Father Richard Rohr, O.F.M., has always been one of my favorite authors. His wisdom offered about who we are in Christ; stretching ourselves beyond the normal boundaries we believe will suffice in our Christian faith; and daring to become one in the purest sense of the word. Becoming one with God, one with the Holy Spirit, one with Jesus Christ, is the only way we may truly become whole.
In his book, “Preparing for Christmas: Daily Meditations for Advent,” Fr. Rohr has given a stunningly timely and thought-provoking meditation on Isaiah 61:1. The following I quote directly from his daily meditation entitled “Related in the Spirit.”
“The Spirit always connects, reconciles, forgives, heals and makes two into one. It moves beyond human-made boundaries to utterly realign and renew that which is separated and alienated. The ‘diabolical’ (from two Greek words, kia balein, that mean ‘to throw apart’), by contrast, always divides and separates that which could be united and at peace. Just as the Spirit always makes one out of two, so the evil one invariably makes two out of one! The evil one tears the fabric of life apart, while the Spirit comes to men, soften and heal.
In today’s reading from Isaiah, the prophet describes the coming Servant of Yahweh. It is precisely this quote that Jesus first uses to announce the exact nature of his own ministry (Luke 4:18-19). In each case Jesus describes his work as moving outside of polite and proper limits and boundaries to reunite things that have been marginalized or excluded by society: the poor, the imprisoned, the blind, the downtrodden. His ministry is not to gather the so-called good into a private country club but to reach out to those on the edge and on the bottom, those who are ‘last’ to tell them they are, in fact, first! That is almost the very job description of the Holy Spirit, and therefore of Jesus.
The more that we can put together, the more that we can ‘forgive’ and allow, the more we can include and enjoy, the more we tend to be living in the Spirit. The more we need to reject, oppose, deny, exclude and eliminate, the more open we are to negative and destructive voices and to our own worst instincts. As always, Jesus is our model of healing, outreach and reconciliation, the ultimate man of the Spirit.”
Fr. Rohr ends his meditation with these questions for reflection: “What divisions exist in your life? How can you let the Spirit mend those divisions?”
Gracious, loving Father, especially during this time of Advent, open our hearts to anticipate and embrace the beautiful longing we feel for an end to our brokenness, knowing our beloved Savior, Jesus, came in human form to demonstrate the healing wholeness offered to us all. Give us the wisdom and courage to step out in faith to risk being one willing to reunite, to honor, and to love all Your children, all Your creation. Amen
Linda Summers
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