Day 154, Evening
Today’s evening meditation is available below in audio and script formats. The audio version is also available for free download on the player.
Reading
“The primary problem is that our identities are too small. We tend to rely most on our smaller, cultural identities and ignore our larger, common identity as members of the body of Christ. Indeed, adopting a common identity is the key to tearing down cultural divisions and working toward reconciliation.”
—Christena Cleveland
Commentary
The dualistic mind, upon which most of us were taught to rely, is simply incapable of the task of creating unity. It automatically divides reality into binary opposites and does most of its thinking inside this limited frame. It dares to call this choosing of sides “thinking” because that is all it knows how to do. “Really good” thinking then becomes devising a strong argument for our side’s superiority versus another country, race, group, political party, or religion.
Humans are wired to scapegoat and project our shadow elsewhere. Being able to recognize our own negativity takes foundational conversion and transformation of the egoic self. Unitive consciousness—the awareness that we are all one in Love—lays a solid foundation for social critique and acts of justice. (CAC)
Stillness
As your day draws to a close, spend a few moments in silence and stillness, contemplating the unitive beauty of creation.
Prayer
Jesus, in your ascension you brought me into fellowship with the Father and the Holy Spirit, the eternal community of divine persons. May your church be one as you are one, and may that unity catch the attention of a broken world. Amen. (BC)
Abbreviations
BC The Belgic Confession
CAC The Center For Action & Contemplation
CD The Canons of Dort
CIB Church In Bethesda Prayers
HC The Heidelberg Catechism
NT The New Testament
OT The Old Testament
WC The Westminster Confession
WLB Eknath Easwaran’s, “Words To Live By”
WLC The Westminster Larger Catechism
WSC The Westminster Shorter Catechism