Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not “mine”. Galatians 2:20 TM
I imagine we all have some degree of awareness. I choose ‘awareness’ rather than ‘experience’ because the latter has much more varied usage. Mary experienced meeting the gardener, but she was not aware that it was the risen Christ the one she was seeking. Cleopas on his journey experienced being joined by a stranger, but he was not aware it was Christ commenting on scripture. Paul was suddenly dazed on the same Damascus road by a blinding, flash of light, but he was not aware it was Christ, “Who are you, Master?” he asked. I wonder how frequently we are unaware Christ is with us.
Stories about Jesus and other spiritual giants have made us aware of their place in history. Christmas cards are an annual reminder of the public interest in Jesus. Our calendar and the continued existence of his Church places him on a world scale. Some have attended university, or entered a monastery to research more information about Jesus, but such studies may only lead to a degree of awareness which has little direct influence on the meaning of life and way they live. The conclusions of biblical scholars and theologians, the creative genius of artists and sculptors, and the poetic imagination of writers has provided us with many images of a Christ disconnected from our personal longing for a realistic awareness of his presence and divine love within us, and his inherent power to change our daily lives.
I have the ability to read gripping accounts of what living exposed to nature in dangerous and pleasant conditions is like. I receive photographs and videos of stunning scenes which stimulate the desire to visit and explore foreign places. However, without travel or expense I look through my window and see the beauty of sky and garden. I sit on the verandah with an open door to hear the sound of birds and feel the gentle breeze, but only when I step outside does the sheer volume of outside space surround me, encompass and impress itself upon me with a realistic awareness neither story, photo or video could ever do. The ambiance, immensity, variety of life, sound, shape and colour lift my mind to different level of awareness not experienced in account or picture. Is it possible that such a level of awareness of Christ’s presence can be experienced by you and me; enfolding us, penetrating us, lifting us into a consciousness of divine luminous feelings of saturation and oneness -beyond the frosted glass of usual vision. Many have lived half their life without that happening. Some, much older, wonder if it could still happen to them, or is it only for a select few? The possibility of a deep, warm union alive with light haunts them.
The truth is it is not available on demand. We cannot ‘get’ it by self-effort, neither can we ‘give it’ to someone else. There is no password to give us immediate access. Brian McLaren thinks it would be dangerous if it was available ‘on tap’. ‘There is something about it that needs to be powerful without exercising power, persuasive without backing people into a corner to force feed them’ the truth. The element of human choice and response is inviable. The key, it seems, is openness, clearing the channels and space within us. When our inner space is cluttered with other sounds, activities, obsessive attention to cell phone, computer games or digital chatter there is little chance of any awareness. Where these are off key with Christ, awareness is unlikely to happen. How can it if contrary personal attitudes, painful incidents, unhappy relations, or resentment occupy the mind? We have commitments and responsibilities to fulfill at work and home. When not concentrating on such activities we play videos in our mind during our unoccupied time. The mind never stops working, thoughts, images, memories flit across the screen; accompanied by a constant inner ‘noise’. Creating the illusion we are separated from God. Thomas Merton commented, ’Life is simple: we are living in a world that is absolutely transparent and the divine is shining through it all the time. This is not just a nice story or fable, it is true.’ Sadly we don’t catch sight of the divine light because our mind is playing and replaying mental videos fashioned by our self.
Stillness and silence erase our pattern of mental habits and open our heart – center to an awareness of Christ’s presence. He is always there as promised. Faith plays a significant part, for ‘we must believe that he is’. Imagination creates unreality or fantasy, not awareness. It is the work of the Spirit within which prepares the conditions for a realistic awareness of Christ to break in upon us. We can be open to an awareness of his presence in nature it all its moods, light on trees, starlit heavens, a common flower, stunning scenes and beautiful mornings; also in people, acts of kindness, justice, compassion, gentleness, joyous expressions, gracious warm heartedness, the light of welcome and recognition in the eyes and smile; our eyes and ears are his gifts for sharpening our awareness to a realistic, Christ centered observation of life. For Paul, just to live, simply to be alive, was Christ. ‘I’m in the very presence of God- oh, how refreshing it is! I made Lord God my home. ‘Psalm 73:26 TM.