Work And The Spiritual

I'm tired. I had a long day of cooking gumbo after a long day of cooking gumbo yesterday. I am physically exhausted, but spiritually exhilarated. I feel God's presence all around me. I am a big fan of the mystical. I believe strongly that one should quiet the mind and seek that place within that is a gift of God's grace: His dwelling place in our hearts. I used to be less inclined to this kind of life, but I see now I was wrong, and that mystical practice is genuinely important. But mysticism must never be an end in itself, but a means to an end. I remain convinced that we encounter God every day in the very fabric of normal life. Hard work, and engagement with the world through service, must always be the primary route by which we seek to encounter God. Mystical practice helps us perceive the truth behind the daily struggles, to see the cosmic forces that are expressed in them. But the struggles themselves remain meaningful and real, and not illusory as some mysticism suggests.

And all around the world, every day men and women seek the face of their God in the grand and special experiences of life, when the true face of God passes them by, embodied within their brother in need, and the daily work of the world. Labor in the name of God, for the greater good is the very form of Christ's continued presence on earth. If we seek the mystical to the disregard of the everyday, we may discover the Holy Spirit within, but we neglect the suffering of our Lord Christ without. And that is to ignore the pain of God, which I have always maintained is so very important.

If you are having a hard time, go out and get the focus off yourself. If you want to see the face of God, seek Christ in your brother. Hard work will focus the mind and free the soul, and you will have better grist for the mill of internal struggle the next time you engage in your meditative practice. Engaging the world while maintaining a monastic attitude towards life is particularly hard, but I think supremely rewarding. Work hard and play hard, be silly and then labor on matters most serious, and the individual moments of your life will be come like a mosaic or puzzle, then when you relax in meditation what you will do is step back and be able to see the overall. It is in that moment you will see God, and have all the evidence you need that the path laid down by the Cross of Christ is true and rewarding.