Monday 12/3
Theological reflections
I do not hear many reference references to sin from Amma. But my western theology identifies closely with the apostle Paul in Romans 7 as he describes the human condition caught in desiring to be right with God, to be holy as God is holy, and the reality of our predilection to act just the opposite, to maintain our identity as separate from God. Paul resolves the dilemma in Chapter 8 as life in the Spirit, God's grace as intervention, and the work of salvation, healing and sanctification/purification through the Holy Spirit - not just for our own individual sakes, but for the whole creation.
Amma, out of the Hindu tradition, talks about our vasanas or tendencies that cause us suffering. She wants us to confess our struggles so that she can help us in those places in our lives where there is fear, envy, anger, grief, despair. I am reminded of the literal Greek meaning of the world "poneros" which is usually translated as "evil." The origin of the word comes from what describes the work that a slave does that will not bring him any benefit: fruitless, full of labor and woe. This fits so well with looking at evil in Hebrew as well. "Ra" in Hebrew means bad, rotten, spoiled. Greek or Hebrew the words for evil point to what is killing life, not a legalistic breaking of a commandment or an intentional and willful act of rebellion against God. Evil is the condition of entrapment in what leads to suffering, decay and death. I believe this is what Amma is addressing in how she asks us to examine our lives. As a pure vessel of the Holy Spirit, she ministers or channels divine healing, the same as the great healers of our own Christian tradition.
Theological reflections
I do not hear many reference references to sin from Amma. But my western theology identifies closely with the apostle Paul in Romans 7 as he describes the human condition caught in desiring to be right with God, to be holy as God is holy, and the reality of our predilection to act just the opposite, to maintain our identity as separate from God. Paul resolves the dilemma in Chapter 8 as life in the Spirit, God's grace as intervention, and the work of salvation, healing and sanctification/purification through the Holy Spirit - not just for our own individual sakes, but for the whole creation.
Amma, out of the Hindu tradition, talks about our vasanas or tendencies that cause us suffering. She wants us to confess our struggles so that she can help us in those places in our lives where there is fear, envy, anger, grief, despair. I am reminded of the literal Greek meaning of the world "poneros" which is usually translated as "evil." The origin of the word comes from what describes the work that a slave does that will not bring him any benefit: fruitless, full of labor and woe. This fits so well with looking at evil in Hebrew as well. "Ra" in Hebrew means bad, rotten, spoiled. Greek or Hebrew the words for evil point to what is killing life, not a legalistic breaking of a commandment or an intentional and willful act of rebellion against God. Evil is the condition of entrapment in what leads to suffering, decay and death. I believe this is what Amma is addressing in how she asks us to examine our lives. As a pure vessel of the Holy Spirit, she ministers or channels divine healing, the same as the great healers of our own Christian tradition.
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