The Divine Milieu: Turning Toward God

Jeannot · 08-03-2006, 01:07 AM

The phrase is from the Jesuit priest Teilhard de Chardin. Willy-nilly, we live in the Divine Milieu. Spirit is the power behind everything we see. "The Earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof."

In an article in NOTRE DAME MAGAZINE, Lawrence Cunnihgham writes of "the opening of the self to God":

"The opening out of the self occurs only when certain predispositons are cultivated. All the great spiritual writers insist on this point. First, we have to be disposed to living a life of virtue that eschews a life of persistent sin. This is not momentary; it is a persistent turning toward God that is the lifelong act of conversion. Any conversion carries with it an equal aversion. If we turn toward God we must of necessity turn away from that which is not godly. Every act of conversion is also an act of aversion. The traditional vocabulary calls this the purgative path.

"We cleanse ourselves in order to keep God in our life. We begin to see things in another fashion and the various modes of virtue learned from the example of Jesus and inspired by the gifts of the Holy Spirit put us on another way. If we do that regularly, as a contemporary spiritual writer says boldly, God will come to us and seize us not dramatically but by getting us a new way of life.

"The medieval mystic John Ruusbroec put the matter brilliantly: 'If we do this, we will from hour to hour become more and more like God in all our works. At the same time, and on the foundation of a pure intention, we will transcend ourselves and meet God without intermediary, resting with God on the grounds of simplicity.'"

The mystic way requires constant devotion. And there's nothing spectacular about it. But it's the only thing, ultimately, worth doing.

taijasi · 08-03-2006, 04:20 AM

Jung and Erasmus reminded us what the Delphic Oracle spoke:

Vocatus atque non vocatus deus aderit (Bidden or not bidden God is present)

The words of part of the Christian Liturgy (Eucharist/Communion) come to me, also:

It is indeed right and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give Him thanks and praise ...

For me, it has been in the recognition of the first Truth, and the observation of the second, that I have found entrance to the Path I sought.

Annie Besant, revered as a heroine in India for her work in the Women's Rights Movement, composed `O Hidden Life' as an affirmation of God's Universal Presence:

O Hidden Life, vibrant in every atom;
O Hidden Light, shining in every creature;
O Hidden Love, embracing all in Oneness;
May each who feels himself as one with Thee,
Know he is therefore one with every other.

I find it very beautiful, and very powerful, all the same.

My senior thesis in college was on `Teilhard de Chardin's Vision of the Future of Humanity,' by the way. His writing about Omega Point is one of the most positive messages and explorations I think I have ever encountered in contemporary Christian writing ... regarding Humanity's possible future.

Love and Light,

taijasi

Quahom1 · 08-03-2006, 04:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeannot

The phrase is from the Jesuit priest Teilhard de Chardin. Willy-nilly, we live in the Divine Milieu. Spirit is the power behind everything we see. "The Earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof."

In an article in NOTRE DAME MAGAZINE, Lawrence Cunnihgham writes of "the opening of the self to God":

"The opening out of the self occurs only when certain predispositons are cultivated. All the great spiritual writers insist on this point. First, we have to be disposed to living a life of virtue that eschews a life of persistent sin. This is not momentary; it is a persistent turning toward God that is the lifelong act of conversion. Any conversion carries with it an equal aversion. If we turn toward God we must of necessity turn away from that which is not godly. Every act of conversion is also an act of aversion. The traditional vocabulary calls this the purgative path.

"We cleanse ourselves in order to keep God in our life. We begin to see things in another fashion and the various modes of virtue learned from the example of Jesus and inspired by the gifts of the Holy Spirit put us on another way. If we do that regularly, as a contemporary spiritual writer says boldly, God will come to us and seize us not dramatically but by getting us a new way of life.

"The medieval mystic John Ruusbroec put the matter brilliantly: 'If we do this, we will from hour to hour become more and more like God in all our works. At the same time, and on the foundation of a pure intention, we will transcend ourselves and meet God without intermediary, resting with God on the grounds of simplicity.'"

The mystic way requires constant devotion. And there's nothing spectacular about it. But it's the only thing, ultimately, worth doing.

Well, not to make light of your presentation (and I am not), but I pray each morning, for those my mind can think of, and I talk about the day I'm about to have. And I often find self talking to God at various times of the day, about this and/or that. And when I cuss (and I do it alot), I catch myself and mumble a quick apology...

I can't say I am virtuous, but trying is 3/4ths the fight, I think...

I already know I simply wait for someone in need, to help, and often go find those that could use a hand (my job kind of gives it away...

).

Does that make me one of these "predisposed"? Or simply a man who trys to do what is right, and stumbles alot, but can look to God and state, "doin' m' best sir"...any advice is good advice..."?

Personally, I think no. Life doesn't work that way for most people. Special people, yes I think they are however, the exception to the rule. The rest of us cuss, and bicker and try, and slip, and get caught up in issues, and pull out and try again, and all along we talk to God, whether we know it or not. And we get answers, whether we realize it or not.

We're here trying to figure out why we are here, let alone what "great things" we may accomplish. And you know what? We often accomplish those "great things" without realizing we have, because we're still trying to figure out why we are here...

just my thoughts

v/r

Q

Dondi · 08-03-2006, 02:27 PM

This thread reminds me of II Peter 1:3-8:

"According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."

I see a process here whereby our faith is exercised. And our character develops a such that when we build upon faith we step up toward love. We become virtuous, then knowledgable, then temperate, then patient, then godly, then friendly, then the embodiment of love. Step by step as we build on our fath, we will start to see ourselves conform to His image. We may stumble along the way, but if get up and keep at it, the changes will come.

This is why I don't condemn baby Christians who still smoke, for instance, for I was there once. i know how hard it is to quit. It took time, prayer, and patience before God gave me the strength to quit altogether. I fell short at times, but I'm glad I didn't give up the effort.

And you know when one is victorious over something, it boosts your confidence that the next issue God is dealing with you life can see victory also. You have faith that God can see you through most anything. As long as we are exercising our faith, we will progress.

flowperson · 08-03-2006, 03:09 PM

Q

What you have written above is SO fundamentally true for all of us here, at least it is for me. Thank you !

flow....

Jeannot · 08-03-2006, 06:37 PM

Q,

Does that make me one of these "predisposed"? Or simply a man who trys to do what is right, and stumbles alot, but can look to God and state, "doin' m' best sir"...any advice is good advice..."?

Personally, I think no. Life doesn't work that way for most people. Special people, yes I think they are however, the exception to the rule. The rest of us cuss, and bicker and try, and slip, and get caught up in issues, and pull out and try again, and all along we talk to God, whether we know it or not. And we get answers, whether we realize it or not.
____________-

Sounds to me like you're "predisposed."

Remember, Jesus said "the just man falls seven times a day."

Jeannot · 08-03-2006, 06:39 PM

"This is why I don't condemn baby Christians who still smoke, for instance, for I was there once. i know how hard it is to quit. It took time, prayer, and patience before God gave me the strength to quit altogether. I fell short at times, but I'm glad I didn't give up the effort."
__________________

Confession: I still smoke.

--Infant.

flowperson · 08-03-2006, 07:51 PM

Jeannot:

I believe that both you and Q make so much sense in this discussion. Yes, if we are living our lives in the "right" way we attempt to "change and purify" our pitiful lives day by day in order to grow closer and more consistent with the hopes and expectations of "the one who sees and knows all" about us all. I am also a big fan of and believer in the thoughts and writings of DeChardin. But we are not perfect and we will never reach our goal. We all stumble and fall, but that is "meant" to be our way, IMHO. It's how we "learn by doing".

We are all infants and there are no predispositions to anything for us in our futures other than what we create individually and collectively on our random and separate journeys, and that was also meant to be the "way" for us all. Or as I like to say, "People plan, and G-d laughs".

flow....

Jeannot · 08-04-2006, 04:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flowperson

Jeannot:

I believe that both you and Q make so much sense in this discussion. Yes, if we are living our lives in the "right" way we attempt to "change and purify" our pitiful lives day by day in order to grow closer and more consistent with the hopes and expectations of "the one who sees and knows all" about us all. I am also a big fan of and believer in the thoughts and writings of DeChardin. But we are not perfect and we will never reach our goal. We all stumble and fall, but that is "meant" to be our way, IMHO. It's how we "learn by doing".

We are all infants and there are no predispositions to anything for us in our futures other than what we create individually and collectively on our random and separate journeys, and that was also meant to be the "way" for us all. Or as I like to say, "People plan, and G-d laughs".

flow....

All true, I believe. I also think that the spiritual realm has a reality that is "harder" (in every sense) than the physical. We know that physical laws are just there, and we have to conform to them (gravity, etc) May it not be so in the realm of Spirit as well?

We spend so much energy getting by in the physical and social worlds that we often have little left for the spiritual. Yet Jesus said "One thing alone matters." It's as if we were on a lifeboat, with everyone worrrying about the rations and the seating arrangements, with no one paying any attention to the navigation of the boat.

That's why, I guess, we need grace.

Dondi · 08-04-2006, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeannot

"This is why I don't condemn baby Christians who still smoke, for instance, for I was there once. i know how hard it is to quit. It took time, prayer, and patience before God gave me the strength to quit altogether. I fell short at times, but I'm glad I didn't give up the effort."
__________________

Confession: I still smoke.

--Infant.

God can help you quit if you want to. But you gotta want to.

Jeannot · 08-04-2006, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dondi

God can help you quit if you want to. But you gotta want to.

I've cut way down. 6 or 7 cigs a day.

flowperson · 08-04-2006, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeannot

I've cut way down. 6 or 7 cigs a day.

Did you know that tobacco was the FIRST genetically engineered cash crop?
I used to negotiate research contracts on some of the other crops in the 80's. Cold turkey is the only way, but then perhaps turkeys are engineered by now too ! Oh Well......

flow....

Jeannot · 08-05-2006, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flowperson

Did you know that tobacco was the FIRST genetically engineered cash crop?
I used to negotiate research contracts on some of the other crops in the 80's. Cold turkey is the only way, but then perhaps turkeys are engineered by now too ! Oh Well......

flow....

Back in the 17th & 18th centuries, our biggest exports were beaver hides (from the North), and tobacco (from the South, before cotton became "king")