Sacred Communication/Journey 2018

In the section Escaping mimetic violence and earthly economy that the author explains how to receive from good without offering something from the earthly economy. He explains that once you realize that wanting to do good is better than receiving good you can move beyond the economy. However, if one asks for goods from God it will be very difficult to move away from this path of thinking. So, in order to receive what you want you must first not want it.

On page 63 the question of how to offer something to god that is not involved in an earthly economy. When reading this I thought of a metaphor that describes this problem. When one asks for something through prayer and offers something to God we treat God like a machine or an oven, We offer materialistic items to the machine and expect to get something of value afterwards. Once we stop treating God as a machine, undergo kenosis, and offer ourselves to God then we will receive gifts.

Whilst I was reading about pilgrimages an the significance of them I came to realize that they are different know then in the past. In the past the trails, such as, the camino de Santiago were the only trails that were available to pilgrims that wanted to get to  holy site. Now, with better infrastructure and technology that is no longer the case. A pilgrim could take a car or a bus to the holy site. I am not sure if this new found ability diminishes the trail or makes it more sacred.

I have just read an article about a nebula many light years away from earth called the eye of God. It is unique and completely different from anything I have seen in regards to space. The middle of the nebula is a deep, radiating red surrounded by a aqua blue. The contrasting colors and name command an undeniable presence. I find it to be a metaphor for God and the holy. The nebula commands an undeniable presence, such as the holy and is unique from everything else. It also is unobtainable to me and only pictures are viable to humans.

As I read Lane talk about the mask of the holy I think of a couple things. Firstly, what is the point of God not being direct and concealing himself. Secondly, I feel that the inevitability of never being able to find the mask or see what it conceals is maddening. For example, Van gogh devoted hi life to finding the mask and died never finding exclaiming on his " i must find the mask." So, if one come to the revelation that there is a mask you must never search for whats behind it. If one does search it will lead to no answers an bring only pain and more questions.

"the more common it becomes, the more holy it is" led to the question how does one learn to see the extraordinary with there eyes? Lane then explains how people see the holy in mundane acts, such as, a snails life or leaves. I do not think being able to see the holy is something one can learn, because the question "what is holy" is relative to the person asking it. You do not learn how to see the holy, the holy is something very special to you