Midweek Rants - "Inochi No Namae"

I was reflecting again today – as usual, Sam’s mid-week rants… and decided to post my reflections on our blog instead of blasting everyone with emails.

Well, this entry’s title says “Inochi no namae” – in Japanese which translates “The Name of Life”. It’s an award winning theme song for the movie Spirited Away. Hear it!

Anyway, on the "Name" of Life – I was just thinking – in the Christian context – would be Jesus. Jesus said, I am the way, the life and the truth. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6). And I thought.. what is the Name of Life? Probably, simply, “Jesus”.

Do you remember? We actually say it in the Creed: We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father [and the Son], who with the Father and the Son, is worshipped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. http://www.creeds.net/ancient/nicene.htm

Yes... I know this is so “Christian-centric” and it probably wouldn’t make sense to somebody who does not believe in Christianity or Jesus. But at least, we have to admit, that for the Christian, the whole matter of "Life" is very much a spiritual thing. Isn’t it?

Anyway, the main reason for this post – was to talk about last week’s session topic. We had a topic “More Love through Purification”. It only sank in for me today, upon reflecting on the idea of “What is Purification?”

Last Sat, Leo Caballes, our lovely bro from the Philippines, gave a session for us on “More Love through Purification” – Part 3 of Nancy Kellar’s Growth Seminar. He shared with us that Purification is related to “suffering” – our trials are there to help purify us.

Today, I had a simple analogy – you know, we do things like “detoxification” for our bodies. For "Life" people would say, for better health.... For example, we drink lots of water and exercise. Or have those funny green juices that contains "chlorophyll" that is supposed to help you detox.

Spiritually we can do the same thing – We detoxify for our bodies to be healthy – so we have the term “purification” that refers to the detoxification for our souls, so that our Spirits are "freed up" to worship God joyfully.

Psalm 23:1 pops into my mind – “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want..” – If the Lord is our shepherd and we are like sheep, I thought – “What is a healthy sheep?” The answer would simply be, one which is happy, healthy physically, at peace to be with the Shepherd, secure, growing well and which is not sickly.

So, we also might thus ask – am I a healthy sheep?

And so it occurred to me today that we may not be all healthy. We can accumulate many “spiritual toxins” inside without even knowing. Though the bible says it all. "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice" (Ephesians 4:31).

And so we are led to reflect on what are the “Spiritual Toxins” that we have accumulated in our souls?

Purification is like a process, a journey, of life, growth and “detoxifying” that helps us to become like healthy sheep – gaining our spiritually nourishment through the Mass, through a community, having a affirming inner relationship with our Lord, Jesus, feeling glad to walk alongside with God and not trying to run away from Him or doubt Him… Accepting our identity as a child of God… Being a person of peace; Like an olive tree growing in the house and care of the Lord.

THAT is spiritual health.

So to be “spiritually” healthy, we would need to desire God-things, not the things of the world - such as to... :
No longer be subject to anger, lust, passions, pleasures, lying, bad habits, etc.,
Want to have a closer relationship with God,
Want peace - quietness, confidence, assurance with trust forever,
Want to be pleasing to God, whatever the cost,
want God to run your life, instead of you continue to make mistakes,
Want to be doing God's will, not your own

And so at this very moment, I’m just feeling really grateful, that the bible encourages us! For the faint-hearted in the race of LIFE, sometimes, we need a push. So here, we are encouraged to be Holy:

• Let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. 2 Cor 7:1
• But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 1 John 1:7
• Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. James 4:8
• Our Savior Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Titus 2:12-14
• But let patience have [her] perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. James 1:4
  
  Read more verses at www.hallvworthington.com/perfection.html

God Bless,
Sam


'Happy are those who are merciful to others; God will be merciful to them. Happy are the pure in heart; they will see God.' Matthew 5:7-8.