Contemplative Haven: Hope 
Hope
"One of the reasons why contemplatives have always been in the minority in this world is because contemplation involves a surrender of one's whole self, not just a period of time set aside each day for some form of prayer or meditation. It is a commitment of immense proportions and requires an eminent trust that God will bring us where we hope to go if we submit to this inner conviction or urging that we have to start. It does not matter how many difficulties there are, we have to go. There is no turning back once we have started
because the sky is a big place, and we had better stay with the flock... In our case, however, taking to the air is not based on instinct, but rather on the theological virtue of hope. The movement, call, or attraction that God has given us is a promise that is just as reliable as the instinct of the birds as they surrender to their migratory instinct. Instead of surrendering to a migratory instinct, we surrender to God's transforming process....
The theological virtue of hope is the anticipation of the end, here and now. According to Jesus, we already have eternal life if we believe in him. We just have not realized it yet because we have not completed the flight."
From: "Intimacy with God. A Contemplative Vision for Our Times" (Father Thomas Keating)
because the sky is a big place, and we had better stay with the flock... In our case, however, taking to the air is not based on instinct, but rather on the theological virtue of hope. The movement, call, or attraction that God has given us is a promise that is just as reliable as the instinct of the birds as they surrender to their migratory instinct. Instead of surrendering to a migratory instinct, we surrender to God's transforming process....The theological virtue of hope is the anticipation of the end, here and now. According to Jesus, we already have eternal life if we believe in him. We just have not realized it yet because we have not completed the flight."
From: "Intimacy with God. A Contemplative Vision for Our Times" (Father Thomas Keating)
posted by Gabrielle at 2:15 PM
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