When is Enough Enough?

When is Enough Enough? An interesting question, isn't it. I am sure most of us can find good reasons for doing something, or purchasing something, that catches our attention. Or as Gerard Manely Hopkins once noted: “the dearest freshness that exists in all things”.

The Psychoanalyst Erik Erikson once said that the deepest act of love is not helping or service, (or buying more stuff), but “learning to live mindfully in the present moment”— and that might sound simple until you try to put it into daily practice!

Or as Elaine Wainwright has noted, Jesus also encouraged us to be “on our guard against all kinds of greed”. The reason Jesus gave was that “our life does not consist in the abundance of our possessions”.

Hmmm. I wonder how you respond to that? And anyway — who decides when “enough is enough?

Or as Pope Francis once advised: “Humans must not place themselves at the centre of things and organise everything for their convenience. ” The reason he gave was because: “We cannot presume to heal our relationship with nature and the environment without healing all fundamental human relationships”.

Wow! That sounds like a huge commitment! Even more so when you read St John of the Cross (1542-1591) who suggested the actual way we can move from one stage to another stage in our life will usually only occur when we experience some form of wounding, failure, or darkness (which he referred to as a “Dark Night of our Soul”). He went on to suggest that for most people, this will not occur until we experience some crisis that forces us to deal with our own conflicts and struggles.

Richard Rohr suggests that this is a reason why Jesus praised faith even more than love.¹ He also recommends that most people need to find a mentor, or wise person, who has made this journey for themselves, because having made the journey, they are better able to teach and guide others through these rough waters. However, such wise mentors are not always easy to find.

As I have mentioned once before in these blogs, one way I have found helpful was suggested by Denise Levertov in her poem, “The Conversion of Brother Lawrence”. Her poem refers to a 17th-century monk who made a choice to seek to live always in the present moment with an open attitude of gratefulness, regardless of all that was happening around him. Her poem includes these lines:

Everything faded, thinned to nothing,

beside the light which bathed and warmed,

the Presence your being had opened to.

Where it shone, there life was,

and abundantly,"it touched your dullest task,

and the task was easy.

Joyful, absorbed, you 'practiced the presence of God

as a musician practices hour after hour their art:

'A Stone before the carver',

you entered into yourself'. 

I find practising being open to God's presence is an ongoing conscious choice. The more I do this, the more I discover the 'dearest freshness that exists in all things', however challenging or stressful the current situation may be.

Kia mau te rongo me te pai ki a koe i to haerenga

May you find peace and goodwill on your journey.

Phil

__________________

l. Luke 12: I5

2.'Laudato Si' Summary, Chapter 3 — 'Living Laudato Si'

3.See Rohr, ''A Spring Within Us'' p 46-47

                                                          Mid Winter Journeys

"The longest life may fade and perish, but one moment can live and become immortal."

These words were written by Theodore Powys, a British novelist and short-story writer. I found it an interesting comment as I came to write this Blog, because I am sure we all have had significant moments which still stand out for us. They may have changed us and challenged us, and even changed the orientation and path of our life.

I raise this comment for several reasons. Partly because it occurs in the Gospel reading set for this month. It occurs in the Gospel story of a Jewish theological expert who wanted to test Jesus' knowledge of their scriptures. He opened his dialogue with the question, “What must we do to inherit eternal life?”(1)

I am not sure what sort of answer you would have given to such a question. I think Jesus perceived the man's intent was to test him because he was a well-trained expert of their sacred scriptures. Rather than answer the question, Jesus gently deflects it by asking him what answer was found in their sacred Scripture? The man promptly replies by quoting Deuteronomy 6:5:

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul,

and with all your strength and with all your mind.”

Luke's Gospel has him add another quotation from Leviticus 19:18

“You shall love your neighbour as yourself”

Jesus applauds the man's answer and suggests he should go and practice these two commandments!

However, that wasn't the sort of answer the Official wanted to hear. I suggest he hoped to show that Jesus was an ignorant heretic and should be condemned, if not stoned to death! (We might say, “Round one to Jesus!”).

The Official, however, wasn't finished. As a Jewish leader, he was well-versed in arguing points of law and theology. He asks Jesus a second (trick) question: “Who is my neighbour?”(2).

Jesus responds by telling a story about a Jew who had been set upon, robbed, and left to die on the side of a road. The first opportunity for help to arrive was when two Jewish religious leaders came by. Both men saw the injured man but chose to ignore him lest they also are set-upon by whoever had attacked the man and left him there to die.

However, when a Samaritan happened to come by, he stopped, gave the wounded Jew as much medical help as he could offer, and then placed him on his own animal and walked him to an Inn where he would be safely looked after. But before the Samaritan left the Inn, he also paid the innkeeper to care for the injured man.  When he returned, he promised to meet any additional costs incurred.

Jesus ends his story by asking which of the three men was a neighbour to the injured man? and suggests we also should be willing to help whenever we see someone in need.

This familiar Gospel story was generated by a simple but profound question:  “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” It was asked by an intellectually astute Jewish leader. Jesus would have known the man would give the orthodox reply and suggests that if he put into practice what he said, he would find life more meaningful.

I am not alone in noting that Luke's version of this parable has also added Jesus' command “You shall love your neighbour as yourself”– as found in Mark 12:31. This was a unique addition, even though it overrides the historical enmity that existed between the Jew's and the Samaritans.(3) 

However, as I reflected again on this familiar story in the context of my opening quote by Theodore Powy, I find I am also challenged on my winter journey, to be aware of those who would benefit from my support; and also to appreciate that I  am blessed as I journey through these cold and darker days of winter.

Kia mau te pai ki a koe I to haerenga

May you find peace and goodwill on your journey.

Phil

1. Luke 10:25

2. Luke 10:29

    3. See The Five Gospels Translation and Commentary R.W. Funk R.W. Hoover p 324