Imbolc Valentine Moon
Reimagining my faith, as I understand now, lies in the synthesis of the work here on the vegetable garden, the orchard, the flowers, the woods, the bees and the Great Work. The work set out by Thomas Berry in his book of that name. The great work for our generation is to create a sustainable path for human presence on the planet. The carbon loading information alone makes this both true and necessary.
Placing my faith in the praxis of work at home and in the political world means it is incarnational and immanent in nature, key for me. Incarnational means the sacred has no meaning apart from the corporal, the material world. Immanent means it is not about the transcendent, but about the here and now.
And that’s enough. Almost. There are though the mystical, the emotional aspects of the life of faith. They were once deeply important for me. And I miss them. Liturgical music, contemplative prayer, the sense of mystery and profound depth. Not transcendence, never a God or a power above, but the calm strength of the Ave Maria or a session of lectio divina or a quiet meditation sinking into the inner chapel. The emotional resonance of these familiar, ancient practices still speak to my soul, but the metaphysical structure which validated them has crumbled and fallen away.
(Thomas Cole, Expulsion From the Garden)
Just noting this, not sure what to do with it, as I have not been for the last 20 some years. Perhaps a new path will open for me that includes these things. Or, perhaps I will have to create one of my own. Might be part of the task of reimagining faith.
