Rohr: "It is what our tradition would call unitive consciousness, i.e. the whole world is connected and we feel part of it, part of the bigger picture, what the Eastern way of knowing in faith calls "big mind",... abstraction, mystery, paradox, perspective.....

Rohr: The West has tended to emphasize "small mind" which wants to analyze and explain. Gift from Greco-Roman culture, very practical. We can analyze, organize, and fix almost anything. Small mind is preoccupied with clarity and control, as is the Roman Church to this day. It deals with specifics and prefers problem-solving. It doesn't have a high tolerance for mystery or even ambiguity. The Church at its best, functions like an accountability system: "If we say we believe this, then let's hold one another to it and also repent of our failures." ((I know, we all are past due on discussion))

Rohr continues: We all have to acknowledge that each of us reflects one part of the body of Christ. Paul's image of the body of Christ in 1 Cor 12:15f: "The eye cannot say to the foot, I do not need you. The hand cannot say to the eye, I do not need you."

DISCUSSION TIME

I was aware of those not using up their allotted time and was wondering how I could add theirs to my two minutes. My aspirations were crushed however when I was informed that we could not stockpile minutes for personal use!

How interesting that Rohr seems to be speaking directly to the challenges facing SJA and the Church in general in so many of his passages and not just this chapter but all throughout the book.

"We want to create a system inside of which we can succeed and win and in which forgiveness has no role. We want to earn salvation and prove ourselves superior. But forgiveness reveals both God's nature and ours. Apparently God is actually vulnerable, and we discover both God and ourselves in the mystery of that vulnerability. It's almost too much to imagine and doesn't lend itself to organized religion at all." Rohr - page 133

We also were blessed on this blessed night by the presence of two treat bearers! Are you kidding me! Jumpin' Johosaphat! I got a late jump to the snack shack and entered a line a mile long. The line wasn't moving. What was going on up there at the front? An accident? A photo session? A Spong book?

As we inched slowly forward I began to catch glimpses of the source of such delight. First there was a delicate pear and almond torte type treat complete with glazing. The crust was absolutely out this world. I ate mine slowly and savored the slightly crispy texture of the sweet dense torte. As if that isn't enough I bit into a homespun white cake with yellow frosting. What could this be? Pineapple! Yowser. Pineapple and was there coconut? Is this what grandma used to make for family parties? The frosting was more like the fluffiest whipped cream you ever saw. Whipped I'm sure with pineapple and all things nice. These delicacies were topped off with the Parish's fine Mexican decaff coffee. I can't help thinking of Jesus from the gospel of Thomas..."Heaven is spread out upon the earth for you to see and you refuse to see it." I see it!! Thank you.

We then gathered in are small groups to discuss the Rohr book and things we may have talked about in our two-minute sharing. Really fine things about pain, forgiveness and not pushing the river. There is great fear in letting go, in surrendering and yet how much more pain do we endure by hanging on! These are the notes that got us started...

SMALL GROUP

Rohr's statements: All that we have to give away (to share?) is our own story. The only authority we have (in other people's lives) is what we have lived and what we know to be true. Then we have the right to speak.

We ask ourselves: How often do I feel free to interact with others from my true inner self ? How often or where do I feel comfortable taking such a risk? Is it a risk?

Rohr's statement: That's what our lives are for: to hand on the mystery to those who are coming after us, which means we have to appropriate the mystery ourselves.

We ask ourselves: How ? Is it a struggle? Is it worth all the struggling? Is it for "future" or for me?

Rohr's statement: The "Holy Fool" is one who knows he doesn't know but doesn't need to know. He obviously would like to know, but she is able to leave the full knowing to God.

Thanks cousin Betty for your double-duty privileges!

Another thing really striking me is the parable about Jesus meeting the Samaritan woman at the well and about forgiveness. First of all, the woman is unclean by way of being Samaritan. Worse, she is a woman and worse yet, she was married 5 times! Not only does Jesus not call her out, judge her or demand she get an annulment, he makes her a disciple!

This is the kind of love God has for us. Jesus tells her to go tell the others the good news! This is our salvation! Jesus tells us again and again, we are OK. It is Ok. God loves us just as we are in all our poverty and brokenness! Forgiven means beforehand. This means we are forgiven before the sin occurs, before we even ask for forgiveness! How can I not fall in love with that? Knowing this is God, as revealed to us through Jesus, how can we do any less for ourselves and fellow men and women? If God forgives me and all my friends and enemies, who am I not to?

We have an announcement to make. I am informed that in three weeks time we will be starting the Michael Moorwood book, Is Jesus God?

In the meantime the privileges for next week include

• Facilitator Rik
• O.Prayer Jane
• C.Prayer Carlene
• Clean-up Audrey
• Bookstore
• After 9
• After 11 Louise

Namaste'

Rik

Rik Murray
(612) 872-8694