Belief

 I am forever running into people who say they were brought up this or that religion, but are now atheists or non-believers.  As they tell their story, they acted in very selfish and unloving ways in their past, well still unsettled in their beliefs about Deity or Power.  Then they tell how they recovered a better way of living, becoming much more loving but now a non-believer.  What they don’t believe in and used to believe in is God as an idea, a doctrine, dogma.  But they are now very loving and loyal people.  They believe in love, and God is Love, a verb and not a noun.  I also meet people who say they do believe in God, but are quite selfish and self-centered, focused on money, power, fame, themself.  An idea won’t make you a better, more loving person.  A Power, an energy, will.  

Beginner

 Some people chaff at the thought of being a beginner in some practice that would improve their life, the benefit of themself and others.  If they have been at a practice a long time they begin to think of themselves as some sort of adept, and better than.  Well, I try to avoid this.  What is the opposite of beginner?  Being at the end.  Do you really want to be at the end of anything.  Life is short enough.  

Sanity

 Do you or did you ever feel like you lacked sanity in your behavior?  And then you changed for the better?  Well that is what we call, “Going Sane.”  When I wake up in the morning I assume my fall back position will be insanity.  Left to my own devices, without a spiritual practice, God, Power greater than me, I will act insanely.  So I do things early, that are part of my spiritual practice and call it part of “going sane.”  It does not mean perfection.  That would be delusional.  Just staying out of my own way sometimes is sanity.  

Lubricant

What is your social lubricant?  That is, what do you use or feel you need to fit into a group situation, a social event?  It might be hair, clothes, fitness, alcohol, pill or powder, money, job or title.  If fitting in becomes full of too much anxiety you might soon make your lubricant a wedge that keeps you separate.  Instead of a drink, you get intoxicated.  A little perfume becomes everyone moving away from you or opening windows!  And so on.  Moderation separates lubricants from wedges.  Or maybe someday with inner work, you won’t feel the anxiety about fitting in.  And maybe the group was not for you in the first place.   

Gifts

It is said that giving a gift has a longer lasting feeling than receiving a gift.  I think this is so.  We are like children when we receive a gift.  We are excited and focused,  but then it passes quickly and we are on to the next buzz.  When you give a gift, the feeling last longer.  and gift giving is more mature spiritually than receiving.  It is why you don’t want people to marry too young while they see the relationship as what they can get.  It will fade all too fast.  Spiritual paths teach us to grow by learning to give, to be of service.  This is the maturity of one in recovery.  They are almost totally receivers in the beginning stages, but in time, if they are to deepen their recovery they have to learn to be of service.   

Baby Baptism

 I have done a lot of baby baptisms in my priesthood.  Squirming, crying babies is a great metaphor for what baptism is all about.  The baby is being taken out of its routine and whines about it, as do babies.  They want what they want when they want it.  Cold water on their body, fussing with their clothes is most inconvenient.  What a metaphor for the Christian way of life, the cross.  Baptism is seen by many as simply heavenly life insurance.  The way of the cross is buried.  Who would want baptism if they knew it was about sacrifice, overcoming your self-will, especially when it runs riot, being of service to others, selflessly, without whining?  For many, just going to a religious service once a week is way beyond their “busy” life.  It is the same in recovery.  If the newcomer knew what was needed down the road, they might just not bother to come in the door.  In recovery whining is acceptable for newcomers.  They are babies in non-addictive behavior.  The others, more mature in recovery, are of service to help the newcomer to grow up.  

Example

 Often I run into people who say that they changed churches or recovery meetings because the church or meeting did not have what they wanted.  It was not being done “the right way.”  So they find a place where everyone is pretty much like them.  So who witnesses the right way to those who are on the so called “wrong way?”  Rather than judge a group, I think, for me, I want to be of service.  So I go where people do things differently than I prefer.  By my manner and practice I am an example of a different way.  Is it uncomfortable? Yes. But then being of service is such.  For Christians, we are people of the cross, not the softer, easier way.