Pseudo2

For, if we may trust the superlative wisdom and truth of scripture, the things of God are revealed to each mind in proportion to its capacities; and the divine goodness is such that, out of concern for our salvation, it deals out the immeasurable and infinite in limited measures.

Pseudo-Dionysius

We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.

Romans 12:6

God truly does work in mysterious ways.

You know, my timing is not always the best, but my wife Jody and I managed to travel to Florida ahead of winter weather hitting Omaha. That is not the mysterious part.  The mysterious part is that upon arriving in Naples we discovered that one of our neighbors has just published a book titled “Holy Silence.” The author describes Holy Silence as “both the language of God and the sacred space where we meet God.”

Who would have thought that there would be someone with similar spiritual views right in the neighborhood? I have ordered the book from Amazon and I’m hoping to get the chance to meet him.

Ever since becoming involved in spiritual direction I have had to venture outside of my comfort zone. My closely held opinions have been challenged and I have had to stretch and grow spiritually. Sometimes I wonder if I’m on the right path; that is why it is so nice to find a fellow traveler so close by.

The world is a noisy place and the closer we get to the mid-term elections, the noisier it gets.  I do not anticipate that the noise will abate even after the elections. That is why, for me, silent prayer is so important. It is here, away from the noise and chaos, that I meet God. It is in silence that I discern God’s voice speaking to me. It is in silence that I get a glimpse of God’s immensity. This is the path that I have chosen because this is the path that works for me.

However, and this is the point, it does not work for everyone. And that is fine. Christianity is not a one size fits all religion, regardless of what you may have been told. Dionysius writes that God is revealed to each person according to his or her capacity to understand. God is too immense for anyone to have the full picture. Therefore, we can be united in our belief in the Trinity while at the same time walking different spiritual paths. There can be unity in diversity. In fact, a close reading of the New Testament will show you that there has always been diversity.

The problem arises when we begin to think that our way is the only way. And so, we become intolerant of anyone who thinks differently. In short, we become judges of others’ faith instead of dispensers of grace.

Which brings me to the title of these blogs: Pseudo. The title refers, in part, to Pseudo-Dionysius, a Greek theologian who took the name of Dionysius the Areopagite, a convert mentioned in the book of Acts. Hence the Pseudo. But, Pseudo also refers to some encounters that I have had in the past. Many years ago, an art professor referred to me as a “weird little pseudo-intellectual” (which he meant as a compliment); and later I was referred to as a “pseudo-preacher’ (which was not meant as a compliment). I have been castigated for not “accepting Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior” (I believe that Jesus is the one who does the accepting). I have also been told that because I am a Democrat (I’m not) I cannot be a real Christian; conversely, I have been told that because I am a Republican (I’m not) I cannot be a real Christian. Those are only a few of the ways in which I have been labeled a “pseudo-Christian.”

I have not found any of these encounters particularly helpful because there was one important element lacking in all of them: love. If our interactions aren’t clothed with the love of Christ what are we left with?  Anger and condescension, neither of which are Christian attributes.

In 1953, Bible translator and author J. B. Phillips published a small but influential book titled “Your God is Too Small”.  In it, Phillips writes that some people’s conception of God is more a reflection of themselves, rather than the transcendent being God truly is:

No denomination has a monopoly of God’s grace, and none has an exclusive recipe for producing Christian character. It is quite plain to the disinterested observer that the real God takes no notice whatever of the boxes; the Spirit, like the wind, ‘blows where it wishes’ [John 3] and is subject to no regulation of man…unless the conception of God is something higher than a Magnification of our own Good Qualities, our service and worship will be no more and no less than the service and worship of ourselves.

Today is All Saints Sunday, a day to honor and reflect on those witnesses to the faith that have gone before us. As I think about the saints I have known or read about, I’m struck by their similarities and differences. While each saint possessed a strong Trinitarian faith, that faith was expressed through their individual and diverse personalities. Unity in diversity indeed.

As we remember the saints that we have known, perhaps we should think about what made their faith so special. I would be willing to bet that each one of them expressed their faith in a unique way. That is not an accident, but part of God’s design.

This week, the political noise is going to reach its peak. There will also be a fair amount of religious noise (we can’t seem to have one without the other). I challenge you to take some time for Holy Silence and see what you discover. You might find yourself bored or distracted; on the other hand, you just might find illumination. At any rate, the time you spend won’t be wasted because you will be spending it with God.

Grace and peace.

Mark