Some reflections on Grace from one of my favorite Franciscans, Richard Rohr:

There is an “Inner Reminder” (John 14:26) and an “Inner Rememberer” (John 16:4) who holds together all the disparate and fragmented parts of our lives, who fills in all the gaps, who owns all the mistakes, who forgives all the failures—and who loves them into life. This is the job description of the Holy Spirit. S/he is the spring that wells up within us—and unto eternal time (John 7:38). This is the breath that warms and renews everything (John 20:22). These are the eyes that see beyond the momentary shadow and disguise of things (John 9); these are the tears that wash and cleanse the past (Matthew 5:4). And better, they are not only our tears but actually the very presence and consolation of God within us (2 Corinthians 1:3-5).

You must contact this Immensity! You must look back at what seems like your life from the place of this Immensity. You must know that this Immensity is already in place within you. The only thing separating you from such Immensity is your unwillingness to trust such grace, such an utterly unmerited gift. It is an immense humiliation to the ego to know that it cannot earn love, achieve merit, or “get enlightened” by any technique or formula whatsoever. “You cannot get there, you can only be there,” as Eckhart Tolle so wisely says, repeating in modern form the wisdom of Eastern Orthodox spirituality. You surrender to love; you do not accomplish love by willpower.


Adapted from “Forever Young,” Sojourners, December 2007