Continuing with reflections from Fr. Basil's True Self, False Self.

Fr. Basil uses two concepts to present his help to those seeking to let the calming waters of prayer pour over their being (had to have a reason for the picture!): (1) the transformation of consciousness and (2) the evolution of human consciousness in the human family as a whole and in each of us as individuals.

Fr. Basil noted that one of his confreres, Fr. Louis (aka Fr. Thomas Merton) often spoke of an "easy route" to God: get into the center of one's being. Once there do not stop: pass through one's center into the center of God. Sounds somewhat challenging but truly it is not. How many times have you sat alone watching waves roll onto the shore? How many times have you sat alone watching suns run the last course of their day for us? The invitation to go beyond ourselves, beyond our being, comes to each person perhaps in a way different for each person.

In the early Church the following was much more popular than in our own times: lex orandi, lex credendi. What this means is the way that we pray is the way that we believe. Think of that for a moment: the way I pray is a reflection of the way that I believe. And, a reversal of the phrase is equally true: as I believe, so I pray.

What does this mean practically? As one's theology develops, so too does one's prayer. Consider the prayer of a person whose faith, whose level of belief is limited to, let us say, the Baltimore Catechism kind of faith. The prayer of that person, while effective as any prayer is, will be somewhat limited in its satisfaction to the person. Whereas the person who ventures beyond the fewer 100 Q & A format of the old catechism to learn more about the theologies of creation and redemption, that person will begin to pray with a deeper awareness of the gifts of redemption and a Holy Spirit.

This more opened, more aware of God's goodness, kind of prayer will lead us to a deeper awareness of our own selves, our own being. St. Augustine in his writing, The Confessions, made these words at the outset of his times of prayer: Noverim me ut moverim Te. My God, it is my prayer, my hope, to know myself so that in that discovery I might come to know you.

No matter how we stand in relation to God, no matter the history we bring to accepting the invitation to draw closer to our Creator, we have to realize that there could be no better a way to begin than to consider ourselves because we have been made in the image and likeness of God. So to know ourselves we are following a pathway that leads to knowing our God in unique ways. If I consider the crazy ways I have lived my life, the times I may have walked a different path than that which God wanted of me, is there a better way to get to know how God's mercy, God's love works in my life? Probably not! The stronger our understanding of ourselves, the better will be our getting in touch with who we really are and what our aspirations are. Doing this, coming to this understanding of ourselves and the natural result of coming to God through what Fr. Basil calls a "union of love," we find ourselves wanting "to love ourselves for God's sake and to see our lives grow in the fruits of the Holy Spirit." It is in this experience that we actually grow into the fullness of our "God-given and God-like humanity."

On Monday the reflection will be directed toward how we build who we are by being a listening. (That is a purposeful use of a gerund.)