s great message, captured in a word – metanoia, speaks to a change of mind and heart. It speaks to the change in our soul, with its faculties of thinking, feeling and willing, that orientates us to a newly perceived reality. For John-the-Baptist this reality was clear – the Kingdom of the Heavens was close at hand. Zelymans von Emmichoven wrote: ‘…the reality in which we live is the Christ.’ How do we make our resolutions, how do we resolve our lives in light of this reality – living in the truth of the Kingdom of the Heavens, of the Christ?
The word resolution carries more than one meaning. Firstly, it means to settle or find a solution (usually to a problem, riddle or area of concern). Then it also means to decide firmly on a course of action (the meaning most closely associated with our new year resolutions). Among its meanings is the little thought of meaning of something seen at a distance turning into a different form when seen more clearly. An example of this meaning could be expressed in a sentence such as: ‘The orange light resolved itself into four roadwork lanterns’ or ‘The Hubble Telescope was able to resolve six variable stars in M31’. This idea of being able to separately distinguish is an important component of a resolution.
Hence, we might say that a resolution requires us to come close to the true reality of things, to be able to distinguish what is of true importance and then be able to decide firmly to act in accordance with such a vision. In this way we find a solution to the question of meaning in our lives – an activity that belongs not only to the beginning of a year but rather more importantly the beginning of each day.
It is now customary to make resolutions for change in the new year. Quite often these are met with wry smiles and bets for how long they will last. Jokes aside, resolving something new, something different that speaks with promise for a better life, a healthy lifestyle, a more integrated life path has significant value. The resolutions many take from January first may not last as long as intended but for some it heralds a step, a move in a new and much desired direction. These new year resolutions often focus on physical or spiritual health – a renewed sense of wellbeing.
Of course the church year begins several weeks before the first of January, with the First Sunday of Advent. A prominent Advent figure is John-the-Baptist, often described as a forerunner of the Christ. John’s great message, captured in a word – metanoia, speaks to a change of mind and heart. It speaks to the change in our soul, with its faculties of thinking, feeling and willing, that orientates us to a newly perceived reality. For John-the-Baptist this reality was clear – the Kingdom of the Heavens was close at hand. Zelymans von Emmichoven wrote: ‘…the reality in which we live is the Christ.’ How do we make our resolutions, how do we resolve our lives in light of this reality – living in the truth of the Kingdom of the Heavens, of the Christ?
The word resolution carries more than one meaning. Firstly, it means to settle or find a solution (usually to a problem, riddle or area of concern). Then it also means to decide firmly on a course of action (the meaning most closely associated with our new year resolutions). Among its meanings is the little thought of meaning of something seen at a distance turning into a different form when seen more clearly. An example of this meaning could be expressed in a sentence such as: ‘The orange light resolved itself into four roadwork lanterns’ or ‘The Hubble Telescope was able to resolve six variable stars in M31’. This idea of being able to separately distinguish is an important component of a resolution.
Hence, we might say that a resolution requires us to come close to the true reality of things, to be able to distinguish what is of true importance and then be able to decide firmly to act in accordance with such a vision. In this way we find a solution to the question of meaning in our lives – an activity that belongs not only to the beginning of a year but rather more importantly the beginning of each day.
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Now as we begin 2025 (a quarter of a century into the 21st Century) we could contemplate a deeper reality at play in this consideration of the word: resolution. When describing the components of will-forces in the various aspects of the human being, Rudolf Steiner spoke about how drive, for example is a will-force connected to our etheric (life-formation force) body, and desire is a will expression connected to our astral (emotional) body. The main point of his lecture was to speak about the importance of motivation (as the will expression of our I-organisation). He also spoke about those aspects of our future development that have yet to find full expression. The will-force manifestation of our future Spirit-Human self is resolution. This speaks to the condition of our future will expression where what we resolve comes into reality. Here a very important aspect of the word is understood. When we resolve something, we are solving the problem, the issue, the matter at hand. We are bringing it to its ultimate conclusion. When we are able to resolve within ourselves what is being asked of us as human beings today, we are beginning the process of resolution such as it shall be in our future endeavours. May we find the resolution within to face the future which is coming towards us: the true image of the future Human Being.
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