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Friday, April 19, 2019

The Spark

As you know, if you read me often, I read a lot of mystics and also about mystics. I am often struck by the frequent references to that spiritual core within all people which is already there, variously called "the spark," " the seed of God, " "the Christ within," and so forth .

Hand Denck (16th century), the great mystic of the Anabaptists, said such things as:
An inner Voice, a Spark of Truth which I partly feel in me, tells me that I have not yet in me that faith that works life... He who seeks Him in truth already has Him, and without this inner Spirit to guide and direct him, one cannot find him, even in the Bible.
Rufus Jones said: "Hans also said that the true and primary faith must rest on 'facts of experience, directly given,' on what he rightly calls 'an inner witness which God, by His grace, plants in the soul.'"

The mystics, it seems to me, pretty much all, in all religions, tell us to tune ourselves to God through finding, nurturing, and embracing the seed or spark of God. Furthermore, that spark is already within us. No one can steal it, damage it or put it out.

Just as an out of time piano is heard and  known  to be out of tune, even by non-musical people, a life out of tune with God is apparent to others. A person way out of tune may be unaware themselves, however.

We used to joke that some people need a check up from the neck up. Maybe we could add from the spark out.

With the decline in religion in today's world, the rise in addictions and violence, with the incredible rise of homelessness, with the rise of uncivil discourse, etc. I think it is accurate to say we are in a situation where vast numbers of us are out of tune with God.

Let us each work on attuning ourselves  and igniting the spark in our souls. Let us use the great spiritual masters and writings as guides, knowing though we must each find our way to live The Way.

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