Spiritual Nurture and Support for Contemplative Living
copyright The Sanctuary 2014.
You might think you would come upon it, covered with vines, a fairy castle overgrown with thorny roses, hidden in a magic valley or a mountain cleft. The thing about holy ground, twiddling its thumbs on the far side of some wilderness, is that it ought to be hard to get to. It ought to take some effort, require at least a torn and ragged treasure map, hard to decipher, a cryptogram or riddle. Or, how's this? Holy ground jumps you from behind with its hands around your throat and pulls you to itself until you, exhausted, say, "Uncle", or rather, "Lord.". And "I give up." Some say to find holy ground and its saving grace, one has to be a fugitive like Moses, on the lam, hiding some grim secret of murder or deceit. The ticket is, of course, our sin.
That is about the last way any of us want to gain entry. A lot of people have good intentions. They hear the call. They say they want to go.They make appointments, plans, promises. But they will not pay the price. This is what it costs: You have to give up seeing your failure, sin and inadequacies as cause for frustration or despair. You have to believe that God is more real and powerful and effective in your life than you are.
Entry to holy ground requires us to die to our trust in ourselves and turn aside from whatever we have been placing our sense of worth and security in to look at the great sight.
HOLY GROUND
- From Vol. 13
No. 3 Autumn, 2001
What Our Readers Say:
" Thank you for another fine and holy issue of Making Haqqodesh (Holy Ground)! It is a joy to receive such wisdom. I reviewed Gerald May's new book on the Dark Night last year, and your short article shows the same hopeful understanding. Topeka is so blessed to have you! Blessing and much peace," - Richard Rohr
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Please send us your quarterly newsletter – we use it for additional spiritual guidance which we greatly need at this time. " - Frank and Donna Bradley
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