Spiritual Mysteries are Never Solved part 2

As we study the gradual evolution of humankind, we see there was an acceptance of a spiritual reality greater than themselves.  They entered into a relationship with that Power, and that was the beginning of religion. That goes back 70,000 years back into the mists of antiquity. We are so indebted to the sciences, and to the scientific scholars, for the challenging insights into the evolution of humans, and their religious development. O’Murchu singles out paleo-anthropologists in particular.  It was a slow development.  Evolution is a slow, slow process but every now and then scientists have discovered quantum leaps.  "Evolution is about horizons, not established boundaries." Diarmuid has describes this reality as an “interactive evolutionary process within which we are called to be co-creators.  As we are chosen, so also we are blessed, consecrated to meet the great challenge of helping to bring into reality, God’s vision for His creation. Since we are not God, we mess up, make mistakes.  This is what it means to be human.  The sad thing is we are not given much encouragement to embrace our human errors.  It is only through the acceptance of our limited humanity, can we ever grow into who we really are in God’s love.  Not in the sight of other limited human beings but in the all embracing, loving eyes of our gracious God.  I love to paraphrase Robbie Burns, he wrote:  "Would that God the gift to give me to see myself as others see me," no way.  Others see me as they are.  We are seen through their clouded lenses.  I much prefer to pray:  "Would that God the gift to give me to see myself, as God sees me." Now we are able live a life of freedom, not a life constricted by fear.  Rosseau wrote "Man was born free, yet everywhere I look I see him chained."

A healthy spirituality, which is a healthy way of seeing The Wild Creative Spirit working to bring all humankind, and all creation into a oneness, a wholeness.  Our individual decisions are not just about me and my life, it is all about the health of an evolving reality.  A reality so much greater than I, yet so dependent on my healthy decisions, and actions.  Quoting The Second Vatican, "we are co-creators, and co-perfectors of the universe". One of the cancers we have to face on our journey with our God, to our God is resentment. This really throws a spanner in the works.  We Irish are the masters of resentment. There is the joke, "What happens when you have Irish Alzheimer's? You forget everything but the grudges." Funny but very sick.