October 7, 2024
Richard Rohr has written many books on spirituality and maturity. He wrote one that I deeply appreciate and frustrates me to no end, Adam’s Return: The Five Promises of Male Initiation. Drawing upon the Bible, Christian tradition, and other cultures, Rohr argues that men in Western society often lack meaningful rites of passage to help them mature. Without significant rites of passage, one is confused, disconnected, and stuck.
For Rohr, he believes that each male must own five key promises or insights to grow and mature (I agree but also think it would apply to women as well). Here are the five key promises that each of us must learn:
- Life is hard. Therefore, one must accept the inherent difficulties of life rather than avoid or deny them.
- You are not that important. Therefore, one must emphasize the need for humility and the recognition that you are part of something larger than yourself.
- Your life is not about you. Therefore, one must find purpose beyond personal success, focusing instead on service and the benefit of all.
- You are not in control. Therefore, one must stress the importance of surrender which aids in the unpredictability and acceptance of what one can’t control.
- You are going to die. Therefore, one must remember their mortality which inspires one to live with meaning, purpose, and urgency.
We need these insights for our wellbeing. Each of these precepts are part of the Christian journey. If you have never considered these, I invite you to do so. Don’t read them only to discard later today—dig deep with these, contemplate these over the next few months while listening to the voice of God beckoning you to go deeper.
This Week’s Readings:
- Monday – Leviticus 16
- Tuesday – Leviticus 17
- Wednesday – Leviticus 18
- Thursday – Leviticus 19
- Friday – Leviticus 20
We are reading the Bible in just a little over a year! We are now reading Leviticus. You may join anytime. Just mark your Bible on the chapter you started and keep up with the weekly readings.
Things to Pray About:
- Pray for our country and the 2024 Presidential Election.
- Pray for spiritual maturity.
- Our unwillingly absent members and shut-ins.
- Pray for comfort for those who are grieving.
- Wisdom for our church leaders, local leaders, and world leaders.
- Family restoration through forgiveness.
- Continued growth of the faith of the people.
- Pray for understanding.
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done.” – Philippians 4:6