THE POWER OF ONE WORD IV: YES or NO

So much of what makes humanity human has to do with the ability to reason beyond the mere limitations of our nature. This has to do with choice, the most defining of human characteristics. This choice of what to do or not informs who we become, and what we take into our inner selves to create human values and purpose, and ultimately defines what it means to be human. Interestingly enough, all of this takes place within the platform of my life, from beginning to end. Humanity, as a species, has certain characteristics but oddly enough we are not born with infused knowledge, how or what to put at the center of our lives, nor what is true. Truth becomes an individual discipline, most often regulated by the whims of an individual who collects willing participants. This can be good, as in the case of Jesus, or somewhat flawed, as in the cases of most political and monarchical dictators. The problem comes with trying to herd all those individual thinkers, of which each person is a contender, together to form a direction, a way of thinking, or an ideology that, strangely enough, never seems to last past the parameters of the central figure. Exceptions are there, for sure, but normally, trends come and go. Democrats and Republicans wax and want depending on who is the favorite guru, there is always a racial or gender-based flavor of the moment that seeks to seduce us with its insistence on equality, meaning, of course, there is no freedom of choice or thought tolerated.

There is no room in the inn for thinking that stresses denial of self, dying to false ideologies or idols, and constantly striving to do what is right over what is easy. All humans have is their own ability to choose to do what they think is best for them or not. Believe me, no one chooses anything that they do not think is good for them. The problem or maybe wrinkle comes when the Tower of Bable syndrome takes hold and people disagree on what is true or not. Each individual has the power to say YES or NO to anything, although not without consequences or paying a price.

Into this meatgrinder of seemingly contradictory rights and viewpoints, which I term original sin, comes a most singular and unappreciated event, The Christ Principle. the intervention or assumption of a lower nature by a higher one. It is as if you wanted to become your pet dog or cat to help them live beyond their 10 or 15-year lifespan and be with you forever. None of that, of course, makes sense, unless you factor in that divine nature, creator of the lower orders or natures, wants to see at least one species reach its potential as nature intended. To do that meant that divine nature reached down to humanity from a condition that humanity would never be able to capture intellectually and showed humans a way to live their lives in such a way that truth becomes absolute and not relative. It is the lighthouse to warn of the dangers of rocks for a boat. The lighthouse does not diminish the fury of the seas (original sin) or automatically point to the port of call. Humans need to recognize that their nature needs help, and assistance with their human nature to make the difficult task of one step on that staircase towards their destiny.

It is in being the supreme Magister Noster, our shepherd through the darkness, our light to enlighten that darkness that creeps into the folds of all human resolve, becoming our friend and advocate, that Love shows us what love is. Follow me, is the invitation. YES or NO is the decision, one that each individual makes but with consequences based on that choice

YES is usually an enabling word, while NO is a blocking word. Depending on how they are used, they can be good or bad. Here are some classic answers of YES or NO.

• Adam and Even said NO to their human nature and wanted to become God.
• Jesus said YES to becoming a ransom for many with the price being total giving of his life to save humanity and allow them to move to their next level of evolution, should they so choose.
• The most famous YES is that of Mary to become the mother of Jesus Christ, divinity, and humanity. This is particularly important because she was filled to the brim with God’s energy. Mary most likely did not know the consequences of her act of Faith (or maybe she did), but she chose God and so became the prime human to enable the highest human to teach us how to love others as ourselves and to get to heaven.
• I must say YES to Jesus through conversio morae and capacitias dei each day, reaffirming both my Baptismal promises and Lay Cistercian Profession frequently.
• I must say YES to the energy of the Holy Spirit and try to hold my humanity still enough for me to assimilate what the Holy Spirit wishes to tell or show me (Lectio Divina).
• I am privileged to say YES and accompany Christ when He ascends to the Father once again in the Eucharist, taking me with him and those whom I gather in my thoughts in prayer.
• I say NO to temptations of the flesh (Galatians 5) and yes to chastity or being pure in spirit each time I say the word, Jesus, Mary, Joseph, and St. Michael defend me against the onslaughts of the Devil.
• I say YES each day as a Lay Cistercian when I purposefully place myself in the presence of Christ and invoke the Holy Spirit to overshadow me as was Mary.
• I say YES frequently during the day when I pray for my own forgiveness and ask the Holy Spirit to lose those in Purgatory for their sins, in reparation for my own sins of neglect and failing to see Christ in others in my past life.
• The Apostles said YES to becoming overshadowed by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
• It is only when I give my power to say YES or NO to my human nature that I can have the greater power to say YES to God’s will being one on earth as it is in heaven. Of all the people who ever lived, my YES or NO confirms the archetypal choice of Jesus as restoring humanity’s ability to once again choose heaven on earth over hell. To all of this great goodness, I can only say, Thank you. Be it done unto me according to your word.

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