As the rain and thunder roll down this afternoon, and I found a little ‘anxious’ shih tzu, the one who is afraid of thunderstorms, running around me feet, I noticed the words of the book that I was reading. They stopped in my mental tracks and invited me to gaze into rainy afternoon and wonder if the author, Richard Rohr, is correct in his assertion?
He is what he wrote in his book The Universal Christ:
At this point, at least in the United States, it appears that our cultural meaning has pretty much shrunk down to this: it's all about winning. Then, once you win, it becomes all about consuming. I can discern no other underlying philosophy in the practical order of American life today. Of itself, such a worldview cannot feed the soul very well or very long, much less provide meaning and encouragement, or in gender love or [build] community.
When I read Rohr I find that his wisdom and perspective on the issues that affect the church are right on point. There is deep wisdom in what he says and writes. When he looks at the culture of the day, Richard sees something that most people could see, but they choose not to acknowledge. Using my analogy of a rainy day: they might gaze out into the rain and wonder what about a specific topic, but they don’t push that learning very far.
When I read Rohr I find that his wisdom and perspective on the issues that affect the church are right on point. There is deep wisdom in what he says and writes. When he looks at the culture of the day, Richard sees something that most people could see, but they choose not to acknowledge. Using my analogy of a rainy day: they might gaze out into the rain and wonder what about a specific topic, but they don’t push that learning very far.
So as I sat and thought about Richard’s words, I hoped that he was wrong. The optimist in my heart sought a contray point to defeat the argument. Is it really all about winning? . . . and then all about consuming? Is there nothing out there besides those two concepts that drive our thoughts and our actions?
As I sat in silence and considered what I just read, I began to realize that for me in that moment I was consumed with winning the argument—and not listening to what he was saying. I was consumed with proving my worldview correct and defeating his. I wanted to prove that things are better than Richard believes and then construct a proof to validate my argument.I am correct. I have universal perspective and my opponent is missing something. Yet again that is a stance of winning and not one of listening.
So I placed his book in my lap; it will be there later when I want it. Then i re-read the paragraph that I cited above. I just sat with it. . . As I did so the remainder of those words came into focus for me. If you and I are attempting to build community and help our larger community find spiritual meaning in their lives with God, then perhaps we are being called to think and interact more gently with them. As they are consumed with winning and consuming, my practice of listening, without winning, might be what helps them create joy and find God.
But we have to be willing to listen and help others do the same. . . I wonder if we will?
Blessings
Rev. Derek
No comments:
Post a Comment