Here, we are doing the work of the spirit, not the holy Spirit, rather the spirit-aspect of our tripartite being. Our work is to be in relationship with the Logos. Our model of church is that of Herald and is Institutional. Our model of ministry is that of preaching and of teaching, of catechesis and evangelization. Our spiritual heritage is that of the Dominicans, the Order of Preachers, for example. Our spiritual danger is that of dogmatism and of fundamentalism. Still, we nurture a strong identity. We are in relationship with the Creator Father. This is predominantly a masculine nature symbolized by the sun, characterized by ascent and grounded in the rational, disjunctive and metaphorical. One may think of the joyful mysteries and of the Word being announced as the angel of the Lord so declared unto Mary. This you will experience as sweetness and consolation. The story you tell is Our Story and its dangers are nationalism, exclusivism and radical conservatism. It is overly essentialistic.
Down came the rain And washed the spider out
Here, we are doing the work of the soul. Our work is to be in relationship with Eros. Our model of church is Sacramental. Our model of ministry is liturgical. Our spiritual heritage is that of the Benedictines and Carmelites, for example. Our soulful danger is that of ritualism and scrupulosity regarding rubrics; we can become aesthetes and quietistic. Still, we nurture a contemplative dimension. We are in relationship with the Spirit who prays in us. This is predominantly a feminine nature symbolized by the moon, characterized by descent and grounded in the nonrational, conjunctive and anagogical. One may think of Mary who pondered her life�s events in prayerful wonder, of her Fiat and her Magnificat. We pray that all may be done to us according to His Word. This you will experience as first fervor and romance. (How does this �washing out� part jibe with romance and first fervor? Think about it. Was it really a peaceful time? Or were you not rather being washed along by a current of hormones?) The story you tell is My Story and its dangers are nihilism, relativism and radical liberalism. It is overly existentialistic.
Row, row, row your boat Gently, down the stream Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily Life is but a dream
Here, we are doing the work of embodiment. Our work is to be in relationship with Ethos. Our model of church is that of Servant. Our model of ministry is that of service and social justice. Our spiritual heritage is that of the Jesuits, for example. We are in danger of pelagianism and a mere secular humanism. Still, we minister the corporal works of mercy and prophetically engage politics and economics. We are in relationship with the Incarnate Son. In the incarnational realization, masculine and feminine are reconciled, anima and animus flower in individuation. One may think of the sorrowful mysteries and of kenosis and pray: Let this cup pass, but not my will but yours be done. Into your hands I commend my spirit. It is in the bodily and earthly journey that spirit and soul can be married, where Psyche and Eros meet half way up the mountain to kiss and embrace. It is our bodies where the rational and nonrational, disjunctive and conjunctive, and metaphorical and anagogical are interfaced on a liminal threshold, which if broken open and entered into can lead us into the spiritual marriage of our spirit with His Spirit indwelling in our soul in the unitive life. Here the �new� covenant has become unilateral: They can�t be in relationship with Me without my Help, so I will dwell in their soul and therein betroth My Own Spirit, gifting them with my endless desire, my incessant longing. This you will experience as abandonment and aridity, for it is a dark night loving God in this new modality.
Out came the sun And dried up all the land And the itsy, bitsy spider Climbed up the spout again
If we have done the work of spirit and of soul and of embodiment, our work is now to remain in relationship to Sophia, holy Wisdom. Our model of church is trinitarian and communitarian, in the fullest sense, living the unitive life, fully reconciling the masculine and feminine, fully relating to Logos/Truth, Eros/Beauty and Ethos/Goodness. Our model of ministry is corporate as we share many gifts in the one Spirit and live out our diversity of ministries with a unity of mission. To an extent, I think the Franciscans model a church of the herald, preaching even to God�s creatures; also, a sacramental church with an emphasis on our roles as instruments of peace, love, pardon, faith; and as a servant church with an emphasis on evangelical counsels and Gospel precepts. We are in relationship to the Holy Trinity. One may think of the glorious mysteries and pray in contemplative silence, not with alternating waves of consolation and desolation as earlier on the journey, not with first fervor, but in a deep peace echoed in the old Celtic prayer and, with Julian of Norwich and the communion of saints, you�ll know that everything is exactly as it is supposed to be. This you will experience as paradox, holding together in creative tension, God�s own ecstasy, His own passion and death. Thus you will encounter the Uncollapsible Metaphor, your Resurrection, patterned only after His own passion, death and resurrection. The story you�ll tell is The Story, the greatest story ever told!
Truth be known, the spider keeps getting washed out of the spout. That�s the bad news. The good news is that the boat being rowed is a houseboat and the spider is getting washed down the spout of a gutter on that houseboat. The houseboat is rising, higher and higher, each time it rains. Each time the spider climbs back up the spout, it is thus scaling new heights with less and less effort �til, at last, the boat is stranded near the peak of Mt. Tabor where, you, the itsy, bitsy spider will pitch a tent with Moses, Elijah and Jesus, the Law, the Prophets and Gospel, in Truth, Beauty and Goodness with Logos, Eros and Ethos, the Sun and Moon and Earth and all those other jive nursery rhymes, greek Gods and timeless myths.
I thus close with a couple of quotes:
From the Moody Blues:
Face piles of trials with smiles. It riles them to believe that you perceive the web they weave.
And from Dan Fogelberg:
I have such moments so steady and strong. Feeling so holy and humble. The next thing I know I�m all worried and weak and feel myself starting to crumble. Love when you can. Cry when you have to. Be who you must; that�s a part of the plan. Await your arrival with simple survival. One day we�ll all understand. One day, we�ll all understand.
Well, I'm sure I'll never be able to have the same thoughts as I used to when I hear "Itsy, bitsy spider," a song I used to sing to my kids when they were little (yes, with the hand motions). That reflection tied together a lot of the discussions we've been having lately. I don't think you came off as a clone of the wise Fr. Rohr, but you gave us something much more unique--an analogy I don't think would ever have occurred to him.
