Monday, August 19, 2013

Resurrection


"Yes, it is always a difficult, a dark word that scarcely can be tolerated by our ears — that word “resurrection.” That is to say, it is not necessarily hazy. What it really means is clear — too clear, plain — only too plain. It means what it says: something mighty, crystal-clear, complete. It signifies: that the world, that is life with its imprisonments and tragedies of sorrow and sin, life with its doubts and unanswered questions, life with its grave-mounds and crosses for the dead, a unique enigma, so immense that all answers are silent before it. Nothing, absolutely nothing can one do to stop it; everything is too insignificant to fill up this vacuum. Admit it; it negates everything; there is no way out! There might be the possibility of a miracle happening — no, not a miracle, but the miracle, the miracle of God — God’s incomprehensible, saving intervention and mercy, the all-inclusive renewal that leads from death to life that comes from him, God’s creation-word, God’s life-word — and that means resurrection from the dead! Resurrection, not progress, not evolution, not enlightenment, but what the word means, namely a call from heaven to us: “Rise up! you are dead, but I will give you life.” That is what is proclaimed here, and it is the only way that the world can be saved take away this summons, and make something else of it, something smaller, less than the absolute whole, less than the absolute ultimate, or less than the absolutely powerful, and you have taken away all, the unique, the last hope there is for us on earth." 
-- Karl Barth, “Jesus is Victor.” In “Come Holy Spirit,” p 148-50.

6 comments:

  1. Hello Beth !

    Thank you for this wonderful post. Please keep on posting. As a deacon I preside at many wake services - this really is the only message I can give - that Jesus is Victor. He has destroyed death forever.

    I just finished the book Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas.(excellent book) Karth Barth had a strong influence on Bonhoeffer.

    Thanks for all the pics of the Abbey - I do intend to go sometime for retreat.

    God bless !

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    1. I love Bonhoeffer, Brian. Something so solid (German?) about him.

      I've been fantasizing about going to the Snowmass monastery for some time, but my expectations are so high I wonder if it would not be a disappointment. Trying to stay with the opportunities that present themselves to me ...

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  2. Why not enlightenment?
    Especially as all of this is Conscious-Feeling-Light!

    Happiness is the Conscious Light of the World!

    Four stanzas titled When the Body Is Full of Light - or "resurrected" from the dreadfully sane dark vision that misinforms our entire "culture".

    Mindless embodiment.
    Consciousness without inwardness.
    Thus It becomes Obvious.

    Every object is only Light, the Energy
    of Consciousness.
    Even so, there is no mind.
    Only this stark embodiment, without inwardness.

    First transcend the (spirit-killing) mind, not the body.
    Inwardness is flight from Life and Love.
    Only the body is Full of Consciousness.

    Therefore, be the body-only, feeling into Life.
    Surrender the mind into Love, until the body
    dissolves in Light.
    Dare this Ecsatasy, and never be made thoughful by
    birth and experience and death.

    Three related references on En-LIGHT-en-ment and/or intrinsic Happiness
    http://www.consciousnessitself.org
    http://www.dabase.org/Reality_Itself_Is_Not_In_The_Middle.htm
    http://www.beezone.com/AdiDa/Aletheon/dreadedgomboo/chapter1.html

    Three references on the suppression of feeling-ecstasy by the spirit-killing left-brained mind - and its dreadfully dark cultural consequences.
    http:www.beezone.com/AdiDa/dreadedgomboo/chapter1.html
    http://www.beezone.com/AdiDa/jesusandme.html
    http://www.adidamla.org/newsletters/newsletter-aprilmay2006.pdf

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    1. Sounds good, Anonymous. I'm doing an online course on WELCOMING PRAYER and can relate to the "be the body-only, feeling into Life". I'm finding that there is much cross-pollination between the contemplative practices. Having a hyper active left brain, I need it all. THANKS.

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    2. My problem with enlightenment is that it leads me into another place of ego affirmation. I have to bypass that with: There is no such thing as enlightenment, there is only this, here.

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    3. btw, I am an ardent follower of Eckart Tolle, who, I believe, says much of what the you (Anonymous) and other spiritual teachers say about enlightenment. Consciousness being conscious of itself. I like Tolle's neutral language - he doesn't get bogged down in words that carry a lot of weighted meaning or spiritual connotation, even though I'm fairly comfortable with the Western monastic language. Others are not, and I understand that. If I were not more trusting of the Western monastic tradition, I would probably have to stick with more neutral and New Age teachers, some of whom I don't trust at all. In my life of seeking, I've come to be very particular about who I can listen to (much less follow), and I need some context and history.

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