“…now it is just a matter of time till false power falls apart.” As I’m reading the final chapters of Richard Rohr’s The Universal Christ, the possibility of transformed consciousness, like the beauty of butterflies emergent from the dark cocoon, offers a ray of hope in this time darkened by blind hate, these dark nights when brothers and sisters are veiled by superficial differences from celebrating our connection, from living each moment knowing the essence that unites all of God’s creation. If only Love were to break through. Rohr tells of the transformation beyond the blinders of selfishness, fear, and oppression.
“I have witnessed much of this evolution of consciousness in my own small lifetime—toward nonviolence, inclusivity, mysticism, and ever more selfless love, as well as more correct naming of the shadow side of things. This is the gradual ‘second coming of Christ.’ Our present highly partisan politics, angry culture wars, and circling of the wagons around white privilege are just the final gasps of the old, dying paradigm.” (p. 198)
Transformation may be, perhaps always is, hard. Scary. The demanding tone comes through the spiritual teaching: “Die before you die.”
The creature that only knew caterpillar crawling unbelievably floats on angel wings.
Old consciousness has to surrender to knowings that had been impossible. Apparent opposites can be contained. “The people who hold the contradictions and resolve them in themselves are the saviors of the world. They are the only real agents of transformation, reconciliation, and newness” (Rohr, p. 148).
Almost impossible, and it would be if one had to do it alone. But the good news is that the Way is Love and Love is never alone. This transformed consciousness unites with the Creator in the creation. The Way demands that we love, that we love more deeply. Passion.
“In the practical order of life, if we have never loved deeply or suffered deeply, we are unable to understand spiritual things at any depth. . . They are [God’s] primary tools for human transformation.” (p. 207)
