Passion Libretto Part III: The Prince of this World
This is day four of a six day free Holy Week offering. On this Maundy Thursday and beginning of the Easter Triduum, in the Passion Libretto Part III: The Prince of this World, Cynthia talks about Jesus facing what is in the shadows of collective psychosis, madness, and frenzy. She invites us to do the same by way of asking ourselves how we might stand in truth and courageously see what is in our own shadow, how we participate in collective sin and stoke the fires of madness and frenzy. This gain in self-knowledge and deepening sense of humility allows us to stay in the truth which always sets us free.
As a way of meditatively engaging this material, we invite you to light a candle, take a few conscious breaths, find your feet, and sink into the quiet that always exists deeply within the sanctuary of your heart. Then, as you are ready, begin to listen to Cynthia’s commentary from the ear of your open heart awareness. Today’s video is about 15 minutes.
Follow this up by working with the text for Part III by way of the practice of Lectio Divina using this simple modified version:
Read the text or portion of the text, paying attention to what word or phrase stands out to you and allow yourself to repeat it briefly.
Read it a second time, slowly listening and paying attention to what is resonating within, what is troubling, what speaks directly to the heart even if we don’t understand or know why. Listen with your three centers noticing how the text lands in your body in sensation, gestures, postures as well as emotions and feelings that emerge. Allow your mind to ponder the thoughts, associations, and images that arise. Reflect on what comes up and whether there is a specific way it is speaking directly to you. Listen for what is relevant to your life right now.
Read it a third time, noticing whether a prayer or mantra emerges that can be offered on behalf of you, others, the world, or God.
Listen to the music of Part III of “The Passion,” allowing it to wash over you, resting collected as all that has taken place in the inner sanctuary of your heart continues to settle and assimilate, as you simply sit in the mystery allowing it to draw you deeper. Today’s music is about 15 minutes.
Finally, write down some of what spoke to you from this reflective meditation. What does today’s material teach you about substituted love?
A blessed Holy Week,
Cynthia Bourgeault & Wisdom Waypoints Board
I struggle with the statement, “No one comes to the Father except through me.” I believe Jesus is alive and gave/gives his life for all of us. Not just Christians.
You are hearing this exclusively, Bobbi, as most Christians do–i.e., nobody comes to the Father except through a personal belief in this particular person, mediated (of course) by the Christian church But Jesus is intending it as widely INCLUSIVELY as possible. He clearly considers himself as an energetic extension of the Father, offering himself as an access ramp which is open to everyone, accessed simply by being willing to open oneself fully to the freedom, truth, and life force that he offers, universally.
Messiah keeps coming to remind us the way from the material world; to awaken into the spiritual realm
Gate gate, para gate, para sangha gate, Bodhi swaha
the most powerful part of today’s portion of the Libretto and the music for me was near the end; specifically,
“For this I was born
And for this I came into the world.”
It rested nicely with Cynthia’s call for us to find the courage to stand and see our own shadow and in seeing our own truth possibly answering our own questions, ” For what was I born, for what/who was I brought into this world.”
I causes me to pause…to ponder.
Dear Cynthia
I am so grateful for this beautiful gift. This Maundy Thursday we are called to keep watch on the dark fires of our Hearts and how we participate in the collective. What an amazing challenge
Today Jesus was truly present as I sat with a person from an authoritarian culture, who told me from
their traumatised self that they didn’t want ‘to react’ but ‘to feel’ what they felt and be True.
I was transported, in the profound healing as we sat in Silence. A Silence they had never experienced before, to the Holy Thursday of Now.
What a wonderful web we are held in . I am so grateful for this Blessed space.
Thank you with my whole heart
with Love
Amanda
The line that struck me…Dances to a music all his own.
The music literally got me dancing and clapping… woke something deep within me. Found myself shouting out to God…What ever it is you want (of my life)…DO IT…DO IT.
Release me Lord from that which binds me and keeps me from the abundant life your life offers to me NOW.
Blessed are you when they shall revile you, Mt 5:11 Persecute you, and falsely say all manner of evil Against you for my sake. Rejoice and be glad, for Great is your reward in Heaven. In the same way they Persecuted the prophets who were before you.
My refection is on Jesus words offers courage, strength and reward to the peace maker, innocence and honest in poverty to the people of our world. Jesus becomes the path for them today. The good will people are predicted for their past and future for earthly life. They will persecute falsely manners and everything will go against them. This Holy Thursday is the day to remember those people who walke with Jesus in the past and present today. This kind of people’s model is Jesus. Who HE is ……
Dances to a music all his own
That melts our hearts of stone…
Who He is ……(Jesus) “I am the Way, the Truth, The Life.”
“I´am the Way, the Truth, the Life
No one comes to the Father except through me”
This is hard – My strong ego, always acting first, I feel shamed, and yeat my faith is weak and ego strongly bound to matter – as today … I feel so afraid, Oh Lord, lost, I apologize and feel shamed in my weakness… give me your mercy to melt my heart of stone.
I find Cynthia’s talks very challenging especial the Maundy Thursday one on the collective consciousness and how we respond in today’s world. It is especially challenging for me at this time as we are asked to vote for the Voice in Australia giving the Indigenous a voice in the Constitution which I support but it goes a bit far with no recourse should things go askew. While I would like to see changes which probably won’t come do I vote for what is morally right or for what I think the future might bring? Holding these things in tension, as Richard Rohr recommends is challenging also.
God works with individuals not mobs. Thanks and where two or three are gathered must refer to bringing the body and heart in.
And yet we need the push back of groups to show we’re all in same boat and keep check on my ego.
It’s a mystery ….all are needed
Thanks Cynthia