(Lk 11:27-28)
The false self is shorthand for our tendency to seek security for ourselves. It will grasp on to anything to get what it wants. Religion is intended to open us to God. But we can use it to bolster our own self-image. There was nothing wrong with what the woman in the crowd called out in our Scripture text, but Jesus took the opportunity to point out that, rather than claiming a physical relationship with him, it was far better to hear the word of God and keep it. Jesus said in another place that it is pointless to call him, “Lord, Lord” and not do what he tells us. (Luke 6:46)
What matters then is not the fact that we call ourselves Christians, but how we actually live day and day out. Authentic prayer will have an effect on how we act and react. Usually the effects will not be dramatic, but it is more like the constant drip of water on rock; eventually the water will wear the rock away. Gradually our motives will be laid bare. Why do we pray? Some people meditate in order to relax, or for other physical or psychological benefits. Prayer, on the other hand, is a relationship with God. We are attracted by what we get out of it, but these pleasant feelings sooner or later dry up. I have already mentioned (in reflection 9) the teaching of Saint John of the Cross on the ’dark night’, or at least the first part of it. If we are serious about the relationship with God, our motivation will soon be challenged. The purpose of this is not to punish us in any way, but to help us grow up. God weans us off the spiritual milk to give us solid food, and for a while we will not be too happy. It is as if the light has gone out, and we cannot see the familiar object around us. It takes a while for our eyes to adjust to the lack of light and for us to get used to change of diet.
On the spiritual path our motivation will gradually be purified so that we will not be subtly seeking our own benefit instead of allowing God to accomplish his will in and through us. We should not be too quick to insist that our motivation is completely pure. I think that it is probably completely purified in the passage to eternal life. Until then, we have to struggle with our human nature, and the selfish element in every person to seek our own benefit even in the holiest pursuit. On the way of prayers, great honesty is required as we will be shown where our motivation is not quite pure. However, we have to exercise the humility, which simply means to know and accept the truth about ourselves in order to accept that we are not as holy as we secretly thought. We have to listen and be on watch as God will reveal us to ourselves in different ways. It may come in a comment from someone. Our initial reaction might be to reject outright what has been said, but if we can look at the comment honestly as a later stage, perhaps there is an important message in for us.
My reflection:
When we enter into the Gospel message of Jesus, we are moving into a new world. In this new world, what seems to be is not, and what is not, seems to be. Of the many contradictory statements, here are a few: the first shall be last and the last first; to save your life you need to lose it; the true leader is the servant and the washer of feet; blessed are the poor.Today’s Scripture passage is a clear expression of these common reversals in Jesus’ teachings. In part, Jesus is pointing out the true blessedness of his Mother. Her openness to God and faithfulness in all things are her true source of holiness despite her intimate physical connection to Jesus.
Chalmers continues his musing on prayer and Carmelite spirituality. He shows that the false self is a source of many problems on our journey to God. The fundamental task on this spiritual pilgrimage is to put God at the center. When this happens, we gradually see ourselves in a truly different light. This is the difficult and wondrous process of getting to know ourselves.
Moving away from our selfish perspective helps us to put God at the center. This change leads to a total transformation of how we experience life and the world. This is where all the reversal teachings of Jesus begin to make sense.
This is where we slowly see how the first will be last. We come to a point of experiencing the log in our eye. We truly understand that it is better to serve than to be the center of attention and the recipient of others service and esteem. When we truly accept the reversal message of Jesus, we are on the road to be blessed.
The movement in our heart and mind to put God at the center is the gradual death of the false self and the slow but beautiful evolution of the true self. This transition happens when we accept and recognize Jesus as the way, the life and the truth.
Mary was blessed because her humility opened her to assent to God as the center and herself as the humble handmaid of the Lord. Prayer was the driving power of her growth. At Bethlehem, Luke tells us, “Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.” (Lk 2:19)
Deep, personal prayer is also our gateway into the transforming encounter with God. Thomas Merton highlighted two points in his definition of prayer: a personal understanding of God’s word along the knowledge of God’s will and the intention to make this new light the source of our moving from the false self to the true self.
