I want to welcome you to this new blog. I named it the messy mystic for several reasons. First, when I met my new wife, her first contact with my adult daughter resulted in an email response that said “he’s a mess, but he’s the best kind of mess.” I suppose I am at that. So, first and foremost, to honor that minister daughter of mine, I am honored that one so talented loves this old mess. And, make no mistake, I am a royal mess most of the time, but I believe that is a good thing.
The second part of this has to do with being a mystic, which I also am. I am a Christian Mystic in every sense of the word. Carl McColman wrote an entire book about it and I highly recommend it to you if you want to really read about being a mystic. A Christian Mystic looks at God’s love for the world and sending Jesus to the world as a true mystery. There is no good reason for the Creator of the Universe to care about me, or anyone of us and yet She does!
This blog has to do with my desire to express my heart as a contemplative Christian mystic. I believe that I am Abba’s Child (thank you Brennan Manning) and I believe that many of my friends have benefitted from the times we have shared chatting about things spiritual and philosophical. My hope is that I can have chats with many people who can find a place where they can explore new ways of looking at life. I wish I had been able to ask questions and share thoughts when I first found contemplative life. I pray that this will be that sort of place for you. Fr. Richard Rohr, in his book Falling Upward, talks about the two parts of life and that it is important to have a way to talk about how to move to that second part of life. Had I had a spiritual director (unknown to this former Southern Baptist all those years ago) I would have had a place to find those answers. So, this blog might just be a place for others to get to ask what I had to figure out on my own, or had to wait to find that director that could point me in the right direction.
So, here we are at the third reason. I want this blog to be a place where anyone can discuss anything. I have dear friends who are pagan, and they are welcome to come and discuss and comment. I have friends from all denominations and from around the world, some are Buddhist, some are Muslim, some……..well, some are just themselves. I have strong opinions and ideas, but well it is my blog. You are welcome to disagree but I will not argue with you or fight with you. I will not insult you or your intelligence, please don’t insult mine. I teach social welfare policy in two universities and those needs of the poor will show up here as well, because I believe that I am my brother’s (and sister’s) keeper and because I take seriously Christ’s command to “do unto the least of these my children”. All are welcome here, but be aware, I just might challenge what you think! I don’t care what you think, that is up to you, but it must at least be well considered.
Now, like any good John Wayne movie, I should supply my bonifides. I was licensed to the ministry in 1972 in a Southern Baptist church and went to Baylor University as a religion major and “preacher boy”. I discovered social work in my Junior year and discovered it fit my calling and my heart. I hold a BA in social work from Baylor, and an MSSW and Ph.D in social work from U.T. Arlinton. Over the years I have never stopped studying the Scripture and reading many great books from many traditions. I am a lay Cistercian of the Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemani in Kentucky, the home of the monk, Thomas Merton. I have been a spiritual director to several and received spiritual direction from several. I am a licensed Master social worker and have done 38 years of therapy for folks to help them get their lives on track. But always, there was the Christ, without whom, I am nothing but a hopelessly lost mess. Or as my college students would say (yes, I am a college professor at a historically black college) I would be a hot mess. But I can do all things through Christ, so here I am , writing as the messy mystic and hoping that your heart might find a word you can relate to.
TMM