Meister Eckhart's Christmas Sermon One. Where is the Word born and how?

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Dec 14, 2024

Delve into the profound insights of Meister Eckhart as he explores the eternal birth of God within humanity. Discover the significance of inner purity and the journey toward self-awareness amidst external distractions. Eckhart challenges us to seek the divine inwardly rather than focusing solely on external celebrations of Christmas. Emphasizing the necessity of silence and receptivity, he presents a transformative path for spiritual growth and deeper understanding, urging listeners to connect with their true essence.

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insights

INSIGHT

The Inner Christmas

True Christmas is not merely an external event but an inner transformation.
It's about the birth of the divine word within the human soul.

insights

INSIGHT

Personal Significance of Christmas

The birth of the Word must occur within each individual for Christmas to be meaningful.
It's not enough for the birth to happen externally; it must become an inner reality.

insights

INSIGHT

Location of the Divine Birth

The divine birth happens in the purest, subtlest part of the soul, not in external locations.
This requires inner purity, stillness, and turning inward, away from the senses.

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Exploring Self-Awareness and the Journey Within

12:03 • 3min

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Exploring Self-Awareness and Identity Through Meister Eckhart's Teachings

15:04 • 3min

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The Inward Birth of the Divine: Embracing Silence and Receptivity

18:08 • 15min

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The Cloud of Unknowing

Anonymous

This book is a foundational text of Christian mysticism, written in the 14th century. It advises readers to direct their full attention, love, and effort towards God by embracing a 'cloud of unknowing' that stands between them and God. The author emphasizes that God cannot be known through intellect but only through love and a deep, contemplative practice. The text advocates for the abandonment of all worldly thoughts and distractions to focus solely on God, using a 'cloud of forgetting' to separate oneself from created things. It is a guide for advanced spiritual seekers, outlining the stages of spiritual life including purgation, illumination, and union with God.

Song of Songs

Also known as Song of Solomon

King Solomon

The Song of Songs is a unique book in the Bible, consisting of eight chapters of love poetry. It describes the courtship, marriage, and the ongoing relationship between a man and a woman, often interpreted as a symbol of divine love. The book is divided into sections that address courtship, the wedding, and various aspects of married life. It is known for its vivid and passionate language, emphasizing the beauty and goodness of marriage. Historically, it has been interpreted in several ways, including allegorical views representing God's love for Israel or Christ's love for the Church, as well as a straightforward celebration of human love within marriage.

Confessions

Augustine

Written in Latin between AD 397 and 400, 'Confessions' is a blend of autobiography, philosophy, theology, and critical exegesis of the Christian Bible. The first nine books are autobiographical, tracing Augustine's life from his birth to his conversion to Catholicism. He recounts his sinful youth, his involvement with Manicheism and Neoplatonism, and his eventual conversion in a Milanese garden. The last four books focus on philosophical and theological issues, including memory, time, eternity, and the interpretation of the Book of Genesis. The work is structured as a series of prayers to God, reflecting Augustine's journey of redemption and his understanding of God's grace and providence.

Julian of Norwich's Revelations of divine love

Julian of Norwich

Julian of Norwich's Revelations of Divine Love is a classic of English mystical literature. Written in the late 14th century, it recounts Julian's profound spiritual experiences and her understanding of God's love and mercy. The book is famous for its comforting message of 'all shall be well,' which offers solace and hope in the face of suffering. Julian's writings emphasize the importance of contemplation, trust in God, and the transformative power of divine love. Her work has resonated with readers for centuries, offering a powerful and enduring message of spiritual hope.

Book of wisdom

Ishopanishad

Rama Swami

This book is Swami Rama's insightful commentary on the Ishopanishad, one of the key Upanishads in Hindu scripture. It serves as an introduction to yoga and spiritual thought in India, providing readers with a deeper understanding of these ancient teachings. The book is designed to guide readers on their spiritual journey, offering practical wisdom and philosophical insights.

Meister Eckhart's Complete Mystical Works

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Meister Eckhart

Meister Eckhart's Complete Mystical Works compiles the sermons and writings of this influential 14th-century mystic. His work explores the nature of God, the soul, and the path to spiritual union. Eckhart emphasizes the importance of inner transformation and detachment from worldly concerns. His writings are characterized by their profound insights and paradoxical language, challenging conventional understandings of Christian faith. Eckhart's influence on Christian mysticism and contemplative spirituality continues to resonate with readers today.

Sermon One (in Walshe, Complete Mystical Works) has become known as capturing the essence of Meister Eckhart’s thought. “Here, in time, we are celebrating the eternal birth which God the Father bore and bears unceasingly in eternity, because this same birth is now born in time, in human nature.” And why does this lofty thought matter? “What does it avail me that this birth is happening, if it does not happen in me? That it should happen in me is what matters.”
Eckhart, therefore, offers a corrective to the way Christianity and indeed Christmas is usually articulated today. Where does this birth take place? Not in Bethlehem, not in a stable, not around 4BC, not even from Mary, but primarily “in the very purest, loftiest, subtlest part that the soul is capable of”.
Only, is this itself not only too rarefied a form of Christianity, but one inadequate to our times, in denial of moral imperatives or simply a gospel of spiritual bypassing?
In fact, precisely the opposite is the case. Without that birth of the Word in the soul, Christianity’s moral meaning is lost, its injunctions become pathways to demoralisation, with the happiness promised transitory or elusive.
Eckhart, therefore, has crucial things to say to a church dedicated to filling people up with experiences and demands, as well as a time keen on practices that miss the stillness and silence he argues is fundamental.
Rather, alongside the author of The Cloud of Unknowing and Mother Julian, Eckhart preaches the direct and easy path, that depends not on our efforts but on a capacity to not know and stay before the ground from which the Word is born.
Unity with God is the purpose and promise of life - the secret that I feel is regularly absent in presentations of Christianity, though so much sought and needed.

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