The word ‘vocation’ indicates that there is a proper course for every person’s development to follow, a specific way in which he commits his whole life to the service of certain values. That a particular person has a particular vocation always, then, means that his or her love is fixed on some particular goal. Both virginity and marriage understood in an uncompromising personalistic way are vocations. Vocations are meaningful only within the framework of a personalistic vision of human existence, in which conscious choice determines the direction which a person’s life and actions will take.
‘What is my vocation’ means ‘in what direction should my personality develop, considering what I have in me, what I have to offer, and what others – other people and God – expect of me? The challenge of vocation today is to understand betrothal, first the betrothal of marriage and then betrothal to God. In doing so we will have covered the first and greatest element in all the vocations. The decisive character of betrothed love is the giving of one’s own person. No form of love can take the person as far in his or her quest for the good of the other as does betrothed love. Marriage is the result of betrothed love. The problem of betrothed love in marriage does contain a very real paradox. The principle of individual substance does not admit a person to be transferred or ceded to another. Yet the most uncompromising form of love consists in self giving. It is possible to step outside of one’s own ‘I’ in a way that we continue to possess ourselves and far from being impaired the ‘I’ is enriched in a moral sense. Thus married people can approach Original Unity.
Within man’s relationship with God, understood as a relationship of love, man’s posture must be one of surrender to God. This is perfectly comprehensible, especially as the religious man knows that God gives Himself to man, in a divine and supernatural fashion (a mystery of faith revealed to mankind by Christ). We see then the possibility of betrothed and requited love between God and man; the human soul, which is betrothed of God, gives itself to him alone. This total and exclusive gift of self to God is the result of a spiritual process which occurs within a person under the influence of Grace. This is the essence of spiritual virginity – conjugal love pledged to God Himself.
Spiritual virginity is closely connected with physical virginity and is the basis of the religious vocation, whether the vocation is as a lay person or in religious orders or priesthood. Of course all the forms of love identified in the metaphysical analysis apply to spiritual virgins in them giving and receiving love from other persons. The value of virginity, and indeed its superiority to marriage, is to be found in the exceptionally important part which virginity plays in realizing the kingdom of God on earth. The kingdom of God on earth is realized in that particular people gradually prepare and perfect themselves for eternal union with God. In this union the objective development of the human person reaches its highest point.
Spiritual virginity, the self-giving of a human person wedded to God himself, expressly anticipates this eternal union with God and points the way towards it. Speaking of “those who have renounced marriage for the sake of the kingdom of heaven” Jesus says “whoever can accept this (i.e. those to whom it has been granted) ought to accept it”. (Matthew 19, 12)
Friday, November 26, 2010
Thursday, November 25, 2010
PRAYERLESSNESS
Introduction
Backsliding. When I asked myself what are the reasons for Backsliding, I felt the Holy Spirit guiding me to speak on Prayerlessness. This is a topic that I have been contemplating in prayer for these days and felt that perhaps…. the 3 reasons I shthat leads me and may be even you to Backslide is….
• Lack of Prayer
• Spiritual pride
• Personal Weakness.
If we look closely to the first point it is very much related to the topic of Prayerlessness.
What is Prayerlessness?
It means that we have little desire for our fellowship with God. It shows our trust rests on our own efforts than on the power of God. For example I have heard people say “Prayer & all is OK but we must work. I must help myself, or else God cannot help me. But sometimes we struggle in some situations only because we are doing it ourselves. Do you know what is the basis of this line “I”. Even in the word ‘Sin’ I is the center. We are too proud to ask His help. It is just the opposite of Prayerfulness. People of genuine faith use prayer, not as a means of impressing others but as an honest means of giving thanks, confessing sins, and asking for direction and help. They know that prayerfulness is not optional for anyone who wants to develop a personal relationship with God. When followers of Christ do not show their dependence in prayer, they can end up acting like anyone else (James 4:1-6). Jesus warned His disciples about this likelihood on the night of His arrest. Pausing from His own struggle in prayer, He urged, "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak"(Mathew26:41). They didn't understand. They slept instead of praying, and within a few hours all had abandoned Him.
I have read prayerlessness defined in general terms as:
Prayerlessness is saying I'm too busy for God
Prayerlessness is walking in the dark blindfolded
Prayerlessness is the fool saying in his heart there is no God
Prayerlessness is wasting time you think you are saving
Prayerlessness is seeing only with natural eyes
Prayerlessness is absence of God's power
Prayerlessness is disobedience
Prayerlessness is a car with no gas
Prayerlessness is trusting in your own strength
Prayerlessness is preferring my way to God's way
Prayerlessness is living for the praises of men
Prayerlessness is laziness
Prayerlessness is giving in to flesh
Prayerlessness is faithlessness
The Reasons we do not pray
The reasons we do not pray is because we do not have a right relationship that the Bible talks about. Our relationship with God is so substandard that we do not consider it important. We have every excuse in the book or situations to blame, because we do not pray. I have heard people say that I can do all kinds of work but I cannot sit to pray. Like the popular saying in the World goes as: WORK IS PRAYER. WORK IS WORSHIP. I beg to differ here because work cannot be Prayer, Christian life is a relationship with a person you love most Jesus. If you love your work more than you love Jesus, then your work is your love not Jesus. I too at one time believed that work was prayer because at that time, my work was the god of my life.
There are several other excuses we make for ourselves like no time because of my kids or because my daily routine etc. Or simply because we are weak in the flesh. Every human being has a carnal nature in him & so when we do not pray we give into that nature.
The Result of Prayerlessness
Whenever we do anything in our lives positive or negative there is always a result or an outcome of our efforts. So also when we do not pray, there are a few results that will eventually be there.
• When we do not wake up early for prayers, we will sell ourselves to our own desires or to devil for nothing.
(for example Jesus woke early in the morning for prayer. Mark 1:35, Luke 11:1-4). So how much more do we need to pray?
• We go back to Egypt, back to our own little selfish world.
(Remember today’s first reading at mass ( Exodus 16:1-5,9-15)
• We will always find our selves oppressed. (Always Me, Me….)
• We will find it difficult to rise out of our personal bondages. If we continue to tear down, backbite, criticize other people, our church and its leaders, no matter what they have done to us. It is positive proof that we are still in bondage, our relationship with God is not right.
How to overcome Prayerlessness?
The steps towards overcoming prayerlessness is to admit, repent & then confess that one has made this mistake. ( Reflect when was the last time you went to the sacrament of reconciliation). Like I am reminded when I first met the Lord I found it difficult to be faithful to my time of prayer. When I went for confession I told my confessor about my struggle & distractions during prayer time. My confessor told me make distraction the topic of your prayer, but persevere, do not give up. I thank God for my confessor & the advice he gave me. It really helped to struggle in my prayer life & not give up.
We in our prayer group read testimonies every Wednesday , but today I would like to read the testimony of St Theresa of Avila who struggled in her prayer life. She too faced many challenges in her prayer life but yet she persevered. Many of us present here will identify ourselves with her struggles. We too face these struggles. I have taken her testimony from the Catholic life of Saints.
St. Teresa of Avila
Doctor of the Church
Less than twenty years before Teresa was born in 1515, Columbus opened up the Western Hemisphere to European colonization. Two years after she was born, Luther started the Protestant Reformation. Out of all of this change came Teresa pointing the way from outer turmoil to inner peace.
Teresa's father was rigidly honest and pious, but he may have carried his strictness to extremes. Teresa's mother loved romance novels but because her husband objected to these fanciful books, she hid the books from him. This put Teresa in the middle -- especially since she liked the romances too. Her father told her never to lie but her mother told her not to tell her father. Later she said she was always afraid that no matter what she did she was going to do everything wrong.
When she was five years old she convinced her older brother that they should, as she says in her Life, "go off to the land of the Moors and beg them, out of love of God, to cut off our heads there." They got as far as the road from the city before an uncle found them and brought them back. Some people have used this story as an early example of sanctity, but this author think it's better used as an early example of her ability to stir up trouble.
After this incident she led a fairly ordinary life, though she was convinced that she was a horrible sinner. As a teenager, she cared only about boys and clothes and flirting and rebelling -- like other teenagers throughout the ages. When she was 16, her father decided she was out of control and sent her to a convent. At first she hated it but eventually she began to enjoy it -- partly because of her growing love for God, and partly because the convent was a lot less strict than her father.
Still, when the time came for her to choose between marriage and religious life, she had a tough time making the decision. She'd watched a difficult marriage ruin her mother. On the other hand being a nun didn't seem like much fun. When she finally chose religious life, she did so because she though that it was the only safe place for someone as prone to sin as she was.
Once installed at the Carmelite convent permanently, she started to learn and practice mental prayer, in which she "tried as hard as I could to keep Jesus Christ present within me....My imagination is so dull that I had no talent for imagining or coming up with great theological thoughts." Teresa prayed this way off and on for eighteen years without feeling that she was getting results. Part of the reason for her trouble was that the convent was not the safe place she assumed it would be.
Many women who had no place else to go wound up at the convent, whether they had vocations or not. They were encouraged to stay away from the convents for long period of time to cut down on expenses. Nuns would arrange their veils attractively and wear jewelry. Prestige depended not on piety but on money. There was a steady stream of visitors in the parlor and parties that included young men. What spiritual life there was involved hysteria, weeping, exaggerated penance, nosebleeds, and self- induced visions.
Teresa suffered the same problem that Francis of Assisi did -- she was too charming. Everyone liked her and she liked to be liked. She found it too easy to slip into a worldly life and ignore God. The convent encouraged her to have visitors to whom she would teach mental prayer because their gifts helped the community economy. But Teresa got more involved in flattery, vanity and gossip than spiritual guidance. These weren't great sins perhaps but they kept her from God.
Then Teresa fell ill with malaria. When she had a seizure, people were so sure she was dead that after she woke up four days later she learned they had dug a grave for her. Afterwards she was paralyzed for three years and was never completely well. Yet instead of helping her spiritually, her sickness became an excuse to stop her prayer completely: she couldn't be alone enough, she wasn't healthy enough, and so forth. Later she would say, "Prayer is an act of love, words are not needed. Even if sickness distracts from thoughts, all that is needed is the will to love."
For years she hardly prayed at all "under the guise of humility." She thought as a wicked sinner she didn't deserve to get favors from God. But turning away from prayer was like "a baby turning from its mother's breasts, what can be expected but death?"
When she was 41, a priest convinced her to go back to her prayer, but she still found it difficult. "I was more anxious for the hour of prayer to be over than I was to remain there. I don't know what heavy penance I would not have gladly undertaken rather than practice prayer." She was distracted often: "This intellect is so wild that it doesn't seem to be anything else than a frantic madman no one can tie down." Teresa sympathizes with those who have a difficult time in prayer: "All the trials we endure cannot be compared to these interior battles."
Yet her experience gives us wonderful descriptions of mental prayer: "For mental prayer in my opinion is nothing else than an intimate sharing between friends; it means taking time frequently to be alone with him who we know loves us. The important thing is not to think much but to love much and so do that which best stirs you to love. Love is not great delight but desire to please God in everything."
As she started to pray again, God gave her spiritual delights: the prayer of quiet where God's presence overwhelmed her senses, raptures where God overcame her with glorious foolishness, prayer of union where she felt the sun of God melt her soul away. Sometimes her whole body was raised from the ground. If she felt God was going to levitate her body, she stretched out on the floor and called the nuns to sit on her and hold her down. Far from being excited about these events, she "begged God very much not to give me any more favors in public."
In her books, she analyzed and dissects mystical experiences the way a scientist would. She never saw these gifts as rewards from God but the way he "chastised" her. The more love she felt the harder it was to offend God. She says, "The memory of the favor God has granted does more to bring such a person back to God than all the infernal punishments imaginable."
Her biggest fault was her friendships. Though she wasn't sinning, she was very attached to her friends until God told her "No longer do I want you to converse with human beings but with angels." In an instant he gave her the freedom that she had been unable to achieve through years of effort. After that God always came first in her life.
Some friends, however, did not like what was happening to her and got together to discuss some "remedy" for her. Concluding that she had been deluded by the devil, they sent a Jesuit to analyze her. The Jesuit reassured her that her experiences were from God but soon everyone knew about her and was making fun of her.
One confessor was so sure that the visions were from the devil that her told her to make an obscene gesture called the fig every time she had a vision of Jesus. She cringed but did as she was ordered, all the time apologizing to Jesus. Fortunately, Jesus didn't seem upset but told her that she was right to obey her confessor. In her autobiography she would say, "I am more afraid of those who are terrified of the devil than I am of the devil himself." The devil was not to be feared but fought by talking more about God.
Teresa felt that the best evidence that her delights came from God was that the experiences gave her peace, inspiration, and encouragement. "If these effects are not present I would greatly doubt that the raptures come from God; on the contrary I would fear lest they be caused by rabies."
Sometimes, however, she couldn't avoid complaining to her closest Friend about the hostility and gossip that surrounded her. When Jesus told her, "Teresa, that's how I treat my friends" Teresa responded, "No wonder you have so few friends." But since Christ has so few friends, she felt they should be good ones. And that's why she decided to reform her Carmelite order.
At the age of 43, she became determined to find a new convent that went back to the basics of a contemplative order: a simple life of poverty devoted to prayer. This doesn't sound like a big deal, right? Wrong.
When plans leaked out about her first convent, St. Joseph's, she was denounced from the pulpit, told by her sisters she should raise money for the convent she was already in, and threatened with the Inquisition. The town started legal proceedings against her. All because she wanted to try a simple life of prayer. In the face of this open war, she went ahead calmly, as if nothing was wrong, trusting in God.
"May God protect me from gloomy saints," Teresa said, and that's how she ran her convent. To her, spiritual life was an attitude of love, not a rule. Although she proclaimed poverty, she believed in work, not in begging. She believed in obedience to God more than penance. If you do something wrong, don't punish yourself -- change. When someone felt depressed, her advice was that she go some place where she could see the sky and take a walk. When someone was shocked that she was going to eat well, she answered, "There's a time for partridge and a time for penance." To her brother's wish to meditate on hell, she answered, "Don't."
Once she had her own convent, she could lead a life of peace, right? Wrong again. Teresa believed that the most powerful and acceptable prayer was that prayer that leads to action. Good effects were better than pious sensations that only make the person praying feel good.
At St. Joseph's, she spent much of her time writing her Life. She wrote this book not for fun but because she was ordered to. Many people questioned her experiences and this book would clear her or condemn her. Because of this, she used a lot of camouflage in the book, following a profound thought with the statement, "But what do I know. I'm just a wretched woman." The Inquisition liked what they read and cleared her.
At 51, she felt it was time to spread her reform movement. She braved burning sun, ice and snow, thieves, and rat-infested inns to found more convents. But those obstacles were easy compared to what she face from her brothers and sisters in religious life. She was called "a restless disobedient gadabout who has gone about teaching as though she were a professor" by the papal nuncio. When her former convent voted her in as prioress, the leader of the Carmelite order excommunicated the nuns. A vicar general stationed an officer of the law outside the door to keep her out. The other religious orders opposed her wherever she went. She often had to enter a town secretly in the middle of the night to avoid causing a riot.
And the help they received was sometimes worse than the hostility. A princess ordered Teresa to find a convent and then showed up at the door with luggage and maids. When Teresa refused to order her nuns to wait on the princess on their knees, the princess denounced Teresa to the Inquisition.
In another town, they arrived at their new house in the middle of the night, only to wake up the next morning to find that one wall of the building was missing.
Why was everyone so upset? Teresa said, "Truly it seems that now there are no more of those considered mad for being true lovers of Christ." No one in religious orders or in the world wanted Teresa reminding them of the way God said they should live.
Teresa looked on these difficulties as good publicity. Soon she had postulants clamoring to get into her reform convents. Many people thought about what she said and wanted to learn about prayer from her. Soon her ideas about prayer swept not only through Spain but all of Europe.
In 1582, she was invited to found a convent by an Archbishop but when she arrived in the middle of the pouring rain, he ordered her to leave. "And the weather so delightful too" was Teresa's comment. Though very ill, she was commanded to attend a noblewoman giving birth. By the time they got there, the baby had already arrived so, as Teresa said, "The saint won't be needed after all." Too ill to leave, she died on October 4 at the age of 67.
She is the founder of the Discalced Carmelites. In 1970 she was declared a Doctor of the Church for her writing and teaching on prayer, one of two women to be honored in this way.
St. Teresa is the patron saint of Headache sufferers. Her symbol is a heart, an arrow, and a book. She was canonized in 1622.
Conclusion
We too face many challenges when we pray, but we must remember that one must never get discouraged in our struggle to pray. The more difficulties we face the deeper we should dig our heels into God’s word as Romans 12:12 says,
REJOICE IN HOPE, BE PATIENT IN SUFFERING, PERSEVERE IN PRAYER.
We must develop our relationship with God to the degree the bible says is possible. Our desires, our will, our mind, our cares, our struggles, our families, our entire lives must be given over entirely to the control of the Holy Spirit. So do not give up but Persevere in your struggle to pray and God will bless you.
Amen
Backsliding. When I asked myself what are the reasons for Backsliding, I felt the Holy Spirit guiding me to speak on Prayerlessness. This is a topic that I have been contemplating in prayer for these days and felt that perhaps…. the 3 reasons I shthat leads me and may be even you to Backslide is….
• Lack of Prayer
• Spiritual pride
• Personal Weakness.
If we look closely to the first point it is very much related to the topic of Prayerlessness.
What is Prayerlessness?
It means that we have little desire for our fellowship with God. It shows our trust rests on our own efforts than on the power of God. For example I have heard people say “Prayer & all is OK but we must work. I must help myself, or else God cannot help me. But sometimes we struggle in some situations only because we are doing it ourselves. Do you know what is the basis of this line “I”. Even in the word ‘Sin’ I is the center. We are too proud to ask His help. It is just the opposite of Prayerfulness. People of genuine faith use prayer, not as a means of impressing others but as an honest means of giving thanks, confessing sins, and asking for direction and help. They know that prayerfulness is not optional for anyone who wants to develop a personal relationship with God. When followers of Christ do not show their dependence in prayer, they can end up acting like anyone else (James 4:1-6). Jesus warned His disciples about this likelihood on the night of His arrest. Pausing from His own struggle in prayer, He urged, "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak"(Mathew26:41). They didn't understand. They slept instead of praying, and within a few hours all had abandoned Him.
I have read prayerlessness defined in general terms as:
Prayerlessness is saying I'm too busy for God
Prayerlessness is walking in the dark blindfolded
Prayerlessness is the fool saying in his heart there is no God
Prayerlessness is wasting time you think you are saving
Prayerlessness is seeing only with natural eyes
Prayerlessness is absence of God's power
Prayerlessness is disobedience
Prayerlessness is a car with no gas
Prayerlessness is trusting in your own strength
Prayerlessness is preferring my way to God's way
Prayerlessness is living for the praises of men
Prayerlessness is laziness
Prayerlessness is giving in to flesh
Prayerlessness is faithlessness
The Reasons we do not pray
The reasons we do not pray is because we do not have a right relationship that the Bible talks about. Our relationship with God is so substandard that we do not consider it important. We have every excuse in the book or situations to blame, because we do not pray. I have heard people say that I can do all kinds of work but I cannot sit to pray. Like the popular saying in the World goes as: WORK IS PRAYER. WORK IS WORSHIP. I beg to differ here because work cannot be Prayer, Christian life is a relationship with a person you love most Jesus. If you love your work more than you love Jesus, then your work is your love not Jesus. I too at one time believed that work was prayer because at that time, my work was the god of my life.
There are several other excuses we make for ourselves like no time because of my kids or because my daily routine etc. Or simply because we are weak in the flesh. Every human being has a carnal nature in him & so when we do not pray we give into that nature.
The Result of Prayerlessness
Whenever we do anything in our lives positive or negative there is always a result or an outcome of our efforts. So also when we do not pray, there are a few results that will eventually be there.
• When we do not wake up early for prayers, we will sell ourselves to our own desires or to devil for nothing.
(for example Jesus woke early in the morning for prayer. Mark 1:35, Luke 11:1-4). So how much more do we need to pray?
• We go back to Egypt, back to our own little selfish world.
(Remember today’s first reading at mass ( Exodus 16:1-5,9-15)
• We will always find our selves oppressed. (Always Me, Me….)
• We will find it difficult to rise out of our personal bondages. If we continue to tear down, backbite, criticize other people, our church and its leaders, no matter what they have done to us. It is positive proof that we are still in bondage, our relationship with God is not right.
How to overcome Prayerlessness?
The steps towards overcoming prayerlessness is to admit, repent & then confess that one has made this mistake. ( Reflect when was the last time you went to the sacrament of reconciliation). Like I am reminded when I first met the Lord I found it difficult to be faithful to my time of prayer. When I went for confession I told my confessor about my struggle & distractions during prayer time. My confessor told me make distraction the topic of your prayer, but persevere, do not give up. I thank God for my confessor & the advice he gave me. It really helped to struggle in my prayer life & not give up.
We in our prayer group read testimonies every Wednesday , but today I would like to read the testimony of St Theresa of Avila who struggled in her prayer life. She too faced many challenges in her prayer life but yet she persevered. Many of us present here will identify ourselves with her struggles. We too face these struggles. I have taken her testimony from the Catholic life of Saints.
St. Teresa of Avila
Doctor of the Church
Less than twenty years before Teresa was born in 1515, Columbus opened up the Western Hemisphere to European colonization. Two years after she was born, Luther started the Protestant Reformation. Out of all of this change came Teresa pointing the way from outer turmoil to inner peace.
Teresa's father was rigidly honest and pious, but he may have carried his strictness to extremes. Teresa's mother loved romance novels but because her husband objected to these fanciful books, she hid the books from him. This put Teresa in the middle -- especially since she liked the romances too. Her father told her never to lie but her mother told her not to tell her father. Later she said she was always afraid that no matter what she did she was going to do everything wrong.
When she was five years old she convinced her older brother that they should, as she says in her Life, "go off to the land of the Moors and beg them, out of love of God, to cut off our heads there." They got as far as the road from the city before an uncle found them and brought them back. Some people have used this story as an early example of sanctity, but this author think it's better used as an early example of her ability to stir up trouble.
After this incident she led a fairly ordinary life, though she was convinced that she was a horrible sinner. As a teenager, she cared only about boys and clothes and flirting and rebelling -- like other teenagers throughout the ages. When she was 16, her father decided she was out of control and sent her to a convent. At first she hated it but eventually she began to enjoy it -- partly because of her growing love for God, and partly because the convent was a lot less strict than her father.
Still, when the time came for her to choose between marriage and religious life, she had a tough time making the decision. She'd watched a difficult marriage ruin her mother. On the other hand being a nun didn't seem like much fun. When she finally chose religious life, she did so because she though that it was the only safe place for someone as prone to sin as she was.
Once installed at the Carmelite convent permanently, she started to learn and practice mental prayer, in which she "tried as hard as I could to keep Jesus Christ present within me....My imagination is so dull that I had no talent for imagining or coming up with great theological thoughts." Teresa prayed this way off and on for eighteen years without feeling that she was getting results. Part of the reason for her trouble was that the convent was not the safe place she assumed it would be.
Many women who had no place else to go wound up at the convent, whether they had vocations or not. They were encouraged to stay away from the convents for long period of time to cut down on expenses. Nuns would arrange their veils attractively and wear jewelry. Prestige depended not on piety but on money. There was a steady stream of visitors in the parlor and parties that included young men. What spiritual life there was involved hysteria, weeping, exaggerated penance, nosebleeds, and self- induced visions.
Teresa suffered the same problem that Francis of Assisi did -- she was too charming. Everyone liked her and she liked to be liked. She found it too easy to slip into a worldly life and ignore God. The convent encouraged her to have visitors to whom she would teach mental prayer because their gifts helped the community economy. But Teresa got more involved in flattery, vanity and gossip than spiritual guidance. These weren't great sins perhaps but they kept her from God.
Then Teresa fell ill with malaria. When she had a seizure, people were so sure she was dead that after she woke up four days later she learned they had dug a grave for her. Afterwards she was paralyzed for three years and was never completely well. Yet instead of helping her spiritually, her sickness became an excuse to stop her prayer completely: she couldn't be alone enough, she wasn't healthy enough, and so forth. Later she would say, "Prayer is an act of love, words are not needed. Even if sickness distracts from thoughts, all that is needed is the will to love."
For years she hardly prayed at all "under the guise of humility." She thought as a wicked sinner she didn't deserve to get favors from God. But turning away from prayer was like "a baby turning from its mother's breasts, what can be expected but death?"
When she was 41, a priest convinced her to go back to her prayer, but she still found it difficult. "I was more anxious for the hour of prayer to be over than I was to remain there. I don't know what heavy penance I would not have gladly undertaken rather than practice prayer." She was distracted often: "This intellect is so wild that it doesn't seem to be anything else than a frantic madman no one can tie down." Teresa sympathizes with those who have a difficult time in prayer: "All the trials we endure cannot be compared to these interior battles."
Yet her experience gives us wonderful descriptions of mental prayer: "For mental prayer in my opinion is nothing else than an intimate sharing between friends; it means taking time frequently to be alone with him who we know loves us. The important thing is not to think much but to love much and so do that which best stirs you to love. Love is not great delight but desire to please God in everything."
As she started to pray again, God gave her spiritual delights: the prayer of quiet where God's presence overwhelmed her senses, raptures where God overcame her with glorious foolishness, prayer of union where she felt the sun of God melt her soul away. Sometimes her whole body was raised from the ground. If she felt God was going to levitate her body, she stretched out on the floor and called the nuns to sit on her and hold her down. Far from being excited about these events, she "begged God very much not to give me any more favors in public."
In her books, she analyzed and dissects mystical experiences the way a scientist would. She never saw these gifts as rewards from God but the way he "chastised" her. The more love she felt the harder it was to offend God. She says, "The memory of the favor God has granted does more to bring such a person back to God than all the infernal punishments imaginable."
Her biggest fault was her friendships. Though she wasn't sinning, she was very attached to her friends until God told her "No longer do I want you to converse with human beings but with angels." In an instant he gave her the freedom that she had been unable to achieve through years of effort. After that God always came first in her life.
Some friends, however, did not like what was happening to her and got together to discuss some "remedy" for her. Concluding that she had been deluded by the devil, they sent a Jesuit to analyze her. The Jesuit reassured her that her experiences were from God but soon everyone knew about her and was making fun of her.
One confessor was so sure that the visions were from the devil that her told her to make an obscene gesture called the fig every time she had a vision of Jesus. She cringed but did as she was ordered, all the time apologizing to Jesus. Fortunately, Jesus didn't seem upset but told her that she was right to obey her confessor. In her autobiography she would say, "I am more afraid of those who are terrified of the devil than I am of the devil himself." The devil was not to be feared but fought by talking more about God.
Teresa felt that the best evidence that her delights came from God was that the experiences gave her peace, inspiration, and encouragement. "If these effects are not present I would greatly doubt that the raptures come from God; on the contrary I would fear lest they be caused by rabies."
Sometimes, however, she couldn't avoid complaining to her closest Friend about the hostility and gossip that surrounded her. When Jesus told her, "Teresa, that's how I treat my friends" Teresa responded, "No wonder you have so few friends." But since Christ has so few friends, she felt they should be good ones. And that's why she decided to reform her Carmelite order.
At the age of 43, she became determined to find a new convent that went back to the basics of a contemplative order: a simple life of poverty devoted to prayer. This doesn't sound like a big deal, right? Wrong.
When plans leaked out about her first convent, St. Joseph's, she was denounced from the pulpit, told by her sisters she should raise money for the convent she was already in, and threatened with the Inquisition. The town started legal proceedings against her. All because she wanted to try a simple life of prayer. In the face of this open war, she went ahead calmly, as if nothing was wrong, trusting in God.
"May God protect me from gloomy saints," Teresa said, and that's how she ran her convent. To her, spiritual life was an attitude of love, not a rule. Although she proclaimed poverty, she believed in work, not in begging. She believed in obedience to God more than penance. If you do something wrong, don't punish yourself -- change. When someone felt depressed, her advice was that she go some place where she could see the sky and take a walk. When someone was shocked that she was going to eat well, she answered, "There's a time for partridge and a time for penance." To her brother's wish to meditate on hell, she answered, "Don't."
Once she had her own convent, she could lead a life of peace, right? Wrong again. Teresa believed that the most powerful and acceptable prayer was that prayer that leads to action. Good effects were better than pious sensations that only make the person praying feel good.
At St. Joseph's, she spent much of her time writing her Life. She wrote this book not for fun but because she was ordered to. Many people questioned her experiences and this book would clear her or condemn her. Because of this, she used a lot of camouflage in the book, following a profound thought with the statement, "But what do I know. I'm just a wretched woman." The Inquisition liked what they read and cleared her.
At 51, she felt it was time to spread her reform movement. She braved burning sun, ice and snow, thieves, and rat-infested inns to found more convents. But those obstacles were easy compared to what she face from her brothers and sisters in religious life. She was called "a restless disobedient gadabout who has gone about teaching as though she were a professor" by the papal nuncio. When her former convent voted her in as prioress, the leader of the Carmelite order excommunicated the nuns. A vicar general stationed an officer of the law outside the door to keep her out. The other religious orders opposed her wherever she went. She often had to enter a town secretly in the middle of the night to avoid causing a riot.
And the help they received was sometimes worse than the hostility. A princess ordered Teresa to find a convent and then showed up at the door with luggage and maids. When Teresa refused to order her nuns to wait on the princess on their knees, the princess denounced Teresa to the Inquisition.
In another town, they arrived at their new house in the middle of the night, only to wake up the next morning to find that one wall of the building was missing.
Why was everyone so upset? Teresa said, "Truly it seems that now there are no more of those considered mad for being true lovers of Christ." No one in religious orders or in the world wanted Teresa reminding them of the way God said they should live.
Teresa looked on these difficulties as good publicity. Soon she had postulants clamoring to get into her reform convents. Many people thought about what she said and wanted to learn about prayer from her. Soon her ideas about prayer swept not only through Spain but all of Europe.
In 1582, she was invited to found a convent by an Archbishop but when she arrived in the middle of the pouring rain, he ordered her to leave. "And the weather so delightful too" was Teresa's comment. Though very ill, she was commanded to attend a noblewoman giving birth. By the time they got there, the baby had already arrived so, as Teresa said, "The saint won't be needed after all." Too ill to leave, she died on October 4 at the age of 67.
She is the founder of the Discalced Carmelites. In 1970 she was declared a Doctor of the Church for her writing and teaching on prayer, one of two women to be honored in this way.
St. Teresa is the patron saint of Headache sufferers. Her symbol is a heart, an arrow, and a book. She was canonized in 1622.
Conclusion
We too face many challenges when we pray, but we must remember that one must never get discouraged in our struggle to pray. The more difficulties we face the deeper we should dig our heels into God’s word as Romans 12:12 says,
REJOICE IN HOPE, BE PATIENT IN SUFFERING, PERSEVERE IN PRAYER.
We must develop our relationship with God to the degree the bible says is possible. Our desires, our will, our mind, our cares, our struggles, our families, our entire lives must be given over entirely to the control of the Holy Spirit. So do not give up but Persevere in your struggle to pray and God will bless you.
Amen
You shall be holy, for I am holy
How do you react to this call? Do you say, "That's impossible!"? And in one sense, that's the right reaction, for no one can be holy in the way that God is.
But that is NOT what Peter is saying. God is not saying "be holy in the same way that I am holy" No, God says, "You shall be holy, for I am holy." Because I am holy, therefore you are to be holy. This sort of holiness is what God calls us to. And if God has called us to be holy, then let us believe his promises, and in faith, obey his commands. So what does it mean to "be holy, for I am holy"?
We read Leviticus 11. We could have read some easier parts of Leviticus, but I wanted to start here precisely because it is the one that is hardest for us. God gives Israel a LONG list of unclean animals. These are animals that are NOT to be eaten. And what reason is given? "For I am the LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy." And if Israel didn't understand that, he repeats it: "You shall not defile yourselves with any swarming thing that crawls on the ground. For I am the LORD your God who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy."
These animals seem to be selected because they are mixed up. Parted-hoof animals are supposed to chew the cud. Therefore any animal that is only one way is not clean; it is mixed up. Water creatures are supposed to have scales and fins. Any water creature that does not have fins and scales is unclean. It is inappropriate. Winged insects are supposed to fly-therefore don't eat those that don't fly. God will also tell Israel not to sow their fields with two different crops. They are not to sew garments with two different kinds of material. They are not to unequally yoke an ox with a donkey.
All of these prohibitions are surrounded with this idea of holiness. What does this mean? Each thing that God has made has its proper use. God is teaching his son about these proper uses. Of course, in Christ, the son comes to maturity, and learns that what he had been taught as a child was over simplified. The distinction between clean and unclean animals had been given to Israel to emphasize their holiness--their distinctness--their unmixed character. But in Christ, God is mixing Jew and Gentile. He has declared that no food is inherently unclean.
Remember that it was Peter who received this revelation from Christ in Acts 10. It was Peter who first understood that this covenantal holiness in the Old Testament could be applied to the Gentiles. And so when he cites Leviticus "be holy for I am holy", it is likely that he remembered the vision he had received, where holiness took on new meaning. No other book of the Bible uses this phrase, so it is certain that Peter wants us to think about its usage in Leviticus.
Besides chapter 11, it is found four times in Lev 19-21. Lev 19:2: : [read 1-4] The whole chapter continues with the refrain "I am Yahweh your God." So the whole chapter echoes with this call to be holy. But here holiness is reflected in faithful obedience to God's commands--especially reverence toward mother and father, Sabbath-keeping, and avoiding idolatry. These things are to set you apart from the nations. Lev 20:7: [read 6-9 in the context of the prohibition against Molech] Again holiness is described in terms of faithful obedience to God, especially in the context of idolatry and honoring parents. Lev 20:26 [read 22-27]: Here we have the most straightforward statement of God's call to holiness. Israel's inheritance in the land was dependent upon their holiness, because God had separated them out from the peoples in order that they might be holy. Because God separates Israel out from the nations, therefore Israel must separate between clean and unclean. Lev 21:6-8: (regarding the priests) If Israel as a whole was to be holy-separate from the nations, the priests were to be separated out from Israel. They had their own call to holiness. The priests were to be the holy mediators in the midst of a holy people. And indeed, so long as the priests maintained their holiness, the people could continue to maintain their holiness through the prescribed sacrifices and offerings.
So the phrase "you shall be holy, for I am holy" is intimately bound up with what we often call the ceremonial law of Israel. It is all about ritual cleanliness, ceremonial holiness, as well as moral purity. So what is Peter doing with this phrase? Is he just tearing it out of context?
To understand what Peter is saying, we need to understand what he is doing here. 1:1-12 sets forth the present reality and future hope of the elect exiles. To use a grammatical term, it sets forth the indicative. In grammar, the indicative mood sets forth a statement of fact. This is the way things are. This is who you are in Christ. The indicative is usually followed by an imperative: a command. Since this is who you are in Christ, act like it. The Ten Commandments have this structure. The indicative leads the way: "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage." The indicative sets forth what God has done in redemption. The imperative calls forth our response to God's gracious acts in history. Peter has set forth who we are in Christ. We have been born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. We are elect exiles who will come through suffering to glory--even as our Savior. This is the statement of the indicative. Now Peter is going to set forth the basic imperatives of the Christian life. In 1:13-25 Peter will use four imperatives: 1:13 "Set your hope," 1:15 "Be holy," 1:17 "conduct yourselves with fear," 1:21 "Love one another." Each of these imperatives is grounded in the indicative. Each of these commands is rooted in who you are in Christ.
Let's start with verse 13: 1:13 Peter calls us to be prepared for action. Literally, this says, "girding up the loins of your minds." If you were a man in the first century, you would be wearing a long tunic that would have reached down to your ankles. Imagine trying to do heavy labor in a dress (you ladies can imagine this better!) When a man (or a woman) had to engage in active labor, he (or she) would tuck the skirt of his tunic into his belt. This was called "girding up your loins" and indicated that you were about to get active. Girding up the loins of your mind, therefore, means to prepare for action. And being sober minded, means to be realistic, clear, not giddy or fanciful.
But what action are we preparing for? The action is the first command that Peter gives us: "Set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ." Hope is the central category of Peter's thought. We have been born again to a living hope (1:3). This hope is our cause for rejoicing as we saw in 1:6 (in this living hope you rejoice). This hope is the defining characteristic of the Christian life.
You will not understand anything in Peter's epistle unless you understand this. Our hope is eschatological. That's a fancy way of saying that our hope is not centered here. Our hope is centered on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Our hope is eschatological. "Eschatos" simply means "last." Eschatology is the study of "last things." When we say that our hope is eschatological we mean that our hope is rooted in what God does at the end of history. What does God do at the end of history? Peter says that we are to "set our hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ."
It's easy to see this as something entirely future. God has promised to take us all to heaven (pie in the sky by and by, right?). But that would ignore everything that Peter has told us. "According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." What happened when Jesus Christ rose from the dead? What happened when he ascended to the right hand of the Father? Peter explains this in Acts 2. Peter says that the prophet Joel had said that God would pour out his Spirit in the last days. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost means that the last days have come. (2:33) If God has raised Jesus from the dead, and poured out his Spirit upon all flesh, then the last days have come. Israel expected that in the last days God would vindicate his people, judge his enemies, and establish the new creation. And in Jesus Christ, that is exactly what he did. All that the Jews thought would happen to Israel at the end of history, has happened to Jesus in the middle of history. And because it has happened to Jesus, it now defines all who are in Christ.
So to say that our hope is eschatological does NOT mean to say that our hope is entirely future. Our hope is eschatological because it is entirely rooted in what God does in the last days. And that certainly includes what God has done in raising Jesus Christ from the dead. (v3-5) If God has raised Jesus from the dead, then the ends of the ages have come upon us. Because it has happened to Jesus, it will certainly happen to all who are in him. (v13) So everything else that Peter is going to tell you to do will be grounded in this eschatological hope.
Now we are ready to understand Peter when he quotes Leviticus. "As obedient children" I don't think that there is an adequate English translation for this. "Children of obedience" (Semitic idiom "children of" means those who are shaped by and oriented toward. Children of wrath perhaps the most famous; likewise "mother of" means the shaper--"necessity is the mother of invention").
So to be "children of obedience" means that obedience to our heavenly Father is simply the natural obvious pattern of our lives. You are children of obedience by virtue of your union with Christ, who himself is the obedient Son. This IS who you are. You ARE obedient children. Peter is not commanding you to become obedient children, He is saying that this is who you are. You are children of obedience.
And so, as children of obedience, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance. Do not return to the old pattern of life. You are to be cultural nonconformists. The world lives in the passions of ignorance. You cannot live that way anymore. Your minds have been girded for action. You understand who you really are in Christ. Therefore the whole way you think and live must change.
As he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct. Holiness means to be conformed to the new reality. We have heard the eschatological indicative: Jesus Christ has been raised from the dead. YOU have been born again to a living hope through HIS resurrection. HE suffered and was glorified. YOU are suffering and will be glorified, though even now you rejoice with a joy that is filled with glory, because you believe the promises of God, and you are obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
Because of all this, as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct. Because you are no longer lost in the passions of your former ignorance, be holy for I am holy. All your conduct--all your life as it is visible to those around you--must be consistent with who you are in Christ.
We saw that in Leviticus, all the usages of "be holy for I am holy" referred to Israel's status as a separate people. Israel as a whole was to be the priestly people, a kingdom of priests to use the language of Exodus. The ceremonial cleanness and moral purity of Israel came to an even greater level in the priests. Peter is saying that the church is the new priesthood. (He will say it bluntly in the next chapter.) You are a holy priesthood. God, the high and exalted one, the one who himself is most Holy, has set you apart to be his own peculiar treasure. HE has called you. You did nothing to deserve this. You did nothing to merit his favor. HE called you. HE caused you to be born again to this living hope. Being holy in all your conduct is not a means to impress God.
Rather, being holy in all your conduct is simply the result of being called by the Holy One.
Peter goes on to explain how this ties in with his theme of elect exiles: (17-21) Peter grounded our hope eschatologically. Our hope is rooted in what God is doing in the last days in the resurrection of Christ until his revelation. He now grounds the ethical call to holiness Christologically.
V17 may not sound very encouraging: "And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds..." Do you cherish the thought of God judging you impartially according to your deeds? You ought to. You ought to conduct yourself with fear during your exile, not with a fear that God's judgment will go against you, but with the fear of the Lord. Verses 18-19 explain this fear. We live our lives in fear, knowing that we have been ransomed. Christ has paid the price to set us free from the condemnation of God. Peter uses the sacrificial language of the Old Testament, Jesus is the sacrificial lamb who takes away the sin of the world. God's judgment will still come. But as we saw last time that this is not a bad thing. Those who are in Christ can take comfort in the midst of God's judgment, because we know that through suffering we will come to glory.
Because in the last days God will judge every creature. (v20) At the cross God judged Jesus, as he had intended from the beginning. God's last-days judgment was declared in advance in Jesus Christ. In Jesus Christ God has declared his final judgment regarding us. And because he judged Jesus in the middle of history, we have been ransomed from our futile ways.
I love how Peter says it. This eschatological judgment was foreknown from the beginning, but made manifest in the last time. Did you wonder why I emphasized the idea of the eschatological orientation of the Christian life? Well, here it is. Peter says here--as he had said in Acts 2--that the death/resurrection/ascension of Christ happened in the last times. The work of Christ is itself eschatological. The end of history has reached its climax in the middle of history, precisely at the time God foreknew from the beginning. And God has rendered his eschatological judgment in Jesus Christ for your sake who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
The point of the resurrection of Christ, and of his glorification, is so that your faith and hope might be in God.
The eschatological orientation of your hope comes together with the christological foundation of your obedience, to result in a gospel-centered love for the brethren. (v22-25) Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love... Notice that Peter does not say that you must purify your souls by obedience to the truth. Once again he starts with the indicative. He starts by saying that this is what characterizes you. You have purified your souls by obedience to the truth. By believing in Christ you have obeyed the truth. By being baptized you have purified your souls. Because you are the people of God, because you have been born again, not of a perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and abiding Word of God, you are those who are obedient to the truth. Therefore, having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart.
This is the point of who you are in Christ. The eschatological hope that we have in Christ, is played out day by day in the love that we have for one another. Again, Peter uses the language of being born again. (1:3) We have been born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. (1:22) Since you have been born again, love one another. You have been given a pure heart in Jesus Christ. Let that pure heart be the source of your attitudes and actions towards each other. We've seen how the command to hope is grounded eschatologically in the revelation of Christ. We've seen how the command to be holy is grounded christologically in the death and resurrection of Christ. Finally we see how the command to love is grounded kerygmatically in the preaching of Christ.
Peter commands us to love one another from a pure heart. That pure heart comes to us through the new birth, which itself comes through the living and abiding word of God. Peter cites Isaiah 40, which was the proclamation of the gospel of restoration from exile. Isaiah spoke to the exiles, and proclaimed peace, reminding them that though Zion had suffered great tribulations, yet now God was bringing redemption. Isaiah called upon the exiles to remember that while man fails like the grass, the Word of the Lord remains forever. God will do what he has promised. His word will never fail. And then Peter says simply and this word is the good news that was preached to you.
The living and abiding word of God which brings new life, the imperishable source of that pure heart that God has given us, is nothing other than the preaching of Christ.
Paul says it another way; "how will they believe unless they hear, and how will they hear unless someone preaches to them--as it is written, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of them that bring good news." Guess the reference of Paul's Old Testament quote? Isaiah 40 The same passage Peter cites to show his hearers that the proclamation of the gospel of Christ is the power behind the love that we show one another.
This gospel, the proclamation that what Israel had expected God to do for them at the end of history, God has done in Jesus in the middle of history, thereby bringing the end of the ages upon us--this gospel is the living and abiding word that changes us!
Our love for one another is grounded in the preaching of this word, because we are not saved in isolation from each other. If you are united to Christ, then you are united to one another. And the new birth that you have received cannot help but produce that pure heart that earnestly loves one another.
But that is NOT what Peter is saying. God is not saying "be holy in the same way that I am holy" No, God says, "You shall be holy, for I am holy." Because I am holy, therefore you are to be holy. This sort of holiness is what God calls us to. And if God has called us to be holy, then let us believe his promises, and in faith, obey his commands. So what does it mean to "be holy, for I am holy"?
We read Leviticus 11. We could have read some easier parts of Leviticus, but I wanted to start here precisely because it is the one that is hardest for us. God gives Israel a LONG list of unclean animals. These are animals that are NOT to be eaten. And what reason is given? "For I am the LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy." And if Israel didn't understand that, he repeats it: "You shall not defile yourselves with any swarming thing that crawls on the ground. For I am the LORD your God who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy."
These animals seem to be selected because they are mixed up. Parted-hoof animals are supposed to chew the cud. Therefore any animal that is only one way is not clean; it is mixed up. Water creatures are supposed to have scales and fins. Any water creature that does not have fins and scales is unclean. It is inappropriate. Winged insects are supposed to fly-therefore don't eat those that don't fly. God will also tell Israel not to sow their fields with two different crops. They are not to sew garments with two different kinds of material. They are not to unequally yoke an ox with a donkey.
All of these prohibitions are surrounded with this idea of holiness. What does this mean? Each thing that God has made has its proper use. God is teaching his son about these proper uses. Of course, in Christ, the son comes to maturity, and learns that what he had been taught as a child was over simplified. The distinction between clean and unclean animals had been given to Israel to emphasize their holiness--their distinctness--their unmixed character. But in Christ, God is mixing Jew and Gentile. He has declared that no food is inherently unclean.
Remember that it was Peter who received this revelation from Christ in Acts 10. It was Peter who first understood that this covenantal holiness in the Old Testament could be applied to the Gentiles. And so when he cites Leviticus "be holy for I am holy", it is likely that he remembered the vision he had received, where holiness took on new meaning. No other book of the Bible uses this phrase, so it is certain that Peter wants us to think about its usage in Leviticus.
Besides chapter 11, it is found four times in Lev 19-21. Lev 19:2: : [read 1-4] The whole chapter continues with the refrain "I am Yahweh your God." So the whole chapter echoes with this call to be holy. But here holiness is reflected in faithful obedience to God's commands--especially reverence toward mother and father, Sabbath-keeping, and avoiding idolatry. These things are to set you apart from the nations. Lev 20:7: [read 6-9 in the context of the prohibition against Molech] Again holiness is described in terms of faithful obedience to God, especially in the context of idolatry and honoring parents. Lev 20:26 [read 22-27]: Here we have the most straightforward statement of God's call to holiness. Israel's inheritance in the land was dependent upon their holiness, because God had separated them out from the peoples in order that they might be holy. Because God separates Israel out from the nations, therefore Israel must separate between clean and unclean. Lev 21:6-8: (regarding the priests) If Israel as a whole was to be holy-separate from the nations, the priests were to be separated out from Israel. They had their own call to holiness. The priests were to be the holy mediators in the midst of a holy people. And indeed, so long as the priests maintained their holiness, the people could continue to maintain their holiness through the prescribed sacrifices and offerings.
So the phrase "you shall be holy, for I am holy" is intimately bound up with what we often call the ceremonial law of Israel. It is all about ritual cleanliness, ceremonial holiness, as well as moral purity. So what is Peter doing with this phrase? Is he just tearing it out of context?
To understand what Peter is saying, we need to understand what he is doing here. 1:1-12 sets forth the present reality and future hope of the elect exiles. To use a grammatical term, it sets forth the indicative. In grammar, the indicative mood sets forth a statement of fact. This is the way things are. This is who you are in Christ. The indicative is usually followed by an imperative: a command. Since this is who you are in Christ, act like it. The Ten Commandments have this structure. The indicative leads the way: "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage." The indicative sets forth what God has done in redemption. The imperative calls forth our response to God's gracious acts in history. Peter has set forth who we are in Christ. We have been born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. We are elect exiles who will come through suffering to glory--even as our Savior. This is the statement of the indicative. Now Peter is going to set forth the basic imperatives of the Christian life. In 1:13-25 Peter will use four imperatives: 1:13 "Set your hope," 1:15 "Be holy," 1:17 "conduct yourselves with fear," 1:21 "Love one another." Each of these imperatives is grounded in the indicative. Each of these commands is rooted in who you are in Christ.
Let's start with verse 13: 1:13 Peter calls us to be prepared for action. Literally, this says, "girding up the loins of your minds." If you were a man in the first century, you would be wearing a long tunic that would have reached down to your ankles. Imagine trying to do heavy labor in a dress (you ladies can imagine this better!) When a man (or a woman) had to engage in active labor, he (or she) would tuck the skirt of his tunic into his belt. This was called "girding up your loins" and indicated that you were about to get active. Girding up the loins of your mind, therefore, means to prepare for action. And being sober minded, means to be realistic, clear, not giddy or fanciful.
But what action are we preparing for? The action is the first command that Peter gives us: "Set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ." Hope is the central category of Peter's thought. We have been born again to a living hope (1:3). This hope is our cause for rejoicing as we saw in 1:6 (in this living hope you rejoice). This hope is the defining characteristic of the Christian life.
You will not understand anything in Peter's epistle unless you understand this. Our hope is eschatological. That's a fancy way of saying that our hope is not centered here. Our hope is centered on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Our hope is eschatological. "Eschatos" simply means "last." Eschatology is the study of "last things." When we say that our hope is eschatological we mean that our hope is rooted in what God does at the end of history. What does God do at the end of history? Peter says that we are to "set our hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ."
It's easy to see this as something entirely future. God has promised to take us all to heaven (pie in the sky by and by, right?). But that would ignore everything that Peter has told us. "According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." What happened when Jesus Christ rose from the dead? What happened when he ascended to the right hand of the Father? Peter explains this in Acts 2. Peter says that the prophet Joel had said that God would pour out his Spirit in the last days. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost means that the last days have come. (2:33) If God has raised Jesus from the dead, and poured out his Spirit upon all flesh, then the last days have come. Israel expected that in the last days God would vindicate his people, judge his enemies, and establish the new creation. And in Jesus Christ, that is exactly what he did. All that the Jews thought would happen to Israel at the end of history, has happened to Jesus in the middle of history. And because it has happened to Jesus, it now defines all who are in Christ.
So to say that our hope is eschatological does NOT mean to say that our hope is entirely future. Our hope is eschatological because it is entirely rooted in what God does in the last days. And that certainly includes what God has done in raising Jesus Christ from the dead. (v3-5) If God has raised Jesus from the dead, then the ends of the ages have come upon us. Because it has happened to Jesus, it will certainly happen to all who are in him. (v13) So everything else that Peter is going to tell you to do will be grounded in this eschatological hope.
Now we are ready to understand Peter when he quotes Leviticus. "As obedient children" I don't think that there is an adequate English translation for this. "Children of obedience" (Semitic idiom "children of" means those who are shaped by and oriented toward. Children of wrath perhaps the most famous; likewise "mother of" means the shaper--"necessity is the mother of invention").
So to be "children of obedience" means that obedience to our heavenly Father is simply the natural obvious pattern of our lives. You are children of obedience by virtue of your union with Christ, who himself is the obedient Son. This IS who you are. You ARE obedient children. Peter is not commanding you to become obedient children, He is saying that this is who you are. You are children of obedience.
And so, as children of obedience, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance. Do not return to the old pattern of life. You are to be cultural nonconformists. The world lives in the passions of ignorance. You cannot live that way anymore. Your minds have been girded for action. You understand who you really are in Christ. Therefore the whole way you think and live must change.
As he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct. Holiness means to be conformed to the new reality. We have heard the eschatological indicative: Jesus Christ has been raised from the dead. YOU have been born again to a living hope through HIS resurrection. HE suffered and was glorified. YOU are suffering and will be glorified, though even now you rejoice with a joy that is filled with glory, because you believe the promises of God, and you are obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
Because of all this, as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct. Because you are no longer lost in the passions of your former ignorance, be holy for I am holy. All your conduct--all your life as it is visible to those around you--must be consistent with who you are in Christ.
We saw that in Leviticus, all the usages of "be holy for I am holy" referred to Israel's status as a separate people. Israel as a whole was to be the priestly people, a kingdom of priests to use the language of Exodus. The ceremonial cleanness and moral purity of Israel came to an even greater level in the priests. Peter is saying that the church is the new priesthood. (He will say it bluntly in the next chapter.) You are a holy priesthood. God, the high and exalted one, the one who himself is most Holy, has set you apart to be his own peculiar treasure. HE has called you. You did nothing to deserve this. You did nothing to merit his favor. HE called you. HE caused you to be born again to this living hope. Being holy in all your conduct is not a means to impress God.
Rather, being holy in all your conduct is simply the result of being called by the Holy One.
Peter goes on to explain how this ties in with his theme of elect exiles: (17-21) Peter grounded our hope eschatologically. Our hope is rooted in what God is doing in the last days in the resurrection of Christ until his revelation. He now grounds the ethical call to holiness Christologically.
V17 may not sound very encouraging: "And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds..." Do you cherish the thought of God judging you impartially according to your deeds? You ought to. You ought to conduct yourself with fear during your exile, not with a fear that God's judgment will go against you, but with the fear of the Lord. Verses 18-19 explain this fear. We live our lives in fear, knowing that we have been ransomed. Christ has paid the price to set us free from the condemnation of God. Peter uses the sacrificial language of the Old Testament, Jesus is the sacrificial lamb who takes away the sin of the world. God's judgment will still come. But as we saw last time that this is not a bad thing. Those who are in Christ can take comfort in the midst of God's judgment, because we know that through suffering we will come to glory.
Because in the last days God will judge every creature. (v20) At the cross God judged Jesus, as he had intended from the beginning. God's last-days judgment was declared in advance in Jesus Christ. In Jesus Christ God has declared his final judgment regarding us. And because he judged Jesus in the middle of history, we have been ransomed from our futile ways.
I love how Peter says it. This eschatological judgment was foreknown from the beginning, but made manifest in the last time. Did you wonder why I emphasized the idea of the eschatological orientation of the Christian life? Well, here it is. Peter says here--as he had said in Acts 2--that the death/resurrection/ascension of Christ happened in the last times. The work of Christ is itself eschatological. The end of history has reached its climax in the middle of history, precisely at the time God foreknew from the beginning. And God has rendered his eschatological judgment in Jesus Christ for your sake who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
The point of the resurrection of Christ, and of his glorification, is so that your faith and hope might be in God.
The eschatological orientation of your hope comes together with the christological foundation of your obedience, to result in a gospel-centered love for the brethren. (v22-25) Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love... Notice that Peter does not say that you must purify your souls by obedience to the truth. Once again he starts with the indicative. He starts by saying that this is what characterizes you. You have purified your souls by obedience to the truth. By believing in Christ you have obeyed the truth. By being baptized you have purified your souls. Because you are the people of God, because you have been born again, not of a perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and abiding Word of God, you are those who are obedient to the truth. Therefore, having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart.
This is the point of who you are in Christ. The eschatological hope that we have in Christ, is played out day by day in the love that we have for one another. Again, Peter uses the language of being born again. (1:3) We have been born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. (1:22) Since you have been born again, love one another. You have been given a pure heart in Jesus Christ. Let that pure heart be the source of your attitudes and actions towards each other. We've seen how the command to hope is grounded eschatologically in the revelation of Christ. We've seen how the command to be holy is grounded christologically in the death and resurrection of Christ. Finally we see how the command to love is grounded kerygmatically in the preaching of Christ.
Peter commands us to love one another from a pure heart. That pure heart comes to us through the new birth, which itself comes through the living and abiding word of God. Peter cites Isaiah 40, which was the proclamation of the gospel of restoration from exile. Isaiah spoke to the exiles, and proclaimed peace, reminding them that though Zion had suffered great tribulations, yet now God was bringing redemption. Isaiah called upon the exiles to remember that while man fails like the grass, the Word of the Lord remains forever. God will do what he has promised. His word will never fail. And then Peter says simply and this word is the good news that was preached to you.
The living and abiding word of God which brings new life, the imperishable source of that pure heart that God has given us, is nothing other than the preaching of Christ.
Paul says it another way; "how will they believe unless they hear, and how will they hear unless someone preaches to them--as it is written, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of them that bring good news." Guess the reference of Paul's Old Testament quote? Isaiah 40 The same passage Peter cites to show his hearers that the proclamation of the gospel of Christ is the power behind the love that we show one another.
This gospel, the proclamation that what Israel had expected God to do for them at the end of history, God has done in Jesus in the middle of history, thereby bringing the end of the ages upon us--this gospel is the living and abiding word that changes us!
Our love for one another is grounded in the preaching of this word, because we are not saved in isolation from each other. If you are united to Christ, then you are united to one another. And the new birth that you have received cannot help but produce that pure heart that earnestly loves one another.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
What on earth am I here for???
A life devoted to things is a dead life, a stump; a God. Shaped life is a flourishing tree (Proverb 11:28)
Unless you assume a God (living or dead), the question of life’s purpose is meaningless.
Therefore, you were born by His purpose and for His purpose.
The search for the purpose of life has puzzled people for years.
You and I can ask a question to ourselves whether there is a SEARCH which is possible…..
In search there has always been a possible possibility of looking within (its good and natural) be it positively or negatively or rather even neutrality but what in making an effort to understand that you and I ever made by God and for God. This surely will make some sense it not much sense. WE (You and I), see and know philosophers who ask questions like what is the meaning of life, what is the truth, and whatever else you can think of.
Let us think of Revelation…..
The revealing of whatever you are at – of God, of persons, of things, ……We need to see as they are or as they reveal to us. It is plainly this, I suggest, we find out or rather come to know, who we are and what we are living for or rather dying for.
Here Psalm 139 comes alive to me in my thinking thought. If you lay your hands or rather get a chance on this if your eyes flashes upon the Bible then do read or pray or reflect on this. It may shed some ray of light (hope) in what you let your thinking pause for a moment.
Thinking of Hope its like the air that we breathe and the water we need to sustain or rather a loved one waiting for his/her lover to return wherever one is gone in search of the above mentioned question to be which one is at quest.
A single thread to which you and I cling to, as a purpose.
Therefore, what is your life (James 4:14)
Unless you assume a God (living or dead), the question of life’s purpose is meaningless.
Therefore, you were born by His purpose and for His purpose.
The search for the purpose of life has puzzled people for years.
You and I can ask a question to ourselves whether there is a SEARCH which is possible…..
In search there has always been a possible possibility of looking within (its good and natural) be it positively or negatively or rather even neutrality but what in making an effort to understand that you and I ever made by God and for God. This surely will make some sense it not much sense. WE (You and I), see and know philosophers who ask questions like what is the meaning of life, what is the truth, and whatever else you can think of.
Let us think of Revelation…..
The revealing of whatever you are at – of God, of persons, of things, ……We need to see as they are or as they reveal to us. It is plainly this, I suggest, we find out or rather come to know, who we are and what we are living for or rather dying for.
Here Psalm 139 comes alive to me in my thinking thought. If you lay your hands or rather get a chance on this if your eyes flashes upon the Bible then do read or pray or reflect on this. It may shed some ray of light (hope) in what you let your thinking pause for a moment.
Thinking of Hope its like the air that we breathe and the water we need to sustain or rather a loved one waiting for his/her lover to return wherever one is gone in search of the above mentioned question to be which one is at quest.
A single thread to which you and I cling to, as a purpose.
Therefore, what is your life (James 4:14)
P…..
I asked a handful or rather a pinchful of my friends whether Preparation or rather preparing for something (life) is important and the response I got was SURELY!!!, always what a FOOLISH question you are asking. After giving a 1st and a 2nd thought to it, actually speaking we need preparation for life, but strictly speaking for the future may be. Here the racing thought that caught the glimpse of the sight of John the Baptist, preparing the way for the Lord. But I would like to settle my thought on the this word preparation or preparing of the present, living without any preparation but just living - in the present and for the present.
I think you and I, would create a mess in our living but if life is ME$$Y in this sense,
then
Why you and I were born?
&
Why you and I will die?
Was there or Is there any preparation for it?
I think you and I, would create a mess in our living but if life is ME$$Y in this sense,
then
Why you and I were born?
&
Why you and I will die?
Was there or Is there any preparation for it?
SINK
Sink thyself compassionately in the heart of humanity, and thou shalt reproduce the harmonies of Heaven; lose thyself in the unlimited love towards all, and thou shalt work enduring works and shalt become one with the eternal Ocean of Bliss.
Man evolves outward to the periphery of complexity and then involves backward to the Central Simplicity, when a man discovers that it is mathematically impossible for him to know the universe before knowing himself, he then starts upon the Way which leads to Original Simplicity. He begins to unfold form within, and as he unfolds himself, he enfolds the universe. Cease to speculate about God, and find the all-embracing Good/Bad within there.
Man evolves outward to the periphery of complexity and then involves backward to the Central Simplicity, when a man discovers that it is mathematically impossible for him to know the universe before knowing himself, he then starts upon the Way which leads to Original Simplicity. He begins to unfold form within, and as he unfolds himself, he enfolds the universe. Cease to speculate about God, and find the all-embracing Good/Bad within there.
KICK
Life is full of Kicks…It is only when you and I give a start or a thinking thought to give a Kick or get a Kick in life. You will know what this Kick is. Here, I am referring Kick in an abnormal or rather a non-sensical way though it makes a certain not willed sense.
I was screening this film or movie titled, Thillalangadi directed by Jeyam Raja.
Jeyam Ravi’s previous films with his elder brother Raja have been commendable remakes and Thillalangadi isn’t an exception. Director Raja has copied each and every shot from the original version Kick. Of course, the film has been delivered in an entertaining manner with the attempts of savoring the universal audiences. Kudos to Surendar Reddy: the maker of original version for crafting a commendable tale and gripping screenplay.
Buzz up!
To be precise, Jeyam Raja can be doubtlessly ennobled as the ‘Best Remake Director’ for exactly replicating others’ ideas. Of course, Kick itself was inspired from Hollywood’s famous thriller Catch me if you can, but it was only with the plot. Thillalangadi isn’t different from Kick. The only difference is couple of additional songs.
Krishna (Jeyam Ravi) is a happy-go-lucky youngster, who often commits himself into risks as he feels the right Kick over it. Well for Nisha (Tamanna), what starts as a hatred turns into love with Krishna. But sooner as she finds her beau so irresponsible swapping jobs often, she breaks up with him. Sooner the story shifts to Malaysia, where Nisha’s parents arrange her marriage with Krishna Kumar (Shaam), a tough and honest cop. Krishna uncovers that he has traveled all the way to Malaysia to trap a smart thief, who has been looting crores of money from leading tycoons and politicians. The intriguing part of the film is about the fact that the thief is none other than Nisha’s ex-boyfriend Krishna.
Rest of the film is all about how Krishna wins back the heart of Nisha and the reason behind his robberies having a substantial reason.
The biggest problem with Thillalangadi is about each and every actor aping the characters of Kick. Be it the lead actors Ravi and Thamannah or Santhanam imitating Telugu actor Ali, it’s really absurd and Raja should have focused letting them act their own way. Tamanna looks cute, but again her imitation of Ileana could have been avoided. Just watch out for her gestures while performing aerobics as it’s too clumsy. Ravi looks cute and chirpy and his performance during last 45 mins is perfect. Vadivelu is good with his comedy tracks while Santhanam doesn’t get enough footage. Shaam is extraordinary with his mind-boggling acting. He looks fit and perfectly suits the role of a tough cop. It’s better if Shaam continues to choose such roles in future. Prabhu excels with his minimal role and Suhasini sleepwalks through her role. Radha Ravi evokes laughter with his dialogues. But the silliest part is about Raja copying even the lines ‘Jil Jil Jiga’ from Telugu as it is often uttered by Manobala (The reason ‘Jil Jil Jiga’ appears in Kick is that because the famous song in ‘Happy Days’ starts with these fancy words).
Just as mentioned before, Raja hasn’t strained him even to the least extent. The screenplay from the beginning till the end is the same as in Kick. At least Raja could’ve avoided the minuses of the original version as second hour is too long and sluggish except the flashback sequences and climax.
Musical score by Yuvan Shankar is okay while Rajasekhar’s cinematography is mediocre. Editing looks sleek and stylish.
On the whole, Thillalangadi is a family entertainer as it carries the right mix of fun, romance, sentiments, and action. Next time Raja makes a film, we request him to come up with his own ideas rather than remaking films.
Production: Editor Mohan, Kalanidhi Maaran
Banner: Sun Pictures, Jeyam Company
Direction: Jeyam Raja
Casts: Jeyam Ravi, Tamanna, Shyam, Vadivelu, Santhanam, Mansoor Ali Khan, Prabhu, Livingstone, Thyagu, Sathyan, Mayilsamy, Deepu, Suhasini, Nalini, Lakshmi, Latha Rao, Chandra Lakshman, Lollu Sabha Manohar, John Vijay, Balaji, Jayaprakash and Raja
Music: Yuvan Shankar Raja
Lyrics: Vaali, Na.Muthukumar, Vivega
Cinematography: Rajashekar
Art: Milan
Action: Rocky Rajesh
Verdict: Watch it once and you will want to watch it again
I must say a heartbreaking-touching one, a MUST WATCH (*****). The film has a Kick in its style as the actor goes on to show that life to be lived or dead needs and ought to have a KICK. The Kick that comes from the heart and touches million of other hearts including mine hopefully yours. He (the actor) sort of invites you and me, to seek for this Kick in our own lives. Whatever you do, say, think ought to have a Kick. Now you may question as to why only KICK? And all other queries related to KICK. You want to know it then discover it for yourself as to what is this K……
I was screening this film or movie titled, Thillalangadi directed by Jeyam Raja.
Jeyam Ravi’s previous films with his elder brother Raja have been commendable remakes and Thillalangadi isn’t an exception. Director Raja has copied each and every shot from the original version Kick. Of course, the film has been delivered in an entertaining manner with the attempts of savoring the universal audiences. Kudos to Surendar Reddy: the maker of original version for crafting a commendable tale and gripping screenplay.
Buzz up!
To be precise, Jeyam Raja can be doubtlessly ennobled as the ‘Best Remake Director’ for exactly replicating others’ ideas. Of course, Kick itself was inspired from Hollywood’s famous thriller Catch me if you can, but it was only with the plot. Thillalangadi isn’t different from Kick. The only difference is couple of additional songs.
Krishna (Jeyam Ravi) is a happy-go-lucky youngster, who often commits himself into risks as he feels the right Kick over it. Well for Nisha (Tamanna), what starts as a hatred turns into love with Krishna. But sooner as she finds her beau so irresponsible swapping jobs often, she breaks up with him. Sooner the story shifts to Malaysia, where Nisha’s parents arrange her marriage with Krishna Kumar (Shaam), a tough and honest cop. Krishna uncovers that he has traveled all the way to Malaysia to trap a smart thief, who has been looting crores of money from leading tycoons and politicians. The intriguing part of the film is about the fact that the thief is none other than Nisha’s ex-boyfriend Krishna.
Rest of the film is all about how Krishna wins back the heart of Nisha and the reason behind his robberies having a substantial reason.
The biggest problem with Thillalangadi is about each and every actor aping the characters of Kick. Be it the lead actors Ravi and Thamannah or Santhanam imitating Telugu actor Ali, it’s really absurd and Raja should have focused letting them act their own way. Tamanna looks cute, but again her imitation of Ileana could have been avoided. Just watch out for her gestures while performing aerobics as it’s too clumsy. Ravi looks cute and chirpy and his performance during last 45 mins is perfect. Vadivelu is good with his comedy tracks while Santhanam doesn’t get enough footage. Shaam is extraordinary with his mind-boggling acting. He looks fit and perfectly suits the role of a tough cop. It’s better if Shaam continues to choose such roles in future. Prabhu excels with his minimal role and Suhasini sleepwalks through her role. Radha Ravi evokes laughter with his dialogues. But the silliest part is about Raja copying even the lines ‘Jil Jil Jiga’ from Telugu as it is often uttered by Manobala (The reason ‘Jil Jil Jiga’ appears in Kick is that because the famous song in ‘Happy Days’ starts with these fancy words).
Just as mentioned before, Raja hasn’t strained him even to the least extent. The screenplay from the beginning till the end is the same as in Kick. At least Raja could’ve avoided the minuses of the original version as second hour is too long and sluggish except the flashback sequences and climax.
Musical score by Yuvan Shankar is okay while Rajasekhar’s cinematography is mediocre. Editing looks sleek and stylish.
On the whole, Thillalangadi is a family entertainer as it carries the right mix of fun, romance, sentiments, and action. Next time Raja makes a film, we request him to come up with his own ideas rather than remaking films.
Production: Editor Mohan, Kalanidhi Maaran
Banner: Sun Pictures, Jeyam Company
Direction: Jeyam Raja
Casts: Jeyam Ravi, Tamanna, Shyam, Vadivelu, Santhanam, Mansoor Ali Khan, Prabhu, Livingstone, Thyagu, Sathyan, Mayilsamy, Deepu, Suhasini, Nalini, Lakshmi, Latha Rao, Chandra Lakshman, Lollu Sabha Manohar, John Vijay, Balaji, Jayaprakash and Raja
Music: Yuvan Shankar Raja
Lyrics: Vaali, Na.Muthukumar, Vivega
Cinematography: Rajashekar
Art: Milan
Action: Rocky Rajesh
Verdict: Watch it once and you will want to watch it again
I must say a heartbreaking-touching one, a MUST WATCH (*****). The film has a Kick in its style as the actor goes on to show that life to be lived or dead needs and ought to have a KICK. The Kick that comes from the heart and touches million of other hearts including mine hopefully yours. He (the actor) sort of invites you and me, to seek for this Kick in our own lives. Whatever you do, say, think ought to have a Kick. Now you may question as to why only KICK? And all other queries related to KICK. You want to know it then discover it for yourself as to what is this K……
FRESHNESS AND NEWNESS
Isn’t it funny placing both synonyms – yet autonyms by stressing the ness of fresh and new? Our lives living 24X7 is this f and n. Why do I say this, it’s because I think and feel it every moment of my life. Take for instance, you and me, and our daily living or rather task or even more appropriate our daily activities and duties, or whatever you want to name it or call it. I would like to be a more specific and get to the nitty-kitty of this but I take for granted that you will understand the thinking I am sort of elaborating at this juncture. Believe me folks that it is simply living what U are and you will experience it in your everyday life. Keeping in mind the other side or the dark side that you and I have to face in the given situation and background and circumstances and the life style of living but whatever you are thinking is something to be in that ness. I may be bias in my thinking here of being subjective neglecting the objective of the U. But friends, looking around and within, I know you feel the inch of pain anytime and every time you go through long and short time just the opposite of what I am saying or rather thinking here and now. I think this may be a suitable possible possibility, if you give your mind a taste of this thinking. It may seem that you may like it or reject it, because of its bitterness coated with sourness which might be called as nonsensness that may be too salty or spicy to the tongue (mind).
FASTRACK
YoUth & I today want to have everything fast because everything is on Fastrack. We seek everything from the material to the spiritual, or vice versa, if it exists. You and I want to have everything that is latest, fastest, on the click, quick as one snaps the finger, and as soon as possible making believe. But we have never thought as to where is it taking or leading you and me. We have earnestly swayed ourselves to this willing willed without giving a thinking thought to this willed will in the though thinking. There’s no time really but virtually yes to think and feel…..what??? Lets be real in thinking about the reality of U and me in this reality of f*****cking unmoved moved world.
The Epoche [{(!@#$%^&*)}]
This for me personally seems to be the reality of life. What do you think about this fact although an interpreted interpretation by the interpreter?
The Epoche simply means if you are not in line with the thinking thought of, me, its bracketing. Whether you and I, choose, decide, walk the path thought about or whatever else. It’s basically and always bracketed or bracketing or will bracket. Its not that you and I tend to bracket in life although it may be happening at a wide range with ultimate danger, we slant ourselves to bracket. It may seem as something positive or as something negative, or somewhere in between, again even here there is bracketing taking place. As I am expressing and as you are reading, there is epoching taking place, even now as you and I think and do …..
The Epoche simply means if you are not in line with the thinking thought of, me, its bracketing. Whether you and I, choose, decide, walk the path thought about or whatever else. It’s basically and always bracketed or bracketing or will bracket. Its not that you and I tend to bracket in life although it may be happening at a wide range with ultimate danger, we slant ourselves to bracket. It may seem as something positive or as something negative, or somewhere in between, again even here there is bracketing taking place. As I am expressing and as you are reading, there is epoching taking place, even now as you and I think and do …..
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