A Rediscovery of Life
One of the study weeks which I enjoyed this summer consisted of a guided retreat at a Carmelite retreat center in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Some of the primary ideas which were presented come from Fr. Anthony de Mello, who appears in a video presentation called "A Rediscovery of Life."

In the video, de Mello asks some very compelling questions: For example, Does your religion give you life? Does your religion set you free? Does your religion lead you into happiness? Then he asks, If not, then what kind of a religion is it?

De Mello has much to teach that bears some very serious consideration. He comes from India, and is used to speaking to audiences that come from many different religions, or that have no religious affiliation. This is reflected in the language which he uses when he teaches. Yet, he is also a Jesuit, and thoroughly grounded in the Scriptures and in the life and teaching of Jesus Christ.

I mentioned above some of the questions he asks regarding life and freedom and happiness. These things are, indeed, to be found in the Scriptures, and yet, do we experience them? "The truth will make you free" (Jn. 8:32). "If the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed" (Jn. 8:36). Jesus says, "I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly" (Jn. 10:10). "Blessed [happy] are the pure in heart, for they will see God" (Mt. 5:8). "Rejoice in the Lord always" (Phil. 4:4).

Yet, many of us are not happy, and we do not experience abundant life, and we do not feel particularly free. Why not? What good is your religion, says de Mello, if it does not give you these things?

What de Mello invites us to do in "A Rediscovery of Life" is to think differently. He identifies a number of things which impede us from truly experiencing life - all of which have to do with how we think about things. Some examples are attachments, fixed ideas, habits, fear, and beliefs. When you think about it, this, too, is quite scriptural: "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds" (Rom. 12:2)!

I share this with you because there are many things in de Mello's presentation which I find very helpful. At the same time, I want to evaluate what he says in light of the Scriptures and in light of Jesus Christ.

I will be working on this over the next few weeks in order to create a Bible study that goes with the video presentation. Once it is ready, I invite all who are interested to join me in watching the video presentations, searching the Scriptures and discussing these things together.

This will be a Thursday evening study, held from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. The tentative starting date is Thursday, September 28th. I do not know as of yet how many weeks the study will last, but would guess 4-6 weeks at this point. A definite time line will be published when it is ready.

In the mean time, think about this: The world is full of sorrow. The root of all sorrow is attachment. The uprooting of sorrow is the dropping of attachments. For God is the only one who will last and who gives life through Jesus Christ.

Pastor Lynne Hutchison Moore