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Wisdom Quote
Nor knowest thou what argument
Thy life to thy neighbor's creed has lent.
All are needed by each one;
Nothing is fair or good alone.
*Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)
God, in all that is most living and incarnate in him, is not far away from us, altogether apart from the world we see, touch, hear, smell and taste about us. Rather he awaits us every instant in our action, in the work of the moment.
*Teilhard de Chardin. The Divine Milieu
Wisdom Story
The following story is by Sufi mystic Rumi (b. 1207- 1273) ~ The mouse and the camel.
A little mouse once caught in its paws the head-rope of a camel and in a spirit of pride went off with it. Because of the nimbleness with which the camel set off along with him, the mouse was misled into thinking himself a champion. The flash of his thought struck the camel. "Go on, enjoy yourself," he grunted. "I will show you!"
Presently, the mouse came to the margin of a great river, such as would have left helpless any lion or wolf. There the mouse halted and remained still.
"Comrade over mountain and plain," said the camel, "why this standing still? Why are you dismayed? Step on like a man! Into the river with you! You are my guide and leader; do not halt half-way, paralyzed!"
"But this is a vast, deep river,' said the mouse. "I am afraid of being drowned, comrade."
"Let me see how deep the water is,' said the camel, and quickly he stepped into it.
The camel said, "The water only comes up to my knee. Blind mouse, why were you dismayed? Why did you lose your head?"
"To you it is an ant, but to me a dragon," replied the mouse. "There are great differences between one knee and another. If it only reaches your knee, clever camel, it passes way over my head."
"Be not so arrogant another time," said the camel, "lest you are consumed body and soul by the sparks of my wrath. Emulate mice like yourself; a mouse has no business to hobnob with camels."
"I repent," retorted the mouse. "For God's sake get me across this deadly water!"
The camel instructed compassionately, "Listen, jump up and sit on my hump. This route has been entrusted to me; I would take across hundreds of thousands like you."
Since you are not the ruler, be a simple subject; since you are not captain, do not steer the ship.
*Adapted from A.J. Arberry. Tales from Masnavi.
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Comments
Humbleness pertains to accepting our position within the larger whole to which we belong. Pride manifests as refusal to live in contentment and gratitude in the boundaries of our place, with its possibilities of contribution, in the community.
Pride is not simply an emotion, a prideful feeling. Pride is a posture of mind and heart in regard to all other members of the community. Pride says, "I do not trust my place; I am not content with my gifts as they join with yours in the whole." Pride, then, is a basic mistrust of the nature and good of communion. In this sense, then, pride is a spiritual matter.
Humbleness is, like all virtue, a freeing posture. In humbleness we are relieved of the burden of over-extending ourselves. Humbleness helps us focus on the particular space we are in the whole made of all others, each who have his or her particular space. This allows us to maximize our role and gifts, while honoring others in the preciseness and sacredness of their persons and potentials. Thereby, humbleness serves Love, for Love connects the parts to make holy communion.
This communion, which entails the universe and all communions within it, can be compared to a Mind. This Mind is the Being and Activity of Christ. We each are a neuron in this Universal Mind. We are words of the Word. Our small contribution serves the whole precisely in being true to itself.
Humbleness, therefore, allows us not only to honor our part, but see our part dignified in its own right and its loving all others precisely through the self-giving that is true to all others by being itself.
Now, possibly, we can see the noble virtue of humbleness as expressing Love. As de Chardin reminds us, in action, here-and-now, we love God. Indeed, we connect to God in the most humble task faithfully done. So, acting is loving, while loving is acting. Every act, true to position and role, is sacramental and means of Grace, joining us to the Divine and all others-in-Love.
We are, consequently, being and becoming Holy Communion. This Holy Communion is Love, for It is Holy Connect-ing.
Suggested Reflection
What do you see as your place and contribution to the Communion?
Do you ever struggle to stay within your space in the larger whole?
What does it mean to say: Love is connection?
Brian is available to respond to requests pertaining to seeking a Spiritual Mentor, his speaking, leading classes, workshops, or retreats. See any major on-line bookseller for his book An Ache for Union.
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