Contempt for the world?

Contemptus mundi or contempt for the world is not a contempt for Creation, but rather "a contempt for the false vision of the world that is presented to us" by greed.

The title's name comes from Ambrose Autpert, used in one of his treatise to describe the combat between vice and virtue. Worldiness and holiness. Autpert "insinuates that 'having' is the supreme value of our being, of our life in the world, and seems important". This greed seen clearly in the rich and powerful of society destroys and is the 'root of all evil'. The present Pope, who writes about this medieval author, states that it is our duty to combat greed, "to fight the desire to possess ... and the false concept of freedom as the faculty to dispose of all things as one pleases". Greed kills faith. Greed is possession. Greed is clinging to something material and putting a value on it.

"For we brought nothing into the world, just as we shall not be able to take anything out of it. If we have food and clothing, we shall be content with that. Those who want to be rich are falling into temptation and into a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all evils, and some people in their desire for it have strayed from the faith and have pierced themselves with many pains." (1 Tim.6:7-10)

Contemptus mundi. I recognise Plato here too, his City of Pigs. And Buddha's dukkha: craving, attachment and suffering. And Mr. Scrooge in Dicken's A Christmas Carol. It seems that when one chooses greed above the True Reality of life (which is love) then evil climbs up on your back, weighs you down, haunts your dreams, befouls reason, distorts the ability to to see suffering in one's brother, undermines and infects faith and hope and charity.

Is the world an illusion? No, but the sensual pleasures sought and bought are as ephemeral as dreams. Let go of the world and gain the World.

Deo gratias. 

The Cross around the Neck

Triumph of the Holy Cross, a feast, reading the history of this holy day makes me consider the power of this instrument of death used upon non-Roman citizens: the pain, the humiliation in public, the suffering. And that God choose to accept this path to demonstrate His love, His grace, His mercy.

I wear a crucifix, under my shirt. I sometimes smile when i see others wearing one displayed; often it is rather large, me thinks. People with a message, i smile and i confess this smile is too often embarrassment.
Faith is something private, i was told. In the multicultural society, if we all ran around wearing our faith on our sleeves it would make for much conflict, i was told. It would attract much unwanted attention. What would be my motivation to wear such a device publicly displayed?

"Archbishop Smith said that although Sikhs and Muslims had successfully used the law to uphold a right to manifest their beliefs in such areas as religious attire and jewelry, Christians were denied the same right because the courts had decided that it was not essential to the practice of their faith.
“Why can’t Christians wear the symbol of the cross?” he asked in an interview with the American Catholic News Service.
“It is absolutely part of the Gospel,” he said. “Without the cross there is no salvation. It is at the heart of our faith because it is the symbol and sign of God’s unconditional love.” (http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2011/09/09/judges-are-biased-against-christians-says-archbishop/

If one wears a cross and behaves badly in public, swearing, aggressive, what have you, i wince and am temped to say something. But i don't, because that would be like me pointing out the sliver of wood in another's eye and being blind to the beam in my own!

When one lights a candle one does not hide the light under the bed, but rather puts it where all can see. "No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vesselor sets it under a bed; rather, he places it on a lampstand so that those who enter may see the light. (Lk 8:16-17)
Perhaps my public behaviour, my actions, need to speak louder than words, than signs and symbols?
Hidden under my shirt, close to my heart, my cross is an ever present reminder to think before acting, to be charitable and forgiving and to pray. If it is a yolk, then it is one i have gladly chosen to carry. Why would i worry about professing this faith in public?
Anyway, having a halo glowing around my head and i walked about would be far more embarrassing ...

Whisper from a Desert Father

Through 'self-transcendence' one can know the 'true life'. Sounds like Buddha, but it's the Pope commenting on the life of a desert father.

What is that 'self' that i need to leave behind?

I remember a dream in which the Lord called and i flew up to the heavens, yet suddenly i detached, i separated from an ugly, grief-wracked image of myself and soared up higher, leaving my Self behind. Christ beckoned. And the words said have always remained with me: And now that you know, what are you going to do about it?

John Climacus, desert father: Every type of behaviour must be subject to discernment; everything, in fact, depends on one's deepest motivations, which need to be closely examined.
The goal? Tranquility of the soul, he says, by means of which the soul may gaze upon the abyss of the divine mysteries.

Now that i know, what am i going to do about it? This epiphany happened many years ago. I am not now a desert father, nor a 'diligent pastor' watching over Christ's flock, proclaiming God's will to the leaders and ordinary folk, to the rich and the poor, in season and out of season (St. Boniface). I have been stumbling along for years, taking one step forwards to every three back, it seems.

But it is not in total darkness that i walk. There is light ahead, perhaps just enough to see the path from which i all too often wander. Thanks be to God that i can find my way back. Again and again and again. And as i grow older, that Self that had seemed so important, so needy, so arrogant, prideful, slothful, lusty, sometimes deceitful and often blind, now knows this ugly Self as an Earthly image. Made in God's divine image, i am torn, because in awareness i struggle to choose at every step. If i listen with discernment, i can hear reason reminding me of who i really am. If i listen with my faith, i can hear the Holy Spirit reminding me of who i really am. And the path if before me once again, illuminated.

When shall i weary of life's Earthy distractions? When shall i choose to apply earnest, moment to moment effort to my every action? Is the tranquility of my soul and enlightenment and a view of God's true face not a worthy goal for this lifetime?

The choice is mine, now.

It always was, is and shall be.

Deo gratias.