Spiritual/Political/Philosophical Blog on the Nature of Truth and Falsehood and Heaven
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| Sunny Days in Heaven Spiritual/Political/Philosophical Blog on the Nature of Truth and Falsehood and Heaven |
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Thursday, June 06, 2002 A Dilemma - What to be or what not to be? That is the question. Robert Bauer (link at right) aka HokiePundit is wondering again. Here's my thoughts: I'm not sure that Jesus or his first disciples are really advantageous role models. (Wait for the howls of protest to die down, Mark.) Let me put it this way - if Jesus' program was that we should all abandon ordinary lives and walk around without sandals, a second tunic, staff, or pouch proclaiming the kingdom of heaven - then we're all in trouble. Jesus apparently said a number of impossible things when we see them as prescriptions rather than descriptions. Many of Jesus' sayings can only work or apply in the kingdom of heaven - the next and perfect life. For instance, give to whoever asks without return; if a man asks for a shirt, give him your coat also. We can do these things, but only to a relative extent. If someone asks me for my car, I'm not going to give him my house, too (or my car, either). But in heaven, I can trust in a new and perfect world - want my house? It's yours. Need a shirt? Here take my coat, too. Anything you see that you like, I would be honored to give you. Nothing is withheld. So Jesus was describing heaven, not earth as we must now live in it. Even all the saints generally end up with "stuff". If not property in their own name, in their group's name. Look at the wealth of the Franciscans, Dominicans, Jesuits, Benedictines, etc. I would not discourage anyone from seeking the cross of a vowed life in community (or as a hemit), but family life is a crucible, also. Yet, Paul is right - the cares of the world and responsibility for others tends toward making the faithful divided (not so much in loyalty) as in attention. The work of faith is prayer. It is prayer which makes us develop. (No, I don't mean constant repetition of Hail Mary's either.) Prayer requires devotion - time to practice it. (Which is why people absent themselves from felicity awhile - become monks and nuns - to get time to pray and work out their salvation.) Therefore, it stands to reason that family life and financial occupation tends to rob a disciple of time for devotion. (And a practicing or regular sex life really does bring the spirit down to a more earthly posture. A sex life makes one less spiritual in nature - in this world. Not to sound too New Agey, but sexual activity does draw energy away from spirit and attaches us more strongly to the sensual. It seems to release energies and desires that would otherwise go toward prayer and introspection. A person just having engaged in sex may be joyful, thankful, and gracefully thrilled, but he or she is not really prayerful - not in the sense of being worked upon by God for transformation or the seeking of insight into his mysteries and nature.) The way of faith is a way of reflection and introspection. A working life does not make that impossible if one is single (monks and nuns work, after all). One can also have a family, and live a reflective, fruitfully prayerful life, too. But it is very difficult (if not impossible) for one to do both and advance in their faith by much. Thus, it helps to be rich or independant in means if one wants a family and to follow Jesus. (Even ministers have this problem - hence celibacy in the Catholic Church). Life is Work Then there is the further task of learning a trade of one kind or another. That requires great devotion also, if one wishes to be good at something, particularly if one's trade is creative and complex. Excellence (greatness) is required of us by God, and to become excellent demands intense effort and devotion. As such, attention to work will adversely affect a family life, if one is serious about wanting to become excellent in his field. So a young person has three great conditions before him or her: 1) Learn a trade; 2) form a family; 3) serve God - work (minister), study, pray. I have no idea what Robert's strongest preference or inclination is. A lot depends on how much suffering can one endure. Life without a family can be unbearably lonely. We were made, after all, for society and human intimacy; and as animals, the lack of such produces severe emotional agony unless God consoles us and mitigates the sense of loss and heartache. That's one major reason we see so much alcoholism in the Catholic priesthood along with sex scandals and financial theft. (One big secret the Church is hiding is the level of alcoholism among priests, and how that breaks down inhibitions and leads priests to indulge their sexual desires.) And so, serving God is not necessarily rewarding and satisfying - it's a very lonely profession. For Protestant ministers, also, I think. Most such servants do not fare well or advance far in faith, I fear (to stress the alliterative). Most marriages, though, are not especially happy either. There are certainly many happy moments in the best of marriages, but the sad fact is that communion between men and women in this world is not absolutely possible - and so we substitute commitment for communion (and much good comes of it) but satisfying intimacy remains elusive. Having loved ones around us helps deter loneliness, but does not entirely eliminate it. Greatness at work, though, is the least good of all good things, for work desires recognition in some important respect - either financial reward (a measure of value), fame and reputation, or delight in what goodness flows from it for others sake (such as in good works of charity which make one feel good or art which lifts spirits up). Tough Love If one values comfort over crucifiction, I suppose one would choose the family and work life - the safer course - although there are certainly no guarantees about that (but odds are determinative). If one chooses the radical course of risk - you can be guaranteed you will suffer a great deal, and likely end up a lonely, embittered fellow. What I would keep in mind, though, is what Jesus said. "Seek first the kingdom, and all these things will be added unto you." In other words, God knows what you need and will give you everything if you are patient and devoted to following the course of faith (and knowledge of God). It's worked for me, for the most part. The crunch is that how do we determine where to start a course of risk which places our trust in God? It starts with a dream of the person you would most like to be in twenty or thirty years. Once you have an image of the man or woman you want to most resemble, you then figure out the best starting point on the journey to being that person - and then you start. In your image, don't include a mate, children, or position in life. Only consider the exact kind of person you most want to resemble - and then figure out where such a person would begin his career of becoming such a wonder. If you do that, God will show the way or place to start - and it will all feel natural, commonplace, and relatively easy. posted by Mark Butterworth | 8:04 PM | |
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