Tag: crucifixtion

A Rohr above the Crowd

My mother and a friend, who is a former graduate student of my fathers both recommend Richard Rohr to me. He is a Franciscan priest, author and the founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation (CAC) in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Obviously, with a whole center, a website, degrees and other stuff… he more than likely spent less time smoking “crack” than I did. The message he has is a beautiful one, a little scripture heavy for me, but don’t hold this against him… After all he is a priest. Sorry addicts, I had no idea my blog was headed in these directions. Please don’t leave before your miracle! Rohr’s message today which I have shared a link for as always below, was one of Christ sacrifice.

If you’ve been paying attention and I’ve said from the onset I am not expecting anyone to, I haven’t mentioned Jesus. I have used terms such as Christlike and have referred to the general message of Christ, but not Jesus Himself. His father and His cousins ( I think that’s who the angels are, HEY… its my blog!) we talk pretty regularly, but Jesus thus far hasn’t made any attempts to reach out. Or at least so I had thought.

We relate the events in our personal lives at any given moment based on our perceptions of what is good or bad in our lives. Since individual perception is reality. This is why not getting that last chocolate chip muffin at Starbucks, having waited in line for a whole fifteen minutes, seems like the end of the world for so many. When in reality the end of the world literally (look it up… the definition) is coming for the millions of men, woman and children dying of starvation without a Starbucks in sight. This year alone 36 million people will die from starvation.

Until I learned to love myself, I was never lovin’ anybody else.

Whether you’re a believer or not, arguing that living Christlike isn’t the answer makes you an asshole!

I could have ended this entry right there. As always though, I have much more to say. Reading Rohr’s meditation today, I had a sense of Jesus for the first time since my awakening on Broadway. My take away from his meditation today was Gods understanding. He provided us with Himself in human form so that He could have the human experience (in the form of His own Son). We choose to create convolutions which confuse and distort this very simple concept. Rohr even mentions scapegoating, which I just wrote about in a previous blog piece. Whom do I blame if I exercise my freewill and make poor choices, God? He understands your being angry, but can only shoulder some of the blame. And that blame is questionable only to the effect of our birth.

Even a long and beautifully lived still life ends.

The promise of birth is only life. Even plants and animals receive this gift. But a tree has no way of moving itself from bad soil, just as the worm doesn’t choose a hook. Our births into this world, themselves, give us reason for celebration. Weddings, birthdays, graduations, first communions, baptisms, all the rites of passages and experiences we share as individuals that culminate into the human experience which we celebrate as one. But so too does our grief, pain and suffering.

Born of sin, given freewill, selfish, ego driven and unable to see our commonality in our humanity. With each nail driven into Him representing our sin, pain and suffering. Each mark of His Crucifixion saying there is no earthly struggle we cannot endure with his love. Spreading his fathers message of love and unity, He was sacrificed by Himself as his Son, in hopes that one day we would understand and live by His teachings. Christ suffering on the cross, with the grief, shame and blame of our world being placed upon Him, we learn that through Him (Christ) we all rise to every occasion. There is no cross to bear. That has been done already for us.

It is through our shared pain and suffering, not only the celebrations of life that we gain knowledge and understanding of ourselves and others.

The struggle is real, for those in need… and

I can only assume (and this may make an ass out of me and you, but better safe, than burning in hell, right) this is when Gods intent for us is to become more Christlike. In these moments, our weakest times we should draw strength form each other. Yet, we seem to find more and more paths for division and exclusion. There is good in mankind. It isn’t always easy to see or find. It is often a struggle every day.

for those who help those in need.

Disillusionment brings me mental and physical anguish almost daily. I struggle sometimes not to pack up and disappear, both literally and figuratively. Each day though, I am given a chance to find my path, Gods will for me. Each day I sit at this computer and think… WTF Duane, who are you to be delivering any kind of message for God. But, if not me than who? So much easier to walk down Adams and just get a beer. Let the worlds problems and issues be someone else’s to bear and deal with. I imagine there are many who wish I would. Looking at myself, like it or not, forces many others to take a look at themselves, too. He who is free from sin… Mary Magdalene… the lepers… Healing of the blind man… These are the true messages of Christ…

All four stories have particular significance for me in my life. They also have real and purposeful meaning for the world we all live in today, as do all of Jesus’s life lessons (Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth). Take the blind man. Jesus does heal his sight, but he does it twice. My coming to know Christ, also appears to be coming in stages. As a whole humanities coming to understand Gods word, His teachings, the lessons His Son has left for us, and what we as His children seem to be learning is also coming very slowly.

Don’t we all wish that our leaders here in America past and present were living more Christlike? Or for that matter that all world leaders were. Would the world even be in shambles if they did? And doesn’t that start with all of us as individuals, first? So, why not me. I am just as unqualified (filled with sin) as any of Gods other children to spread his message. But my interpretations of the Bible and Jesus’s word are one of unification and inclusion. A none believer just months ago. Now so intent on delivering His message I am ironically, willing to “alienate” those I have the most in common with, addicts and alcoholics (only because I know how hard it is to believe anyone could love us). But, also who better to deliver that message than a former non-believer, addict and alcoholic?

As always thanks for popping by. God Bless, Duane