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John 3:16

Mar19

Today’s blog explores John 3:16, the scripture passage oft-quoted at sporting events and the focus of yesterday’s Gospel.  Is there a way to view this reading that eliminates the walls of separation and exclusion? 

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.

John 3: 16

The Trouble With 3:16

At first glance, this reading may seem harmless enough, but if we take the reading at face value, and listen to the typical interpretation of this reading (and its surrounding text), it kind of says, If you don’t proclaim Jesus Christ to be your personal Lord and Savior, you will perish and spend an eternity in hell.  I never really believed in this kind of exclusive arrangement anyway – that there is only room in eternity for Christians….specifically those in “good standing,” but after 20+ years of contemplation of scripture and study of not only Catholic theology, but of the teachings and practices of our Jewish, Moslim, Pagan, Hindu, Buddhist, Native American and Yogic brothers and sisters, I really have a problem believing that there is only room in “heaven” for those who proclaim Jesus Christ to be their personal Lord and Savior.    (For you Catholics out there, it might interest you to know that the Vatican II Documents support the possibility of heaven for everyone. So apparently this concept of exclusivity was problematic to the Vatican II Fathers as well.  YAY Vatican II!)  So in the past several years when John 3:16 would show up in the cycle of readings, I would either cringe or just close my ears and write it off as irrelevant.  That was until I discovered the work of Neil Douglas-Klotz.

Enlightment Through Translations

Among other things, Neil Douglas-Klotz is an author – specifically on the topic of bridging the gaps between Christianity, Islam and Judaism.  His work centers on a prayerful and more accurate translation of ancient texts which helps us to better understand the teacher/author’s intentions.  Two of his works especially have had a HUGE impact on my own spiritual journey and my relationship to Christian scripture:  Prayers of the Cosmos and The Hidden Gospel.  Thanks to these works, I have a broader and deeper perspective on The Lord’s Prayer, The Beatitudes and many of Jesus’ reported sayings and teachings.  I am grateful for the way in which Douglas-Klotz’s work has eliminated the separation and tension that I have often felt in the traditional viewings of scripture.  So, without further ado…..I offer to you today a different perspective on John 3:16 that arose out of my prayer and was supported by Douglas-Klotz’s work.  I hope that if you too have struggled with the separation often caused by the traditional interpretation of this reading that this new perspective will give you room to breathe.

John 3:16 – a New Perspective

 For God so loved the world that God planted within all of humanity a spark of Divine truth and the restlessness that compels them to seek this truth.

And God so loved the world that God made it such that all of humanity would have the ability to rediscover, cultivate and fully embrace this truth and come to the realization of their wholeness and their Oneness with God.

And God so loved the world that God called all of humanity Sons and Daughters of God and knew that some would discover this spark of truth before others. Those that discover and embody this truth would find relief from the suffering of the human condition; suffering that is the natural consequence of forgetting this truth.  Those that discover and embody this truth are called prophets and come from all walks of life, all cultures, races, genders, ethnicities, religious beliefs and sexual orientations.  Those who through this truth come to self-realization and self-actualization are then compelled to share this truth with others so that they too may be saved.

God so loved the world that God gave humanity the gift of free will so that they could decide if and when they are ready to discover and embrace this truth.  Those who are not yet ready to embrace this truth are no less saved than the rest, they are merely unripe.  For those who are not yet ready to embrace this truth, God lovingly and patiently awaits their ripening.  For those that believe in this truth in the same way that the prophets believe in this truth, experience heaven on earth - a life of abundant joy, peace, compassion and bliss.

God so loved the world that God gave humanity each other that they might remember this truth……and this truth is LOVE.

Lauri Lumby

Authentic Freedom Ministries

http://yourspiritualtruth.com

Remember the Love That You Are!

Ash Wednesday – Returning

Feb22

Even now, says the Lord,

Return to me with your whole heart.

Joel 2:12-18

A Lenten Invitation

I love the scripture passage above from the prophet Joel.  This is the first line of the first reading proclaimed during the Ash Wednesday mass….ushering in the annual observance of Lent.  I’m not sure there are any better words to describe what Lent can be for us – returning to God with our whole hearts!

Our Forgetfulness

We are a forgetful people.  In our choice to experience the human condition, we temporarily forgot our original state in Oneness with God.  We forgot the peace, the love and the joy that define our Origin in God and as such, we live in a state of fear.  This fear which arises out of our false perception of separation from God is what creates the suffering that we experience in the human condition.  Out of this fear, we behave in ways that are unloving, unkind, covetous, jealous, wrathful and unjust…and we suffer the consequences of these actions (not because God is punishing us, but because that is just the way things are).  In this state of fear, we often believe, “Life sucks and then you die,” or we project these fears onto God falsely believing that we have to earn our way back to “heaven” and that there is some magical formula (certain prayers, rituals, sacraments, acts of service, pentitential acts) that will get us back home.  The good news is that there is really only one things we need to do…..and that is to REMEMBER!

Returning and Remembering

I know this is easier said than done, but in order to reclaim our original nature as loving, peaceful, joyful creatures, all we need to do is to REMEMBER.  And the quickest way I have found to remember the love, the joy and the peace that we are is to turn to God.  Now, I don’t mean the head bowed in penitence turning to God….I mean the heart wide-opened, arms spread wide, joyful acceptance of the loving magnificence of God.  And, there are many tools to help facilitate this turning…..prayer, devotion, worship, meditation, contemplation, love making, being in nature, mindfulness, acts of service, singing and chant, listening to music, participating in creative endeavors.  All of these activities, when directed toward our returning to God, help us to Remember.  When we REMEMBER God as love…..then we also REMEMBER ourselves as love and we have accomplished what Joel invites us to do - return to God with our whole heart.

What Are You Waiting For?

While we can get to this business of remembering and returning anytime we wish, Lent is a great excuse for giving extra attention to this endeavor.  So, if you are interested in experiencing deeper peace, greater love and more joy in your life…..what are you waiting for?  If you don’t already have a spiritual practice….start one (See the new Tab on this Website – “Meditation tips” for help on getting started.) and if you have one already….do it more.

What activities are you already doing that give you peace, help you experience love or joy?

How are you being invited to utilize these activities as a spiritual practice with the intention of remembering your original nature as love, peace and joy?

How are you being invited to begin or deepen your existing spiritual practice?

Lauri Lumby

Authentic Freedom Ministries

http://yourspiritualtruth.com

The Pain of Perceived Separation

Sep30

In today’s blog, I explore the pain that we feel when we perceive that we are separate from the Divine (God), ourselves and from one another.  Along with this pain, I explore the remedy to that pain. 

During the Babylonian captivity, the exiles prayed,

“Justice is with the Lord, our God;” and we today

are flushed with shame, we men of Judah and citizens

of Jerusalem, that we, with our kings and rulers and priests

and prophets, and with our ancestors, have sinned in the Lord’s sight

and disobeyed him. 

Baruch 1: 15-18

The Pain of Perceived Separation 

In the scripture passage above, from the Hebrew prophet, Baruch, we get a glimpse into the hearts and soul of the Hebrew people as they suffered the shame of a kingdom overtaken and destroyed by the Babylonians and their resulting exile as political prisoners of their captors.  It was their perception that this time of conquest and exile was a punishment from their “sins” against God.  No longer believing in a vengeful, punitive God, I propose that there is another way to view this reading.  In a nutshell, the story of the Babylonian captivity represents for all of us a metaphor for the consequences of the human condition (stuff happens – including war, loss and captivity) and the pain that we feel when we have forgotten that there is an infinite source of comfort and peace and that is what some would call “God.”

What Happens When We Forget

Our natural state (which is described in metaphor as “the Garden of Eden”) is peaceful contentment and joy.  We know this state when we remember our Oneness with God, with ourselves, with eachother and with all of creation.  When we forget this Oneness (which is a natural result of chosing the human experience), we feel pain, longing, separation, guilt, remorse, sorrow, fear.  It is this pain of separation that the prophet Baruch describes in the shame of the Hebrew people.  Our personal experiences of this separation are no-less painful, fearful, seemingly threatening.

How to Remember

The good news is that remembering our Oneness and its natural state of peaceful contentment is easier than one might think.  Remembering this Oneness…as Eckhart Tolle so eloquently reminded us in his book, The Power of Now, is as simple as having an experience of peace, joy or love.  In Eckhart’s words, “When we know peace, when we know love, when we know joy….we are in the presence of God.”  I would take this one step further and say that “When we know peace, when we know love, when we know joy, we are remembering our ONENESS with God.”  I take it one step further because I believe that we are NEVER NOT in the presence of God….we just sometimes forget that we are.  In other words, THERE IS NOTHING that can separate us from God.  We just sometimes forget to see, know, experience, acknowledge, recognize the presence of God that is ALWAYS in our midst, in fact, it is within our very being…..ALWAYS!

Taking Time to Remember

The good news is that we DO have within our power, the capability of choosing to remember, recognize, acknowledge, experience this loving, peaceful, joyful presence of God.  And it is as simple as SEEING and BELIEVING.  And, when we take time out of our busy lives to be open to seeing where God might be present in our lives and within us, our ability to see and believe in the peaceful contentment that we are becomes EASIER and EASIER.  The invitation is:

  • To watch for the presence of God around us (in nature, life experiences, joyful happenings, excitement, joy, fun)
  • To set time aside to experience the presence of God within (through prayer, meditation, contemplation, spiritual practices)
  • To seek the presence of God in the people we meet, family members, friends, co-workers
  • To look for peace, joy, love, bliss, ecstasy, mercy in the human experience

This is where we find God……literally EVERYWHERE…..if we have eyes to see and a heart that can believe.

Lauri Lumby

Authentic Freedom Ministries

http://yourspiritualtruth.com

Woe is me, a sinner…..or NOT!

Mar10

In today’s blog, we explore the topic of “sin” and offer a new perspective which opens the door to profound and lasting healing, spiritually, emotionally, mentally and perhaps even physically.



Sin

I invite you to pause for just a moment and think of the word “sin”.  What images, feeling, thoughts, memories, etc. arise for you when you ponder “sin?”

  • Shame
  • Guilt
  • Images of an angry, wrathful, disappointed God
  • Fear
  • Recollections of Saturday afternoon confession
  • Hell
  • Frustration with being unable to stop some of your “sinful” behavior
  • More shame and more guilt

If you were raised in the Christian tradition, the above are most likely some of the things you associate with the word “sin.”  And if you were raised Catholic, the most prominent memory might be the requirement of attending confession and any memories associated with that ritual.  For me, sin was something that we were told we would be punished for – primarily by an angry God and if we did not confess our sins, we would go to hell after we died.  Then my thoughts go to the Saturday afternoon ritual of my Irish ancestors – 4:00 confession so they could receive communion at 6:00 mass, followed by a visit to the local tavern where the sinning would begin again.

Sin and Separation

Sin, I was taught is what separates us from God.  The image I get is of me facing God and every time I would sin, the ground beneath me would move backwards like those walking sidewalks at the airport and pull me further and further away from God.  This image of being pulled away from God left me feeling sad, ashamed and hesitant to look God in the eyes.  This definition of sin is founded upon the idea that we are separate from God and that God is judgmental and punitive and the chosen form of punishment is withdrawal…withdrawal of God and God’s love.

Sin and Perspective

Here’s the part I don’t understand……if Jesus really taught us that God’s love is unconditional, then how could anything we do cause God to push us away or to withdraw from us?  Is God really withdrawing?  Is God really pushing us away?  OR…..is this just how it feels and is it in fact, we who are withdrawing?  I have a sense that it might be the latter.  If we are really One with God as Jesus taught us and if there is nothing that can separate us from God or from God’s love…..then might we be invited to embrace a new perspective on the idea of sin?

Nothing to Punish

Here is my proposal on a new perspective on sin.  What if sin is simply a symptom of the unhealed perspective of separation within us?  If we are still living within the perception of separation from God (which Jesus would tell us is false), then we feel icky – primarily we feel fear.  This fear then drives our outward behaviors.   These behaviors might manifest themselves in various forms of:  gluttony, lust (power-over), wrath (resentment and revenge), envy, greed, sloth and pride.  It is these behaviors that we call sin. Sin, when viewed from this perspective, is nothing more than a symptom of something deeper that is calling out for healing.  Would God punish us for needing healing?  From this perspective on sin, the only one doing the punishing is ourselves as we continue to live in the false perception of separation from God.

Healing the fear that causes our “sin”

So, if we truly want to change our “sinful” behavior, then we need to be open to allowing our false perception of separation from God to be healed.  The good news is that this is really not such a daunting task.  Remembering our Oneness with God is available to us each and every moment of every day….if we just take the time to pay attention.  Here are some ways that we can remember our Oneness with God and thus heal our fears and our “sinful” behavior:

  • Take a walk in nature and observe BEAUTY and WONDER
  • Meditate, pray, contemplate
  • Sing, dance, let your body, your voice and your spirit soar
  • Practice mindfulness – pay attention to every moment, every action, every interaction
  • Be creative – cook, decorate, paint, sculpt, draw, make music, dance, knit, sew, etc.
  • Pay attention to where God might be present and active in your life
  • Observe synchronicity
  • Journal, write
  • Indulge in healthy, intimate relationships
  • Care for another person, mindfully…..how is God present in you, in the other, between the two of you?
  • Watch a movie and look for the higher, spiritual message.

God is everywhere….in everything….. we are NEVER separate from God.  Do we have the courage to know this and live the life God intended, a life of contentment, compassion and joy? HHHMMMMM  Sounds good to me!

What are your compulsive behaviors?

How are you being invited to explore these behaviors for the deeper fears causing them?

How are you being invited to be healed of these fears so that you can live in peace?

Lauri Lumby

Authentic Freedom Ministries

http://yourspiritualtruth.com

God as Me

Nov29

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EAT PRAY LOVE

This weekend I finally watched the Elizabeth Gilbert bio-epic, Eat, Pray, Love. I’ll be honest with you, I was resistant to seeing this movie and decided not to see it during its theater run.  I enjoyed the book but my judgmental self found Elizabeth Gilbert to be a little self-absorbed while my envious self sure wished someone would give me the money to take a year off after a divorce to travel the world to eat, pray and fall helplessly in love! Really! (BTW, If there are any philanthropists or publishers out there who want to give me a lump sum to take a year off after my divorce, I’ll be happy to accept it! :)   )  So, in spite of my previous resistance, I decided to suspend judgment and give Elizabeth Gilbert a second chance.  Not only was I pleasantly surprised, I truly enjoyed the movie.  Ok, it wasn’t Kundun or Amelie, but it proved to be a pleasant way to spend the evening, made me laugh, cry and provided a few spiritual gems along the way.   And, I just might watch it a second time.

 

Spiritual Gems

There were several spiritual gems of wisdom that spoke to me in watching Eat, Pray, Love. My favorite one (for today anyway) is this quote from the film spoken by Julia Roberts as Elizabeth Gilbert:

“God dwells within me, as me.”

Now just sit with that for a moment.  God dwells within you, as you!  For me, this is a profound statement.  Over the years, I have realized more and more profoundly the truth of our Oneness with God.   It is this truth that the greatest spiritual teachers have come to realize within themselves and in turn it is to this truth that they point us.  Jesus, Mohammed, Moses, the Buddha, Krishna, etc, etc, etc, all came to embrace and embody this truth.  We, in turn, are invited to do the same.  We are also invited to remember that through this Oneness, God dwells in us and seeks to live through us.  Big concepts, I know.  

 

God dwells as me!

But here’s the rub.  I can totally get the idea of Oneness with God.  I can also attempt to grasp the idea of God living in and through us.  But, God dwells as me? When I heard these words in the movie this weekend, it felt like somebody kicked down all the doors and windows of my perfectionism and let the sun shine in!  I’ve been moving through this idea of embracing Oneness with God as an invitation to conquer all my fears, compulsions, errors, faults, mistakes, etc. etc. etc.  I’ve been moving through this thinking, “In order to embrace this idea of Oneness with God, I have to rid myself of all the “bad” things within me.”  For me, that means getting rid of all the things I judge as faulty within me – negative emotions, depression, anger, rage, judgment, hatred, prejudice, impatience, frustration, sorrow, confusion, etc. etc. etc.  Going at it from this perspective has allowed me to continue to indulge my inner perfectionist – the one that thinks I have to be perfect in order to be loved and to be happy.  The idea of God dwelling within me, as me is giving me pause to consider another path.

 

Embracing me as me

What if God is seeking to live in and through me JUST AS I AM TODAY????  What if ALL THAT I AM is enough for God?  What if I could stop my relentless search for perfection and simply rest in me today?  What if this relentless search for perfection has been the obstacle to the peace that is my original nature as One with God?  HHHMMM  My head is spinning with the thought – God dwells within me as me – exactly as I am in this moment….and God just might be ok with that?  Now the question is, can I be?

 

Lauri Lumby

Authentic Freedom Ministries/Your Spiritual Truth

http://yourspiritualtruth.com


 

Set Your Focus on the Source of Peace

Jun23

I set the LORD ever before me;

with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.

Psalm 16: 8

 

The Psalm above reminds us that there is only one surefire cure to the anxiousness, worry and stress that “disturb” our peaceful contentment.  The cure for all that disturbs us in one thing and one thing only – God.   Now, before you run from the room screaming in fear that I am proposing that you fall on your knees before the “old man in the sky, please rest assured that the “God” I am referring to is vastly more infinite than any human attempts to define, constrict, control or manipulate.  “God” is merely a name that some give to the Divine Energy and Source that cannot be defined or explained.   For me personally, it is sometimes helpful to give a form and a face to this Transcendent Source, but I know that this barely scratches the surface of an energy that creates, transforms, guides, inspires, animates, expresses itself through us, heals, holds and ultimately loves and is the very nature of love itself. 

 

 

This Source, experience and expression that some call “God” is the Source from which we came.  In our human incarnation, we experience this Source as peace, love, contentment and joy.  We also experience this Source as inspiration, healing and lover.  It is to this Source that we long to return and it is in returning to this Source that we remember the love and peace that are our truest nature.  Returning again and again to this Source deepens our human experience of peace, heals our inner woundedness and strengthens us to endure the challenges of the human condition.  When we forget our Oneness with this Source, we experience fear, anxiety and longing.  When we hold our attention on this Source, we remember the love that we are. 

 

 

There are many ways that we can hold focused attention on this Source, thus cultivating peace and releasing fear:

Active Contemplation – invites us to continually seek the Presence and Action of the Divine in our everyday lives

Mindfulness – invites us to hold focused attention on our normal human activities, seeking the wonder of God in the simplest of actions – eating, doing laundry, playing with our children, gardening, etc.

Meditation – allows us to take time out of our busy lives to reflect on God

Contemplation – allows us to take time out of our busy lives to simply rest in God in the silent places within

Movement – mindful movement such as yoga, chi qong, tai chi, sacred dance and any form of exercise that allows you to hold your mind in rapt attention to the experience of the movement, etc. 

Chanting – allows us to offer praise to that which we call God in a way that brings us into a deeper state of peaceful contentment

 

As much as the Divine is infinite, so too are the number of ways that we can turn our attention toward this unconditional Source of peace.  How are you facilitating and cultivating peace in your own life?

 

Lauri Lumby

Authentic Freedom Ministries

http://www.authenticfreedom.net

 

The Divine Dwelling Among Us

Apr27

Last night in the gathering of the Authentic Freedom Contemplative Community, we spent time with the final chapter of the Book of Revelation.  Removing this text from the typical apocalyptic, fear-based interpretations allows us to see the light within.  In this final chapter, we are reminded of the benefits of remembering our Divine Source as the beginning, the end, the first and the last of our lives.  When we allow the Divine to be the center of our life and the pivot from which our life unfolds, we return to the paradise that was lost when we chose to forget this Oneness. 

Chapter 21 of the Book of Revelation reminds us that the Divine dwells among us and that when we recognize this truth, we shall realize a “New Earth.”  As we explored last night, the “New Earth” exists within each of us individually and has the potential for being made manifest on a macrocosmic level as well.  As we allow the New Earth to be realized within us, we now act as an inspiration for others to do the same. 

The question today is……..What can you do today to remember the Divine as the center of your life?  How can you begin to remember your Oneness with the Divine so that the New Earth may begin to be made manifest within your own being and in your life experience?