EXERCISE 42: Opening to God

This is the final formal Exercise in this series…

We need to return from these awesome and wonder-filled reflections to where our feet are more firmly planted on the ground.

Once you are centred and stilled, reflect on these ideas:

We have a choice – as has every scientist and cosmologist who has ever reflected on these mysteries: either we are mere accidents of evolution in a ‘benignly indifferent’ or perhaps even hostile, universe, or we have been waited for by a loving Creator who longs to develop a relationship with each one of us.

It is not entirely fanciful to imagine a Divine Lover who has lovingly fashioned a universe in which sentience – and therefore love – can flourish.

This Divine Creator might just be dreaming that humanity – indeed all sentient beings – might understand the underlying attractiveness of love over anything else. Might be dreaming that humanity might transcend the self-centredness inherent in sentience and open to the power of love. We remember that Jesus lived out His life committed to the power of love beyond all other Powers.

This Divine Creator might just have this profound respect for the uniqueness and value and preciousness of every single individual creature, and especially of sentient beings who can be called by name… A profound respect for the uniqueness and value and preciousness of you. We experience this profound respect in the life and manner of Jesus.

This Divine Creator might just be calling each and every one of us – might be calling you – in whatever ways God can to respond to that call and to become part of this Dream for a New Community. And perhaps that is the dis-ease that you experienced when you started this Quest. We remember that Jesus called ordinary folk to follow Him into a New Community.

If this hypothesis makes sense to you, offer a prayer of gratitude that you have been able to respond to the Call… offer a prayer of commitment that you will respect that Call and continue to respond to it.

Write how you feel about all this in your journal.

Thank you for taking part in these Exercises. I hope they have been useful to you. You might want to explore this website further, or check out some other on-line resources, or read a book on spiritual practices. Better yet, if you are serious about your daily spiritual practices, find yourself a spiritual director in your area.

Blessings!