STOP, COLLABORATE AND LISTEN
We had many things to pray for last weekend at The Open Table’s gathering: hurricane Harvey and Irma victims; wildfires in California; an earthquake in Mexico; the recent announcement about the plan to rescind DACA; as well as many personal concerns from our community. Our nation has seen a marked increase in division in recent months, fueled by radically different worldviews and perspectives. We find that when we are present to God and each other, we are able to reorient ourselves to those things of ultimate concern and are sustained for the work we are doing to make the world a more just and peaceful place for everyone. But how can we create environments where collaboration and empowerment take place, even across cultural boundaries?
Andrea Dutt, a longtime friend of The Open Table and graduate of the Living School for Action and Contemplation founded by Fr. Richard Rohr, led us in a conversation about this at our last gathering. This was part of an ongoing spiritual formation series focusing on the integration of inner and outer spiritual disciplines or practices. Andrea shared insights from Richard Rohr as well as this beautiful quotation from Mother Teresa:
“We are called to be contemplatives in the heart of the world – by seeking the face of God in everything, everyone, everywhere, all the time, and his hand in every happening; seeing and adoring the presence of Jesus, especially in the lowly appearance of bread, and in the distressing disguise of the poor.” ~ Mother Teresa
Below are some additional resources, some shared by Andrea on the night of our gathering, as well as some *bonus* suggestions!
RESOURCES FOR FURTHER REFLECTION
Article about stages of consciousness and cognitive development (plus a quiz!)
Integral Christianity by Paul Smith
The Death of the Mythic God by Jim Marion
Richard Rohr’s descriptions of the stages or levels of Spiral Dynamics:
