Hit me as HARD as you can
One the sub-deacons of my church once quoted the movie "Fight Club"to me in attempt to get me to really minister to him with no apprehension. He looked at me and said "Hit me as Hard as you can!. He was asking me to be absolutely honest and not to hold back the weight of a feather. I was taken aback by the statement. I was also proud to be in the presence of a man who wanted to receive the hard blessing .
The word blessing in itself connotes a sweet wonderful thing. But the truth is that blessing normally comes after great trial. The "Hit me as HARD as you can"thing is needed but hard to ask for.
Though I've worked in the psychotherapy field for years (I do think that it can help) I prefer the ancient model of spiritual direction. Spiritual direction kind of works on a "hit me as HARD as you can "principal. It works by applying the truth of the Gospel to the directees life. The spiritual director (priest normally) loves the directee as if he/she was his child. The director must have the truth of the gospel flowing through his life. The director needs to live a life in submission to God and needs to be saying "Lord, hit me as hard as you can - change my heart O God !"The director is flawed, perhaps moreso than the directee but the director isn't supposed to an icon of perfection. Jesus is that!.The director is merely a sign post pointing to Jesus.
Are you willing to submit to yourself to a relationship like that? I know I have made it sound almost violent. The spiritual direction relationship is beautiful and difficult but God does a great work in the one who is willing to pursue a life of such brutal honesty. I have been blessed to have had 3 loving spiritual directors who have kicked my butt for the past 15 years. God has made me better through them.
For those who are saying "Jesus is my spiritual director". Is he? Why did Paul speak as he did to Timothy ? Why does the letter to the Hebrews say specifically to"submit to those in authority over us ? Spiritual direction is not an easy 21st century American concept but our God is not a 21st century American god.
To that man who said to me "hit me as HARD as you can !" . I say "don't look away cuz here it comes ". This won't bruise you (that bad) but it will bless you.
Go big or go home !
For those interested, I know a half dozen priests and one protestant minister (we'll pray for him) who would be awesome spiritual directors.
The word blessing in itself connotes a sweet wonderful thing. But the truth is that blessing normally comes after great trial. The "Hit me as HARD as you can"thing is needed but hard to ask for.
Though I've worked in the psychotherapy field for years (I do think that it can help) I prefer the ancient model of spiritual direction. Spiritual direction kind of works on a "hit me as HARD as you can "principal. It works by applying the truth of the Gospel to the directees life. The spiritual director (priest normally) loves the directee as if he/she was his child. The director must have the truth of the gospel flowing through his life. The director needs to live a life in submission to God and needs to be saying "Lord, hit me as hard as you can - change my heart O God !"The director is flawed, perhaps moreso than the directee but the director isn't supposed to an icon of perfection. Jesus is that!.The director is merely a sign post pointing to Jesus.
Are you willing to submit to yourself to a relationship like that? I know I have made it sound almost violent. The spiritual direction relationship is beautiful and difficult but God does a great work in the one who is willing to pursue a life of such brutal honesty. I have been blessed to have had 3 loving spiritual directors who have kicked my butt for the past 15 years. God has made me better through them.
For those who are saying "Jesus is my spiritual director". Is he? Why did Paul speak as he did to Timothy ? Why does the letter to the Hebrews say specifically to"submit to those in authority over us ? Spiritual direction is not an easy 21st century American concept but our God is not a 21st century American god.
To that man who said to me "hit me as HARD as you can !" . I say "don't look away cuz here it comes ". This won't bruise you (that bad) but it will bless you.
Go big or go home !
For those interested, I know a half dozen priests and one protestant minister (we'll pray for him) who would be awesome spiritual directors.
posted by Father Rich at 5:15 PM
2 Comments:
I know approaching the Can(n)on is always a good smack around for you. And God help me, if I say one more thing that sounds like a 'Fatherrichism' I'm going to stop speaking aloud! Everyone needs a good whooping, God only disciplines the ones he loves, why would his shepards not do the same? This is not an intvitation for stomping a mudhole and walking it dry mind you...
Let the stompin' begin!
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