Click here to read this conference online.

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Questions for Reflection and Discussion

1. What questions or comments do you have about this conference?

2. Have you ever experienced times of deep loving, wisdom, or clarity of perception? Can you see how these could be understood as cosmic experiences of Christ?

Where cosmic love works through the will and feels compassion for the whole universe, and cosmic wisdom works through the mind to enable comprehension of the ways of God, cosmic awareness seems to be a special kind of �seeing� or perceiving through the senses.

Take, Lord, receive ... all my liberty
my memory
understanding
my entire will

Transform my understanding with faith
Transform my memory with hope
Transform my will with love

For it is
faith that turns knowledge into wisdom
hope that turns memory into awareness
love that turns willfulness into willingness

cosmic wisdom appears as earthly folly
cosmic awareness appears unaware of contradiction
cosmic love appears utterly forsaken
in sublime paradox, though,
the unseen & ineffable birth visions & truths
anamnesis births the now
compassion ministers its consolation to the minister

Thus
intuition marries reason
eternal betrothes temporal
self-emptying kenosis is wed to utter fullness

Thus
fully invoking only because we have been convoked
fully humanized only by our theosis
fully divinized only by Another's incarnation

Taste and see
the wisdom, awareness and love
nowhere if not now here
Taste and see
the truth
beauty and
goodness of the Lord

That was very nice, JB. I was especially glad to see that this conference touched off some traditional ideas and themes for you. It's not altogether easy to share how we can participate in Christ's own cosmic/universal love, wisdom and awareness, but as I noted in the conference, I think most Christians have glimpses of this beatific state at times.

This final conference has literally left me speechless. As rich food, it needs to be absorbed and digested in stages. My ruminating was detained by out-of-town company, and now I am ready to do some serious tasting. As I look at all the parts I have highlighted, my mother's reminder comes to me, "don't talk when your mouth is full". So it is time to listen, to recall those moments -----to quote Phil, "where cosmic love works through the will and feels compassion for the whole universe, and cosmic wisdom works through the mind to enable comprehension of the ways of God, and where cosmic awareness seems to be a special kind of 'seeing'.....what is seen is the very same creation beheld before, but in a different way." Isn't it delightful how the Trinity playfully gives us experiences, and then provides a playmate named Phil who calls our attention to, and explains to us what we have experienced? The first I recall of what might be cosmic wisdom was during a conversation with a priest. I don't recall the subject matter, but I popped out with "His mercy is his joy." The priest was just as surprised as I was and gleefully affirmed it, neither of us having thought of that before. Speaker and listener connected. I had forgotten that, until this conference, and now whenever I perform a thought or action of mercy, I will recall that I am entering into the joy of the Lord. I must remember that and apply it when dealing with myself. It is possible that I post again before the end of Lent, but even if I don't, I will treasure all these conferences, especially this last one helping me to open to "foretastes of the beatific vision." "Taste and see the goodness of the Lord", the psalmist says. Though the taste itself is fleeting, I certainly can recall it with joy. A very Blessed Easter to all. As we live through the Paschal Mystery, let us remember that the rising always comes after the dying.
Nettie

This was a awesome conference. I am left wondering if I have ever had that cosmic moment. I remember in the star trek movie insurrection the scene were Picard and a lady from the planet are talking and all time stops and she called it the moment between moments. In 12 step feelings when I have shared I have felt a sense of relief but I am not sure that is the same thing as a cosmic encounter with God and Christ's love. There have been experiences in my life when I felt God was reassuring me or giving me the courage to face myself. Unfortunately most of my life has been spent running away from myself and ultimately from God's love.