On Spiritual Maturity

Peggy Senger Parsons is one of my absolutely favorite Quaker writers, and her blog, A Silly Poor Gospel, would be reason enough for a heretic like me to value Christianity, even if I knew no other wise and grounded Christians.

So it’s not a total surprise that she has written some deeply wise words on the subject of spiritual maturity today–ideas she credits to her “Quaker Yoda”, her friend Vivian, recently hospitalized for a heart attack and stroke.

Here’s something I loved so much I had to share it:

Our value as children of God does not depend on our spiritual maturity – grandparents do not have more intrinsic worth than the babies – but neither are they less valuable. So it is with spiritual maturity. It is merely the natural consequence of time spent in the presence of the Holy One, like age is the natural consequence of life. But maturity is a need of, and a blessing to, the Body of Christ.

I know that my Pagan kin will prefer other words than “Body of Christ”–but the deeper concept I think transcends labels and sects.

Certainly, it speaks to my condition…

As I try to live out my spiritual path, I feel something deepening in me, and I love it, and I value it. It’s something that I must allow, and even seek, and yet it does not make me any more lovable or worthy than those who have less of that ripening in them.

It is something that is coming about naturally, as I drink from the waters of Spirit at my meeting (and in nature, and in community, and in my beloved’s eyes; find the Light in one place, and you’ll see it again in many).

But it’s not I alone who benefit, nor even other people I affect in daily life. Nope–“maturity is a need of, and a blessing to, the Body of Christ”–to the whole living, shining shebang of gods and Spirit and all.

Peter and I have asked one another what it is that the gods want of us, we puny and silly human beings. And we keep coming up with the notion that what they want most of all is for us to grow–so that we will be better company for them.

So that we will be in deeper communion with them–and with the Light, whether we call it Christ or Goddess, or have no name for it at all.

There’s lots more good stuff. Go read the original post. (Even if you’re a bit Christophobic, O Reader, go read it; it’s worth the time to translate it into the language that God uses when She speaks to you.)

I’m very grateful to Peggy Senger Parsons… and that “her Yoda” is doing well, and hopefully will continue to heal.