Denali National Park, Alaska, USA. 2009
(Photo krb)
In the final lines of the beautiful, mystical poem, 'The Journey of the Magi', T. S. Elliot writes:
'But no longer at ease, here in the old dispensation,
With an alien people clutching their gods.
I should be glad of another death.'
(In 'Love is Strong as Death', Poems chosen by Paul Kelly Penguin 2019)
Thus, Elliot describes what happens for us when we encounter the divine, the spiritual, the numinous, God.... In that moment everything changes. We can no longer be satisfied with the ordinary, everyday world around us. But our encounter with God happens in the ordinary, everyday world if we are open to them. Our encounter with God happens whenever we commit ourselves to following in the footsteps of Jesus of Nazareth.
Once we could have said that it was the primary role of the church to enable our people to recognize the daily opportunities for us to live in the presence of God. You could be forgiven for thinking that that is no longer the case. We should be demanding that the institutional church does much better and seek to be much more the conduit through which the Kingdom of God comes into being in the world.
Every blessing as you continue on your journey. May God bless you as you set out on your daily journey in which you will seek to encounter God - an encounter which will change everything.
Please get in touch with me any time to say g'day.
Peace, justice and blessings to all.
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