The Harried Mystic

Colossians 2:6-12

6. As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. 8See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ. 9For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10and you have come to fullness in him, who is the head of every ruler and authority. 11In him also you were circumcised with a spiritual circumcision, by putting off the body of the flesh in the circumcision of Christ; 12when you were buried with him in baptism, you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.

The Word of the Lord.

The lectionary New Testament reading for morning prayer January 1, 2019, is St. Paul’s warning to us about the seductions of the “human tradition” and ” elemental spirits of the universe” as expressed in the philosophies that lead us away from the Light.

Our times are replete with such philosophies: materialism, nihilism, cynicism, and capitalism that place the focus on aggrandizing self. These philosophies preach fear and hopelessness, glorify narcissism and hold up the fruits of greed as artifacts of success.

We are charged with the hard work of discipleship – to put first things first and realize that the truth requires flipping the conventional logic on its head. We are instead to be artists of joy, hope, possibilities, and the pursuit of grand ideals of living more perfectly. We are called upon to be minstrels of inspiring song and to inspire our children to dream, to wonder, and make the world ever more reflective of God’s presence.

May it be so.

© The Harried Mystic, 2019 and Br. Anton, TSSF. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.