The Fate of the World from a Biblical Perspective

As we approach the season of Lent......

The previous blog entry which touched upon the belief that "we are being tested in love" in relation to the world and its seductions, might appear a bit "flighty", even from the perspective of common Christian faith, if it is not somehow "tied down" by more "objective" points of reference. The Bible, whether seen as the Word of God, or an ancient and influential collection of writings by men who promoted themselves as Divinely inspired, has many passages which bear out the belief that our relationship with the world ought to be of a cautious and informed nature. This blog is being written largely for believers...those whose lives have been somehow impacted and oriented on a deep level towards the Christian Faith. Those who have chosen to believe in the revealed Word of God.

As regards the "world" as a testing grounds, there is one primary passage which provided influence in my own life many years ago. This passage is very strong and clear:

"Do not love the world or the things of the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in Him. For all that is in the world, sensual lust, enticements for the eye, and a pretentious life, is not from the Father but is from the world. Yet the world and its enticements are passing away. But whoever does the will of God remains forever." 1 John 2: 15-17

On a deeper and even "heavier" level, so to speak, the author to the epistle to the Thessalonians writes concerning an apostate generation:

"And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will slay through His Word and render powerless through the manifestation of His presence...the one whose coming springs from the power of Satan in every mighty deed and in signs and wonders that deceive, and in every wicked deceit for those who are perishing because they have not accepted the love of Truth so that they may be saved. Therefore God is sending upon them a deceiving power so that they may believe the lie, that all who have not believed the truth but have approved wrongdoing may be condemned".
2 Thessalonians 2: 8-12

Saint James in his epistle writes:
" Religion that is pure and undefiled before God is this: to care for orphans and widows in their afflictions and to keep oneself unstained by the world".
James 1: 27

In the 18th Chapter of the Book of Revelation we find the exhortation:
Come out of her my people, so as not to take part in her sins and receive a share of her plagues, for her sins are piled up to the sky, and God remembers her crimes....she will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord who judges her. Alas, alas, great city, wearing fine linen, purple and scarlet, adorned in gold, precious stones, and pearls. In one hour this great wealth has been ruined.....No melodies of harpists and musicians, flutists and trumpeters, will be heard in you again. No craftsmen in any trade will be found in you again. No sound of the millstone will be heard in you again. No light from a lamp will be seen in you again. No voices of bride and groom will be heard in you again.....Alleluia, smoke will rise from her forever and ever." ( a sequence of various quotations from the 18th and 19th chapter of the Book of Revelation).

From the Book of Isaiah in the Old Testament:

"The earth fades and mourns, the world languishes and fades, both the sky and the earth languish. The earth is polluted because of its inhabitants, who have broken the ancient covenant. A curse devours the earth and they who dwell on it grow pale and few are left.....He who flees at the sound of terror will fall into the pit. He who climbs out of the pit will be caught in the trap. The earth will reel like a drunkard, its rebellion will weigh it down, until it falls, never to rise again."
( A sequence from Chapter 24)

From Psalm 9:
The nations fall into the pit they dig, in the snare they hide, their own foot is caught. The Lord has revealed Himself and given judgement, the wicked are ensnared in the work of their own hands. Psalm 9: 16-17

I realize this is all SEEMS very gloomy. From the perspective of faith it describes the process by which fallen man returns to the dust. Every Ash Wednesday we hear the words "remember man that thou art dust and unto dust thou shalt return". This can be reckoned and understood both individually and collectively, as regards the "human world". And that is really the basis of it all. Humanity stands in need of redemption, reconstruction, renewal. The spirit of the human world, no matter how gloriously and seductively it presents itself, is built upon and extended upon a wrongful, fallen and condemned choice of "freedom". Freedom in the absence of true self knowledge. Impious freedom. The world is passing away in judgement. And to heartfully attend to this fallen world as a source of entertainment, an object of desire, or as an immediate goal of human fulfillment is a "chase after wind". We fail the test. This is the path of condemnation. The call of the Gospel leads us to separate from and transcend the world spirit...To be counter cultural to the abiding culture of the world. This is the way of salvation. God, who is Love, and Who is the reference for Love defined in the Ultimate, is testing us for our obedience in love. As Jesus says: "He who "loses" his life for My sake will find it."

A Great Period of Testing

One of the fundamental beliefs within my own heart and soul as a person of faith is that which states that "our present life is a period of testing". Just as in the beginning, with our first parents, each of us is given a test in life. This test is related to personal allegiances and the orientation of our hearts. We are being tested "in love". In the book of revelation, reference is made to this "great period of testing", from which souls are drawn to "wash their robes in the blood of the Lamb".

For the past two hundred years or so, our world has become unbelievably complex and technological. Never before in all of history has there been an age like the one in which we are living presently. The human spirit can become enamored of many attractive activities, objects and sources of "entertainment". From my perspective, as one who sees life as a testing grounds, this technological complexity takes on an ominous appearance. Here is the basis of my perspective:

The human heart finds its sacred purpose and fulfillment through a prayerful and contemplative relationship with its Creator. As human beings, we grow in proportion to just how much our hearts are lovingly related to our God. This relationship is necessarily our first devotion in life and is sufficient unto itself as an exclusive source of happiness.

In this complicated world which surrounds us, relative to this fundamental purpose, we are being tested in relation to the many seductions of the present age. The activities, pastimes, material things and even ideas which we store up and "bring into our houses" have a powerful effect on us. These can easily derail us from our human identity and purpose. Our spirits become suffocated and dislocated from our most important goal.

I realize that there are other more positive ways at looking upon the contemporary world. And also, one might reasonably add that there is much "gray paint" in the mix, which precludes us from being too legalistic or judgmental of others in reference to this perspective. It is certainly possible that people can be "conquered" by the need to "play the world game" in order to live and provide for others. Their hearts may be in a good place, though their lives may be cluttered up. Nevertheless, as I see it, the ideal must be acknowledged, honored and striven for. That ideal is a humble, unselfish life of piety, simplicity, frugality, and detachment. THIS FORM OF LIFE IS PURE GIFT. If we become "predisposed" to the "gray paint" in the overall mix, as many do, we very likely will fall short of the goal of our life. But if we foster an urgent and unflagging desire for the ideal, so as to pass the test,we will pass into the realm of mercy in the end. God asks us: "Will you love Me or will you choose the world". We are being tested in Love.

The Littlest Ones

In monastic circles, "humility" is a much spoken about and sought after virtue. And in the ranks of any monastic community, one finds a broad assortment of personalities and characters, some more humble, generous and unselfish, some more guarded, egotistic and private. Just because someone has taken on the garments of religious life, does not mean that one has become more holy or more perfected. It can work in just the opposite direction. There is actually a great mystery in this. For some folks, a humble and holy manner of life comes almost naturally. For others, a real "metanoia" is needed, and humility can be quite elusive. It is a theological maxim that "grace builds on nature". Some folks possess such a nature that the addition of grace makes for "instant" glory and ready sanctification. In our community here, we have a small contingent of monks whom I have for a long time labeled as the "little ones". Most of these have been in community for a long time and are up in their years.
These "little" monks tend to go about their business unobtrusively. They are regular, dependable, always willing to help when asked, never judging, typically joyful and peaceful, and of course possessing simple piety and prayfulness. In Scripture, we find many passages of vindication for such souls as these. "A humble, broken heart O Lord, thou will not spurn." "This is the one whom I approve, a lowly afflicted soul which trembles at My word". So then, the "littlest ones" whom one meets in life are perhaps the most blessed and the most worthy to identify oneself with. The spirit of the world simply does not follow this logic as egotism reigns and impiety prospers.

The Mystery of "Passive Purgation"

This blog entry is about the action of God's grace in the life of a true believer.

"Passive Purgation" sounds like a medical term, like some sort of treatment for indigestion or irregularity. In actuality, it is a theological term for the action of God's grace in effecting "detachment" in the believer, from spiritual and material objects which have been previously loved excessively (idolatry). What has often been interpreted in the Gospels as describing a "great rapture", wherein the believer suddenly "disappears" from his surroundings, is actually a misinterpretation. What Jesus is referring to, in speaking of "some who are taken, and some who are left behind" is a spiritual withdrawal from earthy thoughts, values and behaviors into a more "heavenly" and "Godly" mindset. Those who have been inspired into Gospel conversions in life understand this perfectly. This may involve alienation from friends and family. Having been "struck" by God at a certain time or in a certain period of life, they enter into a transitional phase of often painful detachment and reorientation which has been traditionally termed "passive purgation". There seem to be periods throughout life when "pain clouds" pass through the soul, which is led into a deeper conformity to God's Spirit and a deeper capacity to love. It might be supposed that the soul needs to understand this mystery, in order to benefit from this mysterious action. Without understanding, it is conceivable that one might be led into some degree of depression and anxiety. Faith teaches us to place a supremely positive value on the often painful mystery of "passive purgation".

Just sit back and eat popcorn....

This blog entry is a reflection on the famous line of Shakespeare: "All the worlds a stage".

Here at the abbey we have quite a diverse and entertaining cast of characters living out varied expressions of monastic life. Community life anywhere has challenges, as people tend to rub off one another's rough edges in the day to day situations which emerge. Those who are attracted to monasteries can be quite eccentric and "abnormal" in their personalities.

Years ago, in the late 80's when I first came here, I had no experience of community life whatsoever apart from life in my immediate family growing up. As a result of this, it became quite easy for me to become fixated on other monk's behaviors and to become annoyed by them. I had monastic ideals in my heart, and these seasoned representatives of such ideals weren't living them to the degree or according to the expression that I thought they should at the time. I had read the books and seen the movies. I wasn't witnessing authenticity according to my expectations...such that had led me to the life. Out of perhaps 15 monks, there might be two or three whom I considered to be role models and authentic witnesses. The others were just "inmates" or "residents" of the monastery, hanging around the soup pot in the kitchen and chatting about worldly things.

As time has gone on, I have learned not to be so concerned about the actions and expressions of others. I have also learned to focus on my own shortcomings, and I have MANY of these. Monastic life is sometimes referred to as a "school of self knowledge". There still are individuals in the community who act out their eccentricities in a way that is WAY too extreme. My current philosophy in relation to such characters on the stage of life is to "sit back and eat popcorn". We don't need to become annoyed, we are witnessing a particular scene that is set before us by the Grand Director of the Play. We can be entertained just as easily as we can become annoyed. And we too are characters playing our roles (each another's audience) out from which other's can extract entertainment. This light hearted approach lowers our stress levels and facilitates an enhanced quality of life. We deepen. Let's all be light hearted about such things that we have no control over. Whether our peers are aggravating, grumpy, loud, smelly or whatever....that is their role to play presently on the stage of life. But let's also choose our role model's wisely and seek to be conformed to the image of Jesus in all we do. This is the best place to be when the curtain finally comes down on our world.

The Human Vocation: To Change and Grow

Jesus used many symbols and images when he spoke. He is the consummate poet. "Through Him all things were made" and He alone knows the meaning, purpose and fulfillment behind all facets and features of our created universe. One of His analogies for human life is that of a vineyard which is planted and expected to grow and bear fruit. In order to grow we need to desire and stretch ourselves continually towards the Uncreated Source of life and growth....we need an open heart in order to move ahead in the order of wisdom....listening, thinking, resolving, expanding. An open heart is perhaps a more rare commodity than many folks would reckon. We tend to live in miniature prisons. Consider the various forms of prejudice and discrimination prevalent in our world, ridiculous as they are. Consider labels and constructs such as "conservative" and "liberal" with the polarization and alienation these cause. Consider the bloodshed that has been effected over territories and points of view. Wise people tend to transcend all such things as they transcend their very selves and their cultural influences.

Trees and plants stretch towards the sunlight. We must learn to stretch out our arms upwards with great desire for knowledge and the right ordering of human love in our lives. God invites us to an open heart and a humble spirit. He invites and He provides. Our response to God shapes our eternal destiny. The many material distractions and misalligned attitudes of this world form a crucible of testing for us. Are we aware that we are being tested....that this life is a great period of trial? And we are responsible for being open and receptive to the supernatural growth and development that God wills for us. It is not enough to "grow up" in the world, but rather to grow "fruitful" in the kingdom or "vineyard" of God.

Monks and War Veterans

Here at Assumption Abbey we have a small cemetery in back of our main guest house. There are perhaps some twenty little white metal crosses adorning the graves of the monks who have passed on to their reward.

Among these crosses are some who, in this life, had experienced very noteworthy historical events. Here are a few of these:

Christopher Danz: I knew this monk for seven years prior to his death. He is high on my list for people who gave me great inspiration in my own life of faith. Br. Christopher, was one of the soldiers who parachuted into the Battle of the Bulge at the end of the European Campaign in World War II. He was the guitar player in the monk's liturgy and entertained us with old folksy songs like the "Hatfields and McCoys" at our yearly picnic. When I learned to play guitar, not well but functionally, it was Christopher's finger picking style that I was trained in.

David Blackburn: A soft spoken old monk who was assigned as porter at the main guest house. Polite, courteous and hospitable. Fr David was a sergeant in the Army and was one of those who discovered the reality of the death camps in Germany after the war

Louis Hanick: A monk with a comedic flair. Hard working and dedicated. (The monks ran a block plant before switching over to fruitcakes. Any jokes come to mind?) Fr Louis was assigned to the air strip from which the Enola Gay flew with the atomic bomb that was dropped on Japan.

After World War II, the monasteries flourished and were filled to the brim with candidates. Most of these came to the monasteries as a result of having seen unspeakable atrocities and bloodshed. Their savor for life in the world was taken away and they felt inspired to live for transcendent goals and ultimate considerations. Many of these monks left the monastic life in the early 1960's. Presently monasteries have mostly empty rooms, as the desire for this form of life has waned. If the economy was to collapse or another great war (God forbid!) were to engulf the globe, we would probably witness a surge in the amount of monastic candidates once again.