Vatican Spring. The New Pope a Mystic?
Messages & Messengers. As the 115 princes of the Roman Catholic Church begin their conclave we can only wonder who & what their choice will be to lead the congregation. Who is a given—one of them. What is more intricate as it challenges core beliefs purveyed as its divine salvation. Wagers are that what the church advertises (reading the Bible, going to church, praying, etc., telling us what to do/not do) will continue rather than exploring the divine mystery through spirituality. What amounts to following the given path rather than finding your own.
Could there be a Mystic among the 115? Timothy Shriver, writing in the Washington Post, says, “Nothing less than a mystic can reveal the depth of beauty of the church to a new generation of seekers, still hungry to believe, still ready to fall in love with God.”
Finding the path means to activate the imagination—to bring one’s inner life into consciousness—spiritualized rather than institutionalized. Realization of the divine mystery attained through your friends—and enemies! God as an image or metaphor for a spiritual experience, rather than as a personality; as the 13th Century mystic Meister Eckhart expressed it: get rid of the life you have planned in order to have the life that is waiting to be yours. More candidly—“Get rid of your Gods so you can go to God.”
Easier said than done. For it would mean living your life in society all through one’s lifetime rather than waiting for the next. To have direct experiences instead of “idol worship.” The church limits the numbers it elevates to sainthood & they must wait until well after death to be recognized. Can you imagine what would happen if the church opened the floodgates to allow everyone the choice?
To tantalize us further, Mr Shriver suggests the new pope update his iPod with sacred music of the 12th century mystic nun, Hildegard of Bingen. And the outgoing pontiff has already glimpsed the enormous prospects of the iPad, even if perhaps tweeting the wrong message. At least the new bishop of Rome wouldn’t have to travel as much as his predecessors.
Perhaps the Church, known for its investment in miracles, will come forth in the election of a mystic pope who just might slip through the cracks. I’m not holding my breath, but as the cardinals begin their deliberations, I can’t help but recall the great mythologist, Joseph Campbell, who reminded us that “We are in a free fall into the Future. Society itself is on the Adventure.