Intimacy

I read this from Richard Rohr and want to pass it on:

The deepest understanding of human personhood is that we are a sounding through from Another Source. If you are afraid of intimate interface, you will never allow this or know its softening power. You will stop the process before it even begins and never know how it works its transformation on the heart, mind, and body. If human eyes are too threatening for you, start with a stone, work up to plants and trees, animals will be easier, and probably only then are you ready for humans, and finally for the divine gaze.

He does admit that some of us start with the "divine gaze" and work down.

The Gospel for today is the story of the Pharisee and the tax collector. Both went to the temple to pray. But it is the poor tax collector who stood at a distance and would not even lift his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, "O God, be merciful to me a sinner." He is the one whose prayer was pleasing to God. As Jesus reminds us: "Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted."

Lord, help me to be humble! I guess the Lord replied at once and this was published by mistake on March 1st!