christianmystics.com

"Perhaps the most neglected of all the advices is that we should live adventurously. If there is one wish I would pray the Spirit to put into our Christmas stockings, it is warmth, openness, passion and a bit of emotion that doesn't mind making a fool of itself occasionally."

Gerald Priestland

 

One of my favorite people in the Christian tradition is St. Francis, and one of the most telling aspects of his spirituality is that he declared himself, happily, a "fool for God."

So much of our lives is spent in an effort NOT to look foolish, to appear in tune with the common themes and beliefs of life so as not to stand out. Obviously, every generation that comes along has a time in its development where it's perfectly all right -- even mandatory -- to appear foolish to those older than we are. From the bell-bottoms and beads of the 60's to the piercings and tattoos of the 90's, foolishness (in the eyes of others) is considered a virtue.

But as time goes on, we find ourselves gravitating toward the center in life...and by that I mean society's center, not the ultimate Center of our being. Yet no great adventure takes place within the safety of the world or society, but only when one is ready to risk something. It is the parable of the Pearl of Great Price put into action -- that we must give up everything to get the one thing that matters -- our identity as a spiritual being. The Joseph Campbell style meaning of the Fool card in the Tarot deck (and here I mention it only as an image with symbolism, having no interest otherwise) is the believer who is willing to step off the cliff with the next step, confident that this leap of faith will be supported by the Love and presence of God. Within that bundle tied in the knapsack is nothing other than the Pearl of Great Price from Jesus' parable.

When Jesus taught so clearly that we shouldn't worry about what we will wear or eat or drink tomorrow, he issued the call to be the Fool in the eyes of society, to put our trust not in the things of this world, but, as the Chinese poet wrote, "in the intelligence that enables grass seeds to grow grass and cherry stones to make cherries."

Priestland's quote calls to mind the fact that we must be ready to heed the call, no matter where it takes us, without the fear of being labeled a fool. The essential message here is in the concept of the fool -- foolish by whose standards? When we pay too much attention to the measuring stick of society not only do we neglect the adventure, as I mentioned, but we begin to value certain things over our spiritual life. This bears repeating -- God is not a Monarch in a far away courtroom, but a Lover, intimate and living within our very being, and so sin becomes not a question of breaking laws, but of infidelity, of loving something more than we love God and the Spirit. When we love our reputation, when we love the things our safe job can provide, when we love the prestige, when we love the acceptance of the crowd more than the Light Within, what have we done? We have gained the world and lost our soul, our very being and ultimate identity.

To be a fool for God is to be aware of God's presence and God's imprint in all things. It is to love "that which is of God" in others, to speak to that clearly and plainly in all people in hopes of awakening that awareness of the Light Within, the Eternal Christ, the Seed which, when encouraged, will grow.

When the pull of society and the pull of God become one and the same, when those who are in need are treated as one would treat Christ and when our love of neighbor as ourselves is realized, is this not the Kingdom of Heaven? When that happens, all and none are fools for God.