"Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom my soul delights. I have sent my spirit upon him, he will bring fair judgment to the nations." --Isaiah 42:1
Richard Rohr's Daily Meditation
Jesus Washing Peter's Feet (1852-56/detail), Ford Madox Brown, Tate Gallery, London
Jesus Washing Peter's Feet (1852-56/detail), Ford Madox Brown, Tate Gallery, London    
Jesus: The Servant
The Great Turnaround
Tuesday, March 10, 2015  

Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom my soul delights. I have sent my spirit upon him, he will bring fair judgment to the nations. --Isaiah 42:1

 

This is the first of Isaiah's "servant songs," foreshadowing Jesus' baptism in the Jordan River. Directly following his baptism, the Spirit sent Jesus into the desert for his own initiation rite (deliberate exile from business as usual, fasting, temptation, and then encounter). From this experience Jesus went into Galilee and proclaimed: "The time has come! The reign of God is here! Turn around and believe the good news!" (Mark 1:15).

 

The rest of Jesus' life--his ministry, passion, and death--would be dedicated to teaching and living out this good news, which is for all of us a great turning around. It is even a turning "upside down" (Acts 17:6) of the usual Promethean attempts to climb up to God. It seems we cannot allow God to come down to us (which is the meaning of the Incarnation); we think we have to climb up to God by Herculean efforts and will power to show ourselves as superior, separate, pure, and saved. That's the ego's need to feel significant and "worthy." But we are already worthy, and it doesn't have anything to do with our efforts. A sincere "yes" to our inherent dignity is all that's needed every day. The True Self is worthy by virtue of its objective union with a loving, merciful God from the moment of our conception.

 

Such good news is always and forever too good to believe. The only ones who "got it" in the Bible were those who desired it desperately, those who suffered and/or were outside the usual systems of success: the excluded sinners, the disabled, the gentiles, the lepers, all of whom were aware of their powerlessness and utter need for social mercy. Of course, the freedom and inner authority that this empowerment gave was a threat to the power and the job security of the comfortable church and state. And this pattern has not changed. Today it takes the same form, for example, in the United States' refusal of immigration reform and resistance to health care for all.
Adapted from The Great Themes of Scripture: New Testament, p. 37 (published by Franciscan Media);
and The Path of Descent (CD, MP3 download)
Gateway to Silence
The way down is the way up.
The Center for Action and Contemplation is proud to cosponsor a gathering for contemplative lovers of stories and light.

 

Movies and Meaning: A Dream Space

Thursday, May 28-Sunday, May 31, 2015

Albuquerque, New Mexico

 

You are invited to a new and unique event:

 

Films curated by Gareth Higgins, founding director of Movies and Meaning and the Wild Goose Festival

 

Conversations with Richard Rohr and special guests at the intersection of contemplation, activism, art, and transformation

 

Receive 10% off registration when you use coupon code CAC2015

 

 Visit moviesandmeaning.com/festival for more information and to register. 

 

Please visit moviesandmeaning.com/festival for full details and registration. As Movies and Meaning is not a CAC event, CAC is unable to assist with registration details.

CAC is seeking extraordinary individuals interested in carrying forward our nearly 30-year history of helping people discover their unique vocation in service to the world. We're looking for someone to steer CAC's branding and communications as well as two individuals to provide administrative support. Would you like to join us? Visit cac.org/job-openings to learn more!
2015 Daily Meditation Theme

Richard Rohr's meditations this year explore his "Wisdom Lineage," the teachers, texts, and traditions that have most influenced his spirituality. Read an introduction to the year's theme and view a list of the elements of Fr. Richard's lineage in CAC's January newsletter, the Mendicant.  

Did someone forward this message to you?

 

You are receiving this message because you subscribed to the CAC's email list. You can unsubscribe or update your preferences using the links at the bottom of this message. If you would like to change your email address, please visit our Email Subscription FAQ page for more information.
   

Please do not reply to this email. For more info about: 

CAC Bookstore, visit store.cac.org.

CAC Conferences and Webcasts, visit cac.org/events.

Online Courses, visit cac.org/rohr-institute-online-education.

Making a donation, visit cac.org/support-cac.

Living School, visit cac.org/rohr-inst.

Help with Daily Meditations, email techassist@cac.org.


 Copyright � 2015 Center for Action and Contemplation

cac.org