Jeremiah 29:11: For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future."

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Poverty that is the Adoration of God


Back from a few days with John at San Juan Capistrano. Time for long walks on the beach and time to read. Our idea of a perfect get away.

The following words, taken from Brennan Manning's book, The Ragamuffin Gospel, delighted me as I read them this week. May they bless you as well:

We see our darkness as a prized possession because it drives us into the heart of God. Without mercy our darkness would plunge us into despair - and for some, self-destruction. Time alone with God reveals the unfathomable depths of the poverty of our spirit. We are so poor that even our poverty is not our own: It belongs to the mysterium tremendum of a loving God. In prayer we drink the dregs of this poverty. In a sudden and luminous moment we realize that we are being accosted by Mercy and embraced even before we lay hold of ourselves. Not clinging to anything, not even our sinfulness, we come before Jesus with open hands. We drain the bitter cup of self-rejection when we disappear into the tremendous poverty that is the adoration of God.

5 comments:

baili said...

hello i got an award from one of my friend according to the rules i have to forward it to my favorites,and you also come in them, plz come and accept your award

J Curtis said...

Without mercy our darkness would plunge us into despair - and for some, self-destruction

All too true.

We are so poor that even our poverty is not our own: It belongs to the mysterium tremendum of a loving God.

I never really considered this but I guess he's right. Very insightful T.

Tracy said...

I had to look up mysterium tremendum -it means power or presence of a divinity. I'm reminded of when Jesus said in His sermon on the mount, recorded in Matthew 5:3,:"Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven". Eugene Peterson, in his paraphrase of the Bible, The Message, puts it this way: "You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule."

baili said...

hello thank you very much for accepting this award i am honored thanks again ,i saw your post full of deep truth, time alone with god purifies us and put away the all darkness so we can see the with its real meanings .pray is the best we need right now thanks .god bless you take care

Tracy said...

JD, because we left on Saturday, I forgot to inquire - how did your all day at prayer go on Saturday?

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