There is an English blog I follow: Anamchara: Soul Friend, (http://www.anamchara.org.uk). Today, one of its older posts caught my attention:
Rejecting traditional Spirituality? I think not...
Last night I went to hear Ian Mobsby of emerging church MOOT speaking at Blah Birmingham. Ian quoted research suggesting that people are turning away from the traditional spiritualities of the churches to alternative spiritualities informed by New Age - I have to disagree - why? because I don't see many churches actually teaching people how to practice traditional christian spirituality. How many churches are teaching people how to pray, to meditate, ways of contemplative prayer, lectio and deep engagement with Scripture, really? What people are turning away from then, is the shallower stuff that's going on. I wonder what would happen if the discipleship practices of the Christian Tradition (with a capital 'T' rather than 'traditions') were being taught, practised and promoted? As Ian said, it's the perceived traditional spirituality people are leaving behind...
This comment is so right on target! There is so much hunger in the Church for a real experience of the Trinity. We are seeking -- maybe in the wrong places or people. At the same time God is seeking us with an invitation to a life-long pilgrimage into the heart, mind and life of God with Jesus as its guide and enabler. Jesus comes to us, where we are, bringing us the life we are crying out for. We do not have to ascend... and become perfect! Christian discipleship is not about perfection, it is about incarmation. I truly believe Jesus is the way into the Life that is truly life. My passion about this Life is my experience of a deep spirituality filled with grace and mercy. I want all to experience this spirituality. As the song goes, if we can only imagine how much more God wants to share with us...
