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Wisdom Saying
[O]n balance, I would prefer a thousand mistakes in extravagance of love to any paralysis in wariness of fear. Our world has known too much of fear, defensiveness, and mistrust; I think we could use a healthy dose of unmitigated, mistake-making loving.
*Gerald G. May. The Awakened Heart. 125.
Wisdom Story
A monk went to talk with the Abbot. "Father," he said, "Brother Martin seems so holy but so unhappy. Why is this?" Replied the Abbot, "My son, for Brother Martin would rather stand in the right than to let himself fall into Love."
Mystic Love Poem
A Face in wine stillness
red like red world There
raindrop ... splash! ... I
drowning gleefully in such sweet intoxication
submerged in a liquid galaxy, Awakened from a long sleep
I arise from the grave in Love again
"Brian, you really never left
for the ache behind every pursuit of intimacy
shaped the labyrinthine way that led you, oft unknowing,
back to my Heart"
"If you'd never lost Me
you would have never
returned Here
this time
to stay"
Good deaths open to Life
other deaths increase the separation
surrender to the right demise
and say "Goodbye!" forever
to your old life
Become the seed
that when sown
grows to be the bud
that rises daily in Love
to kiss the Sun
Give the Beloved the rope
He knows best how to tie your heart
to His heart, forever, ... Surrender makes everything
possible in this playfulness
of Love.
Remember, if you want to appear sane ...
you'll never make mad love
with the Friend; leave behind
appearances, become a
child again.
*Brian K. Wilcox, July 10, 2007
Comments
At some point in your relationship with Divine Love, you have to answer this question for yourself ~ no one can answer it for you~: Am I going to let this relationship grow and deepen according to its own mystery, or am I going to try to fit it into a structure I have been told is as it should be?
Certainly most religious persons need the structure. However the challenge and daring of the contemplative, as contrasted with others, is contemplation eventually leads you into a space of pure being in which the structure that led you to that point of the question of surrender no longer applies to where the Holy Spirit is leading you.
If you want the safety of the what should be, then you will remain outside the wall of paradise. No wonder few, either in romantic love with another person or with the Beloved, truly surrender should to the mysterious leadings of Divine Grace.
Suggested Reflection
Why do you think we tend to pull back when we face the decision to remain in what is generally defined as the normal shape of experience or to surrender into a greater and mysterious freedom Grace offers us?
Have you had moments of full surrender to the Mystery of Grace, outside all thought of controlling that experience of Pure Love? What was that like for you?
What might I mean when I write: "Give the Beloved the rope/He knows best how to tie your heart/to His heart"?
Do you think your religious group encourages growth into the freedom of Grace or seeks to keep persons within staid structures of thought and action that block trusting Grace to lead you to deeper, more mysterious experiences of True Love?
Have you had ~ do you have ~ experiences of the mystery of Grace that you are not comfortable sharing with most other persons in your faith group?
See next page for Invitation to writer's contemplative village, purpose of OneLife, data on ordering author's book and upcoming devotionals 2008, and material on citations.
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