At the beginning of his ministry, Jesus’ first message was about Metanoia (Mark 1:15, Matthew 4:17) which literally means, “Change your mind.” It, unfortunately, has been translated with the moralistic word repent.
A change in the way we think changes our perception. However, beginning to see with new eyes, we must observe and be on guard against our usual predictable responses: mistrust, cynicism, fear, defensiveness, dismissal, and judgmentalism.
To let each moment teach us, we must allow ourselves to be stunned by it until it draws us inward, toward a subtle experience of wonder. We normally need a single moment of gratuitous awe to get us started.
The spiritual journey is a constant interplay between moments of awe followed by a process of surrender to that moment. This is the great inner dialogue we call prayer. We, however, resist both the awe and, even more, the surrender, which are both vital, and must be practiced.
When we see contemplatively, we know that we live in a fully sacramental universe, where everything is an epiphany, an awakening. While philosophers tend toward universals and poets love particulars, mystics and contemplative practice teach us how to encompass both.
Romans 12:2 “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
