Peace
by Debbonnaire Kovacs
by Debbonnaire Kovacs
submitted Sept 11, 2013
Let me add a special prayer today for all (all! on both sides!) who were affected by the tragedy twelve years ago today. I think it's amazing that today's entry just "happens" to be about peace.
On my website homepage are words which were once on many churches, monasteries, and other places which eschewed violence: Peace to all who enter here [or pass this way]. I frequently pray fervently and specifically for those who read or hear my words, or who meet me in daily life, that they will pass over the mistakes and stumbles I make and see and hear only the good voice of God. I am doing my best to become transparent enough that God can shine through with as little interference from me as possible. I do that pretty poorly, on average, but fortunately God is such a great light that my streaks and stains can’t keep that light from shining through. God loves me. Enormously. Unbelievably. And you, too! That’s the only real message I want to pass along.
So I love Joan Chittister’s chapter on peace. We are nearly to the end of her little book, The Monastery of the Heart. Next week we’ll say good-bye, with the epilogue. I hope some of you have checked out her website and learned more. You may not agree with every single thing she says—is there a human being with whom you do absolutely agree?—but there are beautiful little windows to God there. She, too, is trying to learn to be clear and let God shine.
She begins this chapter by pointing out those words inscribed over medieval monastery doors: Peace to All who Enter Here. Then she attempts (that’s all any human can do) to describe that indescribable peace that passes understanding. Even the human Jesus could only say, “Not as the world gives.” He could just give it. And live it. And so can we. Live it, I mean. He's the only Source.
Peace, says Chittister, “is not a lifestyle dominated by control and a plethora of rules. It is a lifestyle that foregoes violence on every level, for any reason.”
Here’s what I think is the best paragraph:
strangers—
a slice of life
that crosses age levels,
economic backgrounds,
and ethnicities—
to where differences
can be honored,
and differences
can be broached,
and peace can come
to both the person
and to an entire population
at the same time.
I was just wondering. . . Is that a good description of your church? If so, how blessed you are! If not, what can you do to begin the change?
www.joanchittister.com
Thank you for your devotional thoughts. God is very real to you. I found some information that may be helpful in understanding our spiritual natures. It should have gone under "Traditions" but there wasn't a comment section.
Brain scientists today are discovering more and more about how our brains work. Dr. Newberg from Thomas Jefferson University has spent decades studying spiritual experiences. We can even see through brain imaging how prayer and meditation affect brain activity. Dr N injects a harmless dye that migrates to parts of the brain where blood flow is strongest—the most active part of the brain of persons in deep prayer.
In prayer increased activity is observed in the frontal lobes and the language area of the brain. Dr. Newburg believes that for the brain, praying to God in the Judeo-Christian tradition is similar to talking to people.
(Remember EGW tells us to talk to God as to a friend.)
When studying Buddhist meditation where they are visualizing something, there is increased activity in the visual part of the brain.
However, in observing atheists meditating or thinking about God, there was no brain activity in the frontal lobe at all. Dr N concludes that all religions create neurological experiences yet God is not imaginable for atheists. For religious people, God is as real as the physical world. Their experience is neurologically real.
It should be obvious that atheists who were asked to meditate about God would show no activity in the frontal lobe. If Christians are asked to meditate about Allah, or the Buddha what would their brain activity show? Or if a Universalist were asked that question, what should be expected?
God is "imaginable" for believers, because one must imagine God.
Sorry, I must have forgotten to turn on "comments" when I posted Traditions. Thank you for your thoughts, Ella. I always enjoy them. I have read that some Wiccans believe that meditation opens up some kind of connections in the physical brain. I believe that may well be true–and that it therefore behooves us to be sure Who it is we're connecting to!
Since I don't know what they mean by meditation, I can't say. However, if they believe it I suppose they are accepting the theory, and it seems real to them.
I personally don't believe the adversary can read our minds or intrude on them if we belong to our Lord and Saviour. So the idea that our brains are open to more than just stray thoughts that are already recorded in our minds, doesn't seem plausible. We would then live in fear of such intrusion every time we prayed. (I think some of this warning against contemplative prayer by church leaders plays on this. I fear our people will become afraid of even meditation as therapy to their detriment.)
So much of what we blame the advarsary for is really of our own making. He is highly intelligent enough to read our behaviors, body language, words, etc. so knows what will push our buttons or tempt us.
God made all natural laws, most of which we don't understand. I think He uses them in relating to us. The advarsary must work according to those laws as well, but he can't read our minds.
Yes, I want to hasten to agree that I don't believe the devil has the ability to read minds, either. I think it might be possible to open our minds to him, but it would be deliberately, not accidentally! It's very true that people who fear meditation–and for that matter, other forms of prayer as well–are often terrified that somehow we'll accidentally "let Satan in." I believe that is a lack of understanding of how strongly God is able to protect us. For instance, I DO NOT believe that God will EVER allow a person who is sincerely praying to be answered by the adversary! I don't care how misguided the pray-er may be, God knows if the heart is seeking him, and he will protect and answer in the way he sees is best. I've seen some pretty horrifying stories used to hurt people, on that theme.