The ancient mystics strove to “see,” “sense,” or “feel” the
presence and blessing of God in everything that exists. I used three verbs
because there really is no one adequate word to express fully what is meant by
this overwhelmingly beautiful relationship between an individual soul and something
that God has created.
Julian of Norwich had a vision recorded in her “Revelations
of Divine Love.” She beheld in her hand a tiny hazelnut and as she contemplated
it, she came to grasp how God had created it, how he loved it, and how he
sustained it in being.
The same is true for us as well. God created each of us, God
loves us all, and it is God who sustains us in being. That is also true of our
neighbor. That is also true of any individual person whom we in our arrogance
assume that God does not love, or that God will not sustain them in being. We
have to be careful there.
Consider one tiny thing today in this light. Then consider
everything in the universe the same way. And, most especially, consider someone
who you might think has forfeited the love of God. Strive to “see,” “sense,” or
“feel” God’s love even with those or in those situations which you consider to
be ungodly.
It’s time to expand our vision. Then our thinking will be
more in line with what was taught in the early years of the Church. (See The Roots of Christian Mysticism by
Olivier Clement).
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