Today is the first Sunday of Advent, the time of year when Christians prepare for the coming of Jesus at Christmas and prepare for his return.
I love the idea that, just like with Mary, the mother of Jesus, God somehow makes “requests” of us to enable God to manifest in the world. These requests are happening all the time, but we often miss them. Every day we are given opportunities to let the Light of God in, but we might also choose to obstruct the Light or even bring darkness instead.
From Rev. Richard Rohr: “Mary is the model of the faith to which God calls all of us: a total and unreserved YES to God’s request to be present in and to the world through us.”
I’m convinced this is the end times. That explains why so many people believe that evil is actually the side of goodness and God.
Every major religion and spirituality going back thousands of years has taught non-violence, truthfulness, generosity, compassion, simplicity, and care for the Earth. Anyone who claims to be a Christian, for example, but is not living these teachings to the best of their ability – and apologizing for failures in these teachings – is a Christian in name only. Jesus warned us about such people:
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.Therefore, by their fruits you will know them” (Matthew 7:15-20).
Satan, or “the devil,” is not a particular person or entity. It’s the evil, lying, hate-filled energy that exists in all of us to some degree. “Christ” is also not a particular person (although Jesus was indeed a particular man who perfectly embodied Christ-consciousness), but an energy or consciousness that lives in all of us to some degree. Our task in this life, regardless of our religion or belief-system, is to learn to embody Christ-consciousness more and more until the death of our body.
So, rather than wasting our precious time and energy arguing about who is evil and who is good, we need to be working on ourselves. Time is short, my friends. Please disengage from people, news stories, and social media posts that enflame your hatred. Rather, spend your time loving and helping people, reading uplifting books, caring for the Earth, praying or meditating. Use these practices to turn your thoughts from negativity toward a sense of peace and hope for building a beautiful future.
Regardless of how bad things get in this country (the United States) and the world, refuse to be sucked into the negativity and hatred. Remain grounded in the Light and Love this world needs. Even if you are the last person standing. May it be so. Amen.
For about twelve years, I’ve been enjoying the Daily Meditations offered by the Franciscan priest, Richard Rohr, and the Center for Action and Contemplation. This week, the theme for the meditations is “The Way of Jesus.” As I read today’s message, I found myself reflecting on its similarity to the teachings of Yoga….
Here’s a quote:
I believe that we rather totally missed Jesus’ major point when we made a religion out of him instead of realizing he was giving us a message of simple humanity, vulnerability, and nonviolence that was necessary for the reform of all religions—and for the survival of humanity….
“Jesus is a person and, at the same time, a process. Jesus is the Son of God, but at the same time he is ‘the Way.’ Jesus is the goal, but he’s also the means, and the means is always the way of the cross.”
There’s so much here that meshes with the ancient teachings and practices of Yoga. For example, Yoga is built upon the foundation of simplicity, nonviolence, and compassion. We need these practices more than ever if humanity expects to survive – and if we hope to save this planet from exploitation and destruction.
And, as Jesus is described as both the goal and the means to the goal, Yoga (which ultimately means union with God), is both the goal and the means to that goal. The “way of the cross” refers to the ability to hold all the opposites of life in balance: The vertical and the horizontal aspects of life must be joined. For example, the ways of spirit and the ways of community/fellowship must be united.
I love how the deeper spiritual teachings from every religion always offer the same lessons for humanity. In this case, there’s agreement between Yoga and Christianity. These teachings have survived for thousands of years because they still offer useful information and practices. I pray that we learn the value of these teachings rather than always assuming that modern guidelines are somehow more relevant for our times. On the contrary, certain lessons are timeless and can be trusted.
Holistic Yoga & Spiritual Guidance 