Thinking Like God

"Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do." (Mt 16:23)

Therefore, to think as a human is to be an obstacle? To be Satan? I'd agree with this. The human mind running about all day, judging, chasing after desires, fleeing from the averse, creating anger, wallowing in self-pity, laughing, howling, drinking and gambling, all that we do and call 'just being human' is nothing more than suffering ... even if we refuse to recognise it as such.

Our thinking mind distracts us. Our thinking mind accepts separation and isolation in maintaining its own identity: me versus you, i think, i want, i need, i am. We are so distracted with all that happens to us on Earth that we have forgotten from whence we came, our original being, our original face, that part of us that we share with our Creator. Lumen de Lumine, we say in the Credo, Light from Light.

So we are to think as God does. How is that, we ask? The whole ministry of the Christ points the way: by doing good, by cultivating love and wisdom, we can see more clearly, we are more aware of who we can be. Just look to the saints for more human examples! Prayer. Meditation. Becoming aware how our actions can influence how we think: stop killing, lying, cheating, lusting and

We can do more to think like God. And only then can we put Satan (attachment to that which keeps us separated from God and living in fear, lust, anger, etc.) behind us.

Deo gratias. 

Persistence in Faith

"It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs." She said, "Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters." (Mt 15:26-27)

Who are we withholding our loving-kindness, compassion and wisdom from? Who are we to judge the worth from the 'dogs'?

Traditionally, when someone asked the Buddha a question, he did not immediately answer them. The questioner would have to ask the question thrice, then the Tathagata would reward their persistence with his answer. Jesus does likewise. The Samarian woman begs Jesus to help her and is twice turned away, as if the Christ had more important things to do: with so many people begging for help, from greed, from desperation, from fear and from faith, Jesus had enough on his plate, me thinks. But the woman persists. Her last request is both at once desperate and full of faith. She knows what the Christ can do for her: her motivation is pure, a mother for her child. She believes and is not willing to be shooed away.

"O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed from that hour. (Mt 15:28)

Who is asking us for help and we judge them too harshly? Or as unworthy of our attention? And from where does this Selfishness come? What are we afraid of giving up, of losing? Lord, let me give generously and selflessly that i might receive, too.

Deo gratias.