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Basil Pennington, then, links contemplative awareness with its intentional but spontaneous offering to others in Love and by loving in the Source...
There is no greater gift we can give people than to open out to them the way by which they can come to experience most intimately and constantly how much they are loved by God.
*Centering prayer.
The Light of the World will always illumine the mind and heart to the experiential truth of the fact of the Divine Love for all. This Love is not merely an emotion. The Love is the Light. This Light floods all creatures: encompassing around, infusing within, and pouring from all and connecting all, by each one, in the Body of Christ, universally.
Then, he or she who follows Jesus Christ, participating in God in contemplative union, by means of participation becomes the Light. Christ, Who is Illumination by eternal nature, is received by and through all things by the spiritual person, and, so, he or she is and becomes to be the Illumination by birthright. What Christ is in essence, we become, and we are by and in our True Self ~ our personalized, spiritualized being in Being. This we are, and its discovery is the gift of Grace, by our choice of growth to unfold the potential inherent in the Father of All.
Suggested Reflection
What do you think St. Basil means by "being made God"?
What is the link between the Wesleyan doctrine of "Christian perfection" and the Eastern Orthodox teaching on "deification" or "divinization" or "theosis"?
How can you express, through your particular personality and giftedness, the Love of God in the world?
How do you grow in participating in the Light of the world?
Brian is available to respond to requests pertaining to seeking a Spiritual Director, his speaking, doing classes, workshops, or retreats for churches or other spiritual groups.
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