Easter Blindside

This past weekend we were taking in the 3pm Good Friday service.  I say we - because Michelle and I were with a bunch of young adults / university students ...and we part of the community at St. Joe's.

We were with the young gang as part of a 24 hour retreat that centred on St. Paul's hypothesis of life in the Spirit (or in Christ) vs Life in the Flesh -- but we 'focused' on this as different modes of perception.  (Which I believe is where we need to start with Paul)

For example - the Flesh or egoic function, is not bad, but in fact invaluable for doing stuff. It's just not a good lens to perceive hidden mysteries and such truths as "my life is hidden in Christ."  Or "we are all one body / spirit in Christ."  While it's very good at rational thinking, categories, figuring and solving problems,  one  negative side affect is that it tends to make a problem out of everything, or a friend or enemy out of everyone.

The Spirit perception, which according to Paul, could be the Spirit perceiving through us, for us and with us;   well -- it doesn't see nor thrive on distinction and separation.  It's rooted in and senses it's own union ... and sees that same absolute union in all creation.  Simply, there is no separation between us ... at the spiritual level.

The problem - our problem - is that our thinking function, or life in the Flesh -- really only sees separation (though it can feel connection on occasion).

Personally, in what I can only refer to as March Madness, I've been experiencing separation upon separation from friends (let's assume their reasons are legit).  And yet I couldn't seem to stop it, nor manage it. And the mind hates that as it moves around between fight or flight ... or what I call fix it or forget it (forget you). Then I'm reacting to their reactions, and on and on it goes- a very Unmerry Go-Round.

One Friday night a few weeks ago - after really struggling - and being stuck in my old mind (not at all feeling like it was 'old or false' at all) ... I woke up.
Literally, scales fell from my eyes and I could see.
I knew that there was no separation ... not really.
Oh, we create plenty of it with suspicion, judgement, self-protection, critiquing who's right or wrong.  But it's just the feeling and illusion of separateness.
Mercy is a river that is infinite and in which we all swim and will always swim.  No exceptions.

Don't get me wrong ... right and wrong ... success and failure ... still exist.  It's just that they don't matter very much to the Spirit.  They seem, from this vantage point, to lose their purchasing power.  That's it in fact.  Belonging in the River of Mercy can't be bought nor achieved.  Everything and every one belongs.

In the Spirit, we know longer buy the illusion of separateness.  Distinctions yes, problems - ok; but there is no separateness.  I can be 100% wrong, and someone 100% right and they judge and reject me accordingly (or I them) ... but it doesn't really matter.  Objectively - we're still in Christ.  And Christ is in us.  But so long as I'm in the Flesh .... there is no way, NO WAY -- I can see that.  I don't even want to see it.  Such are the wages of the flesh mode of perception.

There was an old song based on Romans 8, that runs through my head every now and then (certain things remain in there from my charismatic renewal days),
"there is therefore, no condemnation, for those who are in Christ Jesus."  There are two sides to approach this little pearl of wisdom.  The blindside is awesome!  Sit with it a second, and see if it gets you.

So, it's Good Friday, and we've just spent a day trying to share this with some young friends (brothers and sisters) ... who are among the kindest and generous folks I've ever encountered. And we're unpacking this scripture from the blindside ... using it as a test.
> If I'm in Christ Jesus (the Spirit mode of perception) - there will not be an ounce of condemnation in me.  I challenge you  - look for a trace.  Happily all you will find is mercy - flowing out of you - like you never knew you had.  And you will know - that it's not you doing it.  I'm not naturally capable of such joy and liberation; I literally want to proclaim liberty to the captives (anyone under the illusion of separateness).
> Conversely if I'm condemning, judging, critiquing ... even if I'm 100% right ... I'm probably in the flesh mode of perceiving.  (Again, this doesn't make us evil ... maybe I need to be doing that function at this time.) But we can't stay there nor get too invested in those assessments.  If we stay there -- we start to believe the the separateness and become entrenched in my own separate 'I'-ness.

So what died on the cross ...as I was looking at the cross that day, after everyone had venerated it -- the sense that came was this.
What dies - is the illusion of separateness.  Jesus - the God in human form - hangs there - and our lasting symbol is a God that is not angry, a God that does not condemn, judge or exclude ... but one who holds it all together in a river in infinite and unconditional mercy.  Jesus puts the illusion of separateness to death with himself.

Happy Easter

p.s. you might like this post on Mercy and Truth are met ... (from Babette's Feast) which is a wrestling of the two modes, the flesh which wants truth, justice, earned righteousness; and the Spirit that is Mercy.

Most Honest Day of the Year

It's possible that Ash Wednesday might be the most honest day of the year.

The dirt and poverty of ashes finally aligns with much of the poverty I live with; but am too distracted to admit.  So on this day I wear my truth.

It feels good.  It feels freeing ... this, being honest.

It's not obvious, but poverty is not a 'bad' thing ... it's just a common state of deadness or unawakeness.  Much of the day I live without awareness of union.  In such a state one could never entertain such love as "I and the Father are One." And living without that, well, that's poverty,  And it's a pretty natural occurrence, in fact, it's almost synonymous with being human.

The story goes that for believers in many countries, this ritual is the most attended event in the church year.  Maybe because of it's deep resonance with our soul journey.

living without, and waiting for the tide to come in,
Dave