Everything points towards the Luminous. Nature, people, things all point beyond themselves to something Beautiful. The seer sees this. Nature is a symbol which participates in God. When I see a city, I see a broken reflection of God. When I see nature it is less broken and more direct, but I still look for God. Everything is a revelation of who God is and tells the story of His Love and creativity, and sacrifice to know us. The physical universe is symbolic telling about and participating in God. All our life experience is the same. Every situation and external event is a way to meet and know God, and get to know who He really is.

Both Nouwen and Merton taught this idea of conformity to The Real. That when we actually encounter Reality as it is, we meet God. The practices are meant to facilitate this heart to the Heart of Reality dialogue. We cannot escape God and His Love wherever we look. The aim of life is to rest and trust in this Love which is always present in Christ. Ever increasing being in This Love which is Reality in God.

From my circle of elders above, i often sense this need to learn to trust God to make all of life a way of knowing His Love. To rest in this trusting knowing Father is in charge. And once we are yielded, He will use all things to form His Son’s life in us.