Franciscan Father Richard Rohr, who is a national leader
extolling the practice of contemplative prayer, sets out what I think to be a
very telling and very demanding set of guidelines for personal conduct.
Rohr proposes 3 actions: “Refuse total allegiance (“idolatry”)
to all false power, while still working around and with the power structure in
service to justice and love; refuse to idealize one’s private self, which props
itself up by myths of importance, control, power, money, and wealth; and, to
offer ourselves trustfully to a much larger pattern, because our lives are not about us!” (emphasis
Rohr’s).
I daresay to accept Rohr’s first edict in this world as
we know it—and as far back historically as power has been exercised—would be to
stand in the fire metaphorically and perhaps literally as well. Feel free to
cherry-pick from the news those who wield power and send this idea off to them
in a letter or email—or tweet.
The second notion begs a first step, an honest
face-to-face with the face in the mirror—or if truly brave, let those closest
to you do an intervention. A word of advice, brace yourself. Just in case. As a
question, what if you lost _________ in the next instant? Game over for your
you-ness? Life over?
Somehow this line of inquiry makes me recall the idea
that the objects of our affections are not objects—are they?
Finally, there it is in a nutshell, “not about us”. We can’t have 7 billion “it’s-about-me’s” sucking
the future out of this world. Just won’t work.
Reread Rohr’s ideas—read, contemplate, read again—demanding
in extreme, I think, for most of us. Too demanding for many.
Now about those New Year’s resolutions….
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