Before the events of this day, whatever they are, let me watch my heart open to give thanks. Let me see that the kingdom of heaven is truly within and its atmosphere is peace, the peace of God. Fear opposes it, doesn’t it? And fear would deny it. So help me stand, gird in the assurance of That peace—Gods forgiveness and love. The unity that Lee and Master Eckhart discuss in Sermon Twelve. Lord, knit my uncertainties into the assurance of presence. IJN
4:49 am. Awake fussing with cPap and then phone storage over an hour.
S may be awake. Help and comfort and heal her I pray. I asked her whether she prayed or if I was asking too personal a question. She said I was. I hope that means yes
Adoration. Jesus, you are totally lovable and beautiful. I love the good you brought into the world, including the the structure of Judaic Christianity and the trinity. Blessed awesome Jhwh.
Confession I Sam a sinner, I have fallen so short of goodness and treating well the people I know
Thanksgiving. I thank you for this life and this earth and sun
Supplication For S again but for A and me as aging affects our actions. For I, E, A and my siblings and their families. Help us grow our inner lives and move to you. As we move through our time. Bless B and all my GIG friends, IJN
Meister Eckhart sermon 12 from Lee ‘s substack, Inner Christianity, today
“ [Reading begins]
Now he says, that we should want his forgiveness. That is why our Lord rightly says, it is my will that you beg them that harm you. (Luke 6:27.) That is how important it is that we should beg them that harm us. Why? That we may do God’s will, that we should not wait till they beg us, we should say, Friend, forgive me that I have made you sad.
And that is how serious we should be in our practice of virtue. The greater our pain, the more seriously we should strive for virtue. So much should your love be one. For love does not wish to be anywhere, but where there is likeness and oneness. Where there is a master and servant, there is no peace, for there is no likeness.”
Lord, I call to thee from the depths of mine iniquity.
I have not delivered myself sufficiently unto thee.
I now not how
I find it really hard to push away depression these days. I pray your help. For S too. And for all suffererers.
I watched UT short about an absolute murderous Chinese emperor 2k years ago, who he buried alive under the 8000 clay warriors: 700k workers and enemies and relatives. What would RB say to that after the atom bomb comment last week? Almost inconceivable how buoys people are in their pursuit of “mutual destruction.” So repeat, did God know or care? But also is there some meaning in this horror?
Again, “ through a glass darkly, but in face-to-face.” We hope. And pray.
Kind of raises another question: I assume I need God’s forgiveness But do I and humans need to forgive God? Look out I’m waiting for the lightning to strike! And cover myself by saying God forgive me for my lack of Humility. IJN
Just want to say “I gave at the office!”
Do we really need any more bad luck?
And since we have it, support our bearing of it, to conduct ourselves with love and remembrance of what’s important .
And I pray with some anger, they smile the enemies of your chosen people, and that right soon and incontrovertibly.
IJN
Lee van Laer, on Christianity Substack today, “ called inwards towards Christ”
“In any event, the point is that the call to Christ is an inward call to an inward experience. He called it the kingdom of heaven.
That’s a very good way of putting it, even though it’s not everything by a wide and long and deep measure; for the kingdom of heaven is too vast for a single phrase to encompass it.
He was calling for us to see that every contact with every moment of life is precious and sacred.
He was calling for us to have a new experience of our sensation and our feeling within.
And it’s important not to let the facts about things as they exist in the outer world to get in the way of that, because the history of Christianity isn’t a recap of stuff that happened 2000 years ago. The history of Christianity is what’s happening in us now. We, in a strange way, are someone else’s future history. It is our practice now that keeps Christianity alive. And it is to this inward moment that we must attend.
For in every instant it is possible, absolutely possible, that God will flow into being here and be with us personally. that is what is meant in the Gospels when someone says that we are in Christ. We have entered God’s being so that we are with him inwardly.
Well, that’s quite a mystery, isn’t it? I’m just saying this because I don’t want you to get too caught up and interested in the temporal recaps of Christianity and the faith, even though they’re fascinating. but to call upon yourself to become intimate with this moment. Search for a little contact with that female substance of the soul which can be prepared to receive God inwardly“
Lees Substack post on Morning Five, As I Wait, recalled Parable of the virgins and the Bridegroom:
“ And I see that I am called to meet this life of mine,
and drink this day more deeply,
deep into every cell and molecule here in the body.
so that it concentrates itself and prepares
for the arrival of light. For I know not when the light shall come.
I simply resolve to be prepared here as I wait for it.”
And I am trying to sense the point and place where air enters body: lungs to heart: to feed the molecules and cells, as he references every day but I never feel. It’s too fine
Lord go with S on this cancer journey that starts with first chemo today. Help. Us each to play our parts with love and tenderness and efficacy. She is not the only one suffering this experience. Help all in her position, pray IJN
