The Sacred Space of the Mind
Memory, Imagination, Anticipation
Moma MIA
Sanctity depends on an attentive presence to people, things and events. Placing the every day moments before Jesus and Re-membering that Jesus wants to be my filter eludes me, most of the time. I can begin recalling and then re-membering my life in Christ to the every day moments of life by reverencing the reality that time and space is desecrated or made Sacred by habits of maintenance such as maintaining the Sacred Space in a room, by keeping it beautiful. On exiting a room I can ask myself , "Is there something I can do to leave this room more beautiful than when I came."
Today I have an occasion to reflect on the imagination. The same applies. If I can not think well of someone, then Jesus is the one I should fill my mind with. If I am worried about an event or a combination of persons, events and things and or circumstances.... Jesus is the ONLY one who can save a situation, a heart, He restores all our 'stores'. Our store of patience, compassion, forgiveness, etc.
Fr. Adrian van Kaam gifted us with the articulation of MIA. The purpose of our Memory is to serve our salvation. We remember where we have been, we remember salvation history for all humanity. Our memory should serve the virtues of Faith and Hope. Imagination can serve the virtue of compassion and future opportunities for grace, and avoidance of sin. For instance, remembering a certain situation tends to illicit anger in my heart and my imagination tends to go where it shouldn't go. If I expect a similar situation in my future, I can Anticipate making a conscious effort to call on the Holy Trinity to adjust my behavior, "SAVE ME, Jesus give me a new perspective." or avoiding all together occasions of sin.
So how do I apply the MIA of my mind? Jesus come with me and transform my interior to be sacred! Christopher West, scholar of the JPII Theology of the Body, expanded my view of what Jesus meant when he told us that He came not to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. Christopher tells us that it would be insane to make a specific law "thou shalt not murder your wife." most people don't need that law, because they have no desire to murder their wife. So too, Jesus came to FILL our hearts with Him, that we have no desire to lust, or steal or break any commandment! What a beautiful thought. I know this to be true for me for many of the commandments. There are some things I do not desire to do at ALL! I never feel the need to steal. I believe God will provide all my needs. But I do have to be very careful with time and events. I have to check myself, am I trying to steal time or attention from moment to moment from others.
MIA comes to the rescue. Jesus call to mind when my imagination running wild, leaving me in fear and doubt, anxious and afraid? What, when and where, Jesus, am I not allowing you to fill my heart? Where do I live in doubt of your providence, your love, and your mercy? Let me see where I need to clean/ surrendering to you the interior of my soul and allow you to remain there transforming it to Sacred Space in which you wish to dwell. Make it my habit Jesus that you dwell in my imagination in Faith Hope and Love.
Today I have an occasion to reflect on the imagination. The same applies. If I can not think well of someone, then Jesus is the one I should fill my mind with. If I am worried about an event or a combination of persons, events and things and or circumstances.... Jesus is the ONLY one who can save a situation, a heart, He restores all our 'stores'. Our store of patience, compassion, forgiveness, etc.
Fr. Adrian van Kaam gifted us with the articulation of MIA. The purpose of our Memory is to serve our salvation. We remember where we have been, we remember salvation history for all humanity. Our memory should serve the virtues of Faith and Hope. Imagination can serve the virtue of compassion and future opportunities for grace, and avoidance of sin. For instance, remembering a certain situation tends to illicit anger in my heart and my imagination tends to go where it shouldn't go. If I expect a similar situation in my future, I can Anticipate making a conscious effort to call on the Holy Trinity to adjust my behavior, "SAVE ME, Jesus give me a new perspective." or avoiding all together occasions of sin.
So how do I apply the MIA of my mind? Jesus come with me and transform my interior to be sacred! Christopher West, scholar of the JPII Theology of the Body, expanded my view of what Jesus meant when he told us that He came not to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. Christopher tells us that it would be insane to make a specific law "thou shalt not murder your wife." most people don't need that law, because they have no desire to murder their wife. So too, Jesus came to FILL our hearts with Him, that we have no desire to lust, or steal or break any commandment! What a beautiful thought. I know this to be true for me for many of the commandments. There are some things I do not desire to do at ALL! I never feel the need to steal. I believe God will provide all my needs. But I do have to be very careful with time and events. I have to check myself, am I trying to steal time or attention from moment to moment from others.
MIA comes to the rescue. Jesus call to mind when my imagination running wild, leaving me in fear and doubt, anxious and afraid? What, when and where, Jesus, am I not allowing you to fill my heart? Where do I live in doubt of your providence, your love, and your mercy? Let me see where I need to clean/ surrendering to you the interior of my soul and allow you to remain there transforming it to Sacred Space in which you wish to dwell. Make it my habit Jesus that you dwell in my imagination in Faith Hope and Love.
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