MikeF has shared some moving writings by folks whose spiritual journey has led them to Rome. A segment of what Aimee Milburn has written leapt out at me.I went to mass tonight, and at the end, after receiving Holy Communion, was meditating on everything I had written here [in her four-part account of her conversion] earlier. Suddenly, in my mind’s eye, I saw the fullness of the Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each pouring out to the other in an endless cycle of love. In the heart of the Trinity was creation, emerging in the heart of God as an expression of all the glory and love of God.This is so close to my own vision of God (not a particular vision granted me but how I see God) that I find myself (quietly) shouting, Yes, yes, yes, oh sweet wonderful Savior, yes!
At the intersection of the smallest point of the heart of the Trinity was emerging the individual human heart. It was as if every human heart was emerging from the center point of the Trinity. Emerging in the individual human heart, when it was opened up and given over to God, was the Trinity itself, like a beautiful flower coming forth.
That the writing is so eloquent and filled with ecstatic devotion is a delicious plus.
It is difficult to write of the divine perichoresis in prose. In Aimee's writing here the reality of it overflows as though without effort. Thank you, Aimee and MikeF.
Check out more of Aimee's writing at Historical Christian.
Camellia photo from a stroll in Albany, California, March 2005
--the BB
4 comments:
Thank you, Paul!
Aimee just goes on from strength to strength with her writing. Her latest post pretty well had me in tears. She really has a remarkable gift as a mystical writer - stunning stuff!
Thank YOU, MikeF. I just read it. Yes, it is wonderful to have someone who can put into words (limited and the merest of approximations of course) something of the mystical life. I usually try to turn my experiences into visual representations (icons, banners, altar hangings).
Here is the icon of the Baptism of Christ mingling Byzantine and Buddhist styles from a "vision" of Christ entering the water surrounded by fire. That theme is, in fact, found in the Orthodox services for the Theophany (Epiphany).
http://bearfeathers.blogspot.com/2005/02/he-fills-all-things-with-blessing.html
Wonderful icon, Paul - a Vajrayana Theophany - who'd'a'thunk it? Glorious!
And I didn't expect such a knowledgeable comment so quickly! I was meditating in a weekly contemplative prayer group and "saw" the traditional Orthodox icon of the baptism with the red flames added. It went from there. In January I will be leading a series on "The God Encounter: theophany, epiphany, and transformation" for the adult forum at St Michael and All Angels, Albuquerque. I will be teaching from this icon along with Scripture and liturgy. If you ever visit Oakland, CA, you may visit the icon at St Cuthbert's Episcopal Church.
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