Michael Casey's book "Toward God" is one that I have returned to twice, and each time I find more food for my own pilgrimage. Casey is Abbot of a Trappist (Cistercian) monastery in Australia. For those inclined to Celtic and monastic connections, the Cistercians were a radical reform movement of the 11th Century, starting from what they called simply "the new monastery" in Citeaux of France. Returning to a primitive observance of the Rule of St. Benedict, the Cistercians emphasized simplicity, prayer, manual work, and the witness of the Desert Fathers and other early monastic figures. It's notable that in Ireland, once imported, the Cistercians spread and prospered. I think that is due in part to the resonances struck with the ancient Celtic monastic tradition by Cistercian simplicity and emphasis on personal prayer. At this juncture of my own journey, I find that the Cistercian tradition has quietly made itself a significant part of my life. I have long loved the Trappist monastery close by here at Lafayette, Oregon, and plan to spend a month of my sabbatical time with the community, God willing. Of course, like many another Christian of the late 20th century I have a fascination for Thomas Merton. Casey's book is very much part of this Cistercian-tropism, as he has proven to be a wise guide in the ways of prayer. And now I am also reading Esther DeWaal's introduction to the Cistercian heritage "The Way Of Simplicity." I am grateful for this quiet, unassuming, yet passionate witness within the Body of believers.
Chapter 1 of Casey's book captured me immediately: his exploration of the first chapter of John's Gospel and his provocative comment that the verse could just as legitimately be translated as "the Word was toward God." So often I had on some level assumed that to be "spiritual" was to be in some static state, everything finally figured out and resolved. This brief meditation put into context what I have personally learned through the long school of the labyrinthine journey that is my actual pilgrimage--that it is the hunger for God which drives my own prayer, and that this longing for God is actually found within the very life of God the Trinity. God longs for God in fact. This very image has worked itself into my own prayer and preaching. What do you think?
Casey's anthropology or view of human nature is very positive, and in the historical sense very Catholic. Ex.: "We were created with an orientation toward God, and so actions that direct us toward God accord with the imperatives of our nature." I find this positive view of human personhood very liberating, and I also find this a contrast with the classical Continental Protestant view of total human depravity and the fact that God's grace is supra nos, utterly distinct from us and beyond us. Does this matter, or is it just a"head trip" to use a dated '70's turn of phrase? I think it does myself, but how about you?
Casey speaks of prayer as that which starts from the reality of our lives, that prayer is not some sort of technique or idealized state that we "put on" but that authentic prayer wells up from our lives and in fact specifically through our experience of our own suffering: "...it is by passing through such periods that we begin to discover our deeper selves: we make contact with our neediness and and find in our hearts a great longing and love for the God who remains unseen." How has the experience of suffering brought us to a ground of our being where we can "break through", dramatically or gradually, to a deeper experience of God? Or how not?
That is as far as I will venture in this post. Casey's first chapter has more rich themes, and I would welcome anyone else's mining of his text for more "chewing material."
Peace on the 10th Day of Christmas,
kurt n
3 comments:
Two themes have resonated with me from this first chapter. The first is the notion that "pros ton Theon" can be translated as an eternal movement of the Word (considering myself having been assimilated into the Word) toward God. Second, the reality of suffering in my life and how I have responded to suffering.
I was not raised in a Christian household, well at least, as I have come to understand what that means. I do recall having as a child earned a pin for six months perfect attendance at Sunday school. I recall memorizing the Lord's Prayer, Psalm 23, and the first verse of the hymn "Onward Christian Soliders". Other than that the whenever Jesus Christ name was invoked it was usually in rather inappropriate terms. How I have been drawn into the journey towards God remains a real mystery to me. Part my choice I suppose, and that being a response to the unseen love of the Trinity. Often, especially in a misspent youth, I have tried to get off the path, out of the journey, but as wildly afar as I have gone, I end up back on the path towards God.
Suffering has truly been a doorway that I have had to pass through and honestly, although often suffering has guided me to lay hold of resources deep within me, it too often has resulted in my being totally absorbed in avoiding the pain suffering causes at all costs. Suffering has been a very mixed bag for me, like a game of tug o war.
Perhaps it is because I am entering into my 6th decade, or perhaps because I have embraced the life of a teritary grey friar for the last 25 years, but I finding great sense and comfort in the Benedictian Rule of simplicity, prayer, manual work, and witness. Simplicity looms large in my life and the gift it has bestowed upon me is a restoration of more time. Time that I am spending an increasing amount keeping company with God and witnessing to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, using words when I must. I am looking forward to Chapter Two, of the book, not my life. Not yet anyway.
Many thanks to Br. Dale and Kurt for their good postings. There is indeed much to chew on in this first Chapter.
Casey's comments on the John Gospel were so John-like in themselves I found myself letting go of trying to understand what he was saying and let myself ride on the river of poetry that both authors use to describe the Trinity. And this movement of Spirit, Word, God always seeking "home" -- and it's all happening inside of me. And the part of me that thinks in terms of "self" is just along for the ride. Self, God, Word, humanity, divinity -- all one glorious mess.
I found myself being comforted by much of what Casey was saying: that I will always feel incomplete until I arrive at God; that even in those times when I feel that my life in God is at a standstill or that I'm even losing ground -- I am still making progress because much of the work is being done unconsciously; that rebellious human wills probably have a certain appeal to the Creator's sense of play; that authentic prayer is an act of courage because I must honestly see who I am and admit my great neediness. Sigh.
I don't know what I think about suffering. Is it really necessary? Pain is inevitable, but suffering is not -- a favorite 12-step saying -- well, it makes me wonder. Certainly my pain leads me to prayer but aren't there other things that lead me there too? What about my longing for God? Doesn't that get me on my knees? Hmmm....maybe if I pray about it, some clarity will come!
Thanks for the good conversation and I'm looking forward to Chapter 2.
I liked FAther Kurt's comments about the positive view of humanity, as opposed to the negative view of many Protestants. I haave often been a bit baffled about why people would speak of their "depraved" nature. I thought we got a new natire in Christ, for one thing.
Personally I have found suffering to be something that tended to drive me away from God, but at the end point me back to Him. At my darkest time, when I wanted to just give up on everything, I could not get away from what the disciples said to Jesus in John 6, "Where else could we go? You alone have the words of life."
The point that Casey made that I liked the best was that of speaking of the journet we are on and that this journey is made up of "countless small choices" which we make our whole life. And he likened our journey to the trip across an ocean by a small boat, where we often cannot see the progress we have made. But that this progress is nevertheless real. And when we do veer off-course (as we will inevitaably as times), God is there available to get us back pointed in the right direction.
Toward the end of the chapter Casey spoke of the "vast company of God's friends." I really liked that It is very comforting to think of those who have gone before and those stilll on the journey as being with us; "all of who make it make it together." And the Holy Spirit is with us, "guiding our steps toward the very heart of God."
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