Original Sin and Our True Destiny
I
Any true evaluation of our ordinary life will unveil a sea of chaos within us and our common life in society. There are patterns of irrationality, confusion and all manner prejudices and distorted reality that we accept as the human condition. Our lives are influenced by illusion and self-deception. The “Dear Abby” type of advice columns will never run out of customers. Likewise, the United Nations Security Council will always have situations of violence to consider. In the midst of all these personal and social struggles, a simple, dominant truth remains. We live in God and God lives within us. Our sinful condition leads us to neglect, if not totally forget, this most fundamental truth that we are made in the image of God.
Thomas Merton, a Trappist monk who was one of the great spiritual teachers in the 20th Century North America, stressed this truth of our oneness with God. He said we act as if we are pursuing this sense of being one with God. In fact, we already possess this oneness but we are blind and negligent of this because of Original Sin. We have to grow in awareness of the depth of our sinful condition and its consequences of how we experience reality.
The “Fall” that we inherit from our first parents has profound and extensive repercussions for all of us. We live in a world where disunity and separation are the strong inclination of the human heart. The patterns of division between “us” and “them” are innate and constant inclinations for all of us. Disputes in the church choir and antisemitism seem to never end. White supremacy and blaming the poor are staples of our sinful condition. Alienation and isolation are also the product of our sinful heritage. Our world is dominated by illusion and bias under the guise of common sense understanding of reality. The fact is, however, what is truly real is hidden by all of these deceptions. Our situation demands a transformation of consciousness to deliver us from the layers of lies we inherit from Original Sin. This transformation of consciousness is a process of enlightenment flowing in good part from deep personal prayer.
This is why we need a sincere commitment to personal spiritual growth through prayer. This spiritual activity invites us, slowly but steadily, into the awareness of the reality of our union with God. This is our calling, to be people pursuing the love that will set us free. It is always a struggle because of our captivity in the continual deception of our sinful condition. We must remember this axiom: the grace of God is in the struggle. Our destiny Is to be one with God. Deep personal prayer is one of the most significant means to achieve this divine destination. It is, indeed, the great treasure we must sell all to buy and embrace God’s plan for us.
Thomas Merton, a Trappist monk who was one of the great spiritual teachers in the 20th Century North America, stressed this truth of our oneness with God. He said we act as if we are pursuing this sense of being one with God. In fact, we already possess this oneness but we are blind and negligent of this because of Original Sin. We have to grow in awareness of the depth of our sinful condition and its consequences of how we experience reality.
The “Fall” that we inherit from our first parents has profound and extensive repercussions for all of us. We live in a world where disunity and separation are the strong inclination of the human heart. The patterns of division between “us” and “them” are innate and constant inclinations for all of us. Disputes in the church choir and antisemitism seem to never end. White supremacy and blaming the poor are staples of our sinful condition. Alienation and isolation are also the product of our sinful heritage. Our world is dominated by illusion and bias under the guise of common sense understanding of reality. The fact is, however, what is truly real is hidden by all of these deceptions. Our situation demands a transformation of consciousness to deliver us from the layers of lies we inherit from Original Sin. This transformation of consciousness is a process of enlightenment flowing in good part from deep personal prayer.
This is why we need a sincere commitment to personal spiritual growth through prayer. This spiritual activity invites us, slowly but steadily, into the awareness of the reality of our union with God. This is our calling, to be people pursuing the love that will set us free. It is always a struggle because of our captivity in the continual deception of our sinful condition. We must remember this axiom: the grace of God is in the struggle. Our destiny Is to be one with God. Deep personal prayer is one of the most significant means to achieve this divine destination. It is, indeed, the great treasure we must sell all to buy and embrace God’s plan for us.
This is what Merton was stressing when he said that what we are seeking is what we already are: united with God. We need to be purified and transformed to be both enlightened and energized to achieve this true destiny.
