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Dear Brothers and Sisters:
The article by Bruce Elkin, Chords of Life concludes.
As we develop the capacity to live a simple, pleasant and fully engaged
life, we continue to stretch for what truly matters to us. As we do, we
often feel a desire to go beyond ourselves, to create a more purposeful
life. To the question, "What really matters?" we ask, "Why does it
matter?" Asking "why?" expands our sense of what is important. It takes
us beyond our own narrow concerns into the realm of higher purpose and
the greater good. A purposeful life is one in which we stretch beyond
our ego-limited small self and see our lives in service of something
greater. We shift our focus from getting to giving. We realize that we
are here to contribute what we can to life, not just take from it what
we want.
However, many, if not most,
of us still experience our small self and our thoughts and feelings as
separate from the rest. We see the world only through our own eyes.
Doing so "imprisons us," Albert Einstein said, in "a kind of optical
delusion of our consciousness." Deluding ourselves in this way restricts
our focus to personal desires. It limits our connection and love only to
those close to us. We become trapped in our narrow perspectives. "Our
task," urged Einstein "must be to free ourselves from this prison by
widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and
the whole of nature in its beauty.
We expand our circle of compassion by caring for our families and close
friends. We expand it further by building close, supportive
relationships, by contributing to faith groups and organizations that
matter to us, and by caring for neighborhoods, communities, and even
cities and nations. Some of us embrace and care for the well being of
all nations, for humanity itself, and for the entire world. As we widen
our circle of compassion to include all beings, our purpose can expand
to include a commitment to evolution itself. We become concerned about
humanity and about our place in the evolving systems of life on which
all health, wealth, and well being depend.
Moreover, we seek to connect
our spirit with some higher and greater Spirit -- with Life and Goodness
itself. "This is the true joy in life," said George Bernard Shaw, "the
being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one ... the
being as a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of
ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote
itself to making you happy."
Crafting a materially
comfortable life is only the first step in this evolving process of
life-creation. It provides us a rich and pleasant life. Stretching
to fully engaged life by matching our strengths to challenges that
matter creates flow and the gratifications a masterful, fully engaged
life. Stretching further, widening our circle of compassion allows us to
transcend our small selves in service to others and the greater good. It
also enables us to experience a deep, purposeful, and meaning filled
life.
Each of these three levels of
life states is a step toward the whole. We pass through each in the
process of becoming that which we "glimpse," as Abraham Maslow put it,
"in our most perfect moments." It is important not to see these levels
as independent of each other, or to attach to any one life state. It is
best to see them as wholes embracing and transcending other wholes. Even
as we move through a life state in favor of a higher state, the previous
state and its benefits are still available to us. A materially pleasant
yet simple life provides a solid base for a life of engagement and flow.
A masterful life gives us the confidence and competence to stretch
toward meaning, purpose, and expanded compassion for all life.
Each life state is best seen
in the holistic context of the others and their relationships to each
other. Think of each state as if it was a note in a powerful and
resonating chord. We can play each note separately, but to create true
harmony, power, and coherence in our lives and world, we need to play
all three notes together. The chord that results from the intermingling
of the three clear notes will resonate throughout our being and beyond.
When we integrate these notes into one simple, unified and flowing
chord, we experience a sense that our life is all of a piece and in
harmony with Life itself. This, then, is the truly good we life seek. Is
anything less truly worthwhile?
Et Cetera …
I welcome this weekend to our parish, Rev Michael B. Semana who
represents the Most Rev. Emmanuel Trance, D.D., Ordinary of the Diocese
of Catarman in the Philippines. Father Semana is this year’s mission
co-op representative. Catarman is one of the poorest dioceses in the
Philippines; I ask that you extend to Father Semana your warm welcome,
hospitality and your generous response to his appeal. We are all one
body in Christ ! |
