Living In Eternity Now

In a recent post (Try To Remember) we were pondering and trying to absorb the fact that our very own souls were with Jesus during his Passion, accompanying and comforting Him. I was struck by the idea that it was “some sort of backwards in time sort of thing”, but as evidenced by the Scripture passages I quoted from Jeremiah and St. Paul, I was also reflecting on the mystery of when we were actually created by God (was it at the moment of our conception in our mothers’ wombs, or did we exist as souls with God prior to our conception?)

After doing a little (very little) research, I discovered that the pre-existence of souls is not accepted by the Catholic Church (not to be confused with reincarnation, also rejected by the Catholic Church), so what, I wondered, could those two Scripture passages actually mean? Did we exist in the mind of God from all eternity? Did God “know” us in some creative way before we were conceived?

Now tell me, o people:  What do you think you were when you were not yet in body and soul?  You truly do not know how you were created.  [From: Hildegard von Bingen's, Mystical Visions, pg. 21]

Oh Hildegard, we truly don’t; at least, I do not, and your very first question is exactly what I’ve been thinking about.  Not yet having done the reading/research necessary to understand the Catholic Church’s rejection of the pre-existence of souls, I have nonetheless come to realize over the years that when the Church discards a suggested answer to a mystery one can be certain that there is an even greater underlying mystery and an even more astounding answer which has been revealed to Her.

I reached for Meister Eckhart (Sermons and Collations) and would like to share two things:

Firstly, something to reflect on as we ponder how it is possible we were with Jesus during His Passion:

…in eternity, exalted above time, man does one work with God. People sometimes ask how man can do the work that God was doing a thousand years ago and in a thousand years will be doing still. They cannot understand it. But in eternity is no before or after; the happenings of the past millenium and the future one and now, in eternity are all the same. God’s doings of a thousand years ago and now and a thousand years to come are but one single act. It follows that the man who is exalted above time into eternity will do with God what he did in the past and also what he does in the next thousand years. (pgs. 150-151)

Secondly, as wonderful as it is to ponder the mystery of our own creation – of how we were begotten of God – it is far more wondrous to ponder how God begets Jesus in us; not only wondrous, but of far more importance, for it is essential to our salvation and to our bringing Christ to others that this mysterious begetting occurs within us.

I had explored this subject in December 2008 here and here, but I love how the Lord keeps bringing back the same topics over time so that we can continue to deepen our understanding of them, and so that the truth of them may be reinforced in our souls. I will leave you with another quote from Meister Eckhart and a splendid little reflection on time from Arthur Young:

The Father ceaselessly endeavours to get us born in his Son so that we may be the same as his Son is.  The Father is begetting his Son, and in his begetting the Father finds so much peace and pleasure that his entire nature is expended in it… When the Father bears his Son in us we shall know the Father with the Son and the Holy Ghost in both of them and the holy Trinity… Then time and number are no more.  (pg. 151)

What Does It Take?

“Someone complained to Meister Eckhart that no one could understand his sermons.  He said, To understand my sermons a man requires three things:

• He must have conquered strife and be in contemplation of his highest good and be satisfied to do God’s bidding, and
• be a beginner with beginners and naught himself, and
• be so master of himself as to be incapable of anger.”

I’ve been mulling these points over – taking stock, so to speak.  I do believe that I am in contemplation of my highest good (and others’ highest good), and strive to bring that contemplation into action in my day-to-day life.  My life’s purpose now is to do God’s bidding, and I pray for and accept the graces He gives me every day to hear what He is telling me and to follow through on it to the best of my ability. 

Regarding being a “beginner with beginners” but not a beginner oneself, I’m not sure if I’m correctly understanding the point Meister Eckhart is making, but this is the way I’m interpreting it:  I pray that the Holy Spirit always fills me and guides me when someone who is a beginner in the spiritual life approaches me for help.  I hope I can imitate Jesus in this, in that Jesus always meets us exactly where we are.  I desire to always have the positive aspects of a beginner in anything – openmindedness, enthusiasm, and a willingness to be taught. 

Now, if I say that I am not a beginner in the spiritual life myself, is this a sign of pride?  I don’t think so.  I think if I were to say I was a beginner, it would be like denying everything the Lord has given me, and all the years He’s worked with me and everything He’s taught me:  directly, through the Church, and through my brothers and sisters in Christ.  We are supposed to be growing steadily in holiness.  If I were at the same level of holiness as I was ten years ago, or even last year, that would mean there was something dreadfully wrong with my relationship with God – something drastically wrong in the love department. 

I have certainly not “conquered strife”.  I do my best to create a tranquil environment at home and at the office, but I am thwarted at every turn.    Seriously though, it is my own reaction to strife that is the real problem - fear/anxiety, rebelliousness, impatience – any reactions like these need to

be transformed into peaceful ones.  A scented candle just won’t do the trick. 

But I do see some progress along these lines; I either realize immediately afterwards that I have failed, or sometimes even as I am in the midst of a reaction, instead of much later as it used to be.  Conversely, when I do succeed in meeting a stressful situation with a sense of peace and calm, and am also sometimes able to transmit that peace and calm to others, I am immediately aware that this is what Jesus is aiming at for me.  So I’m praying that it won’t be much longer before this becomes natural (supernatural?) and consistent.  But I am definitely not “incapable of anger”, much to my chagrin.  I take this one to confession with me all the time.  But I’m trying, and as I pray for seven virtues everyday (faith, hope, charity, humility, patience, perseverence and obedience), I always remind the Holy Spirit that I need extra for charity and patience.  I am confident He will not let me down, if I do my part.

Quote taken from the beginning of:  The Sermons and Collations of Meister Eckhart.

Moving Right Along

I purchased “The Sermons and Collations of Meister Eckhart” last October. 

It has 264 pages.

I’m on page, let’s see now, ah yes, page 9.

The first sentence is, “Dum medium silentium tenerent omnia et nox in suo cursu medium iter haberet, etc.”  The last sentence is, “Amen.”  Don’t worry, there is English inbetween.

I’ll keep you informed.