Those gifted writers who penned the New Testament (unknowingly), used words that were common to their day. They used the language of their culture, the words of the understanding, and the concepts of their era. We who are reading this commentary are 2,000 years removed from them. We have invented new words- many, many more. We understand the world more scientifically (it’s not flat, nor does the sun evolve around the earth). We have a greater grasp on the psychology of man, his historical roots, the age of the earth, and so on. So, think it not strange that Paul would say that we need the MIND of Christ, when today we understand that as the CONSCIOUSNESS of Christ!
Once upon a time, in an era far far away (2,000 years ago), there was no word such as consciousness!
Today, we are getting closer to understanding what it means. We know that rocks are inanimate, plants are animate, animals are conscious; however, only we human beings are conscious of our consciousness. What the heck does that mean?
A Sufi teaching puts it this way, “God sleeps in the rock, dreams in the plant, stirs in the animal, and awakens in the man.” Cool sounding! But, what’s that mean?
It’s more than merely being awake!
Houston Smith put it this way, “Are you a God, they asked the Buddha? No he replied. Are you and angel then? No! Are you a saint? No! Then what are you? Replied the Buddha, I am awake”. When one takes on the “consciousness of Christ” do miracles happen? Not according to Einstein who said, “There are only two ways to live your life: as though nothing is a miracle, or as though everything is a miracle.”
I choose the latter!
Finally, there is one of our own, Thomas Merton, who said, “If I penetrate the depths of my own existence and my own present reality, the indefinable AM that is myself in the deepest roots, then through this deep center I pass into the infinite I AM which is the very NAME of the Almighty”.
Tomorrow, I will give you MY definition of Consciousness- Christ Consciousness!.
0 Response to “Christ Consciousness”