Mind of Christ

"Let this mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus." Wow. In one small statement we are given the easiest and most difficult task in of our lives. Keep Christ in your mind and you will do the right thing. Let Christ out of your mind and you are going to mess up so bad you will be forced to bring in the spiritual version of Comet to clean things up.

It reminds me of Paul's statement about two laws at work, one in the body, on in the spirit. The body -- or our fallen nature visualized as the body -- wants control of the mind. The mind of Christ wants control of our mind. The battle is not fought by Christ, because we bring Christ in, or throw him out; our work is to keep the mind of Christ always in our thoughts. Christ doesn't force his way in and say now I'm running things. Oh, how much easier that would be. Julian of Norwich said that the Lord is not an ungracious guest, and never stays where he is not wanted.

So what keep the mind of Christ within us? First, saying the prayers. For me, and for many, that is the Liturgy of the Hours, whether done twice a day, three times a day, or seven. Second, for Catholics would be to find a daily Mass. Nothing will keep you on the right track like a daily Mass. For Protestants it might be attending a bible study where you are with other and praying together.

A third method is to study the bible, and then do Lectio divina with those passages that speak to you in some special way. If we do not have frequent exposure to the word of God, then how can we hope to have the mind of Christ in the forefront of our own minds? I had the advantage of a fundamentalist upbringing, which taught me that knowledge of the Bible was essential for the living of a Christian life. I tend to agree with that. Vatican II certainly did, and the church continuously urges the faithful to study the Bible.

Those are my thoughts, and that's all they are, thoughts. The real presence of Christ in our minds is done simply by remembering Christ. That is our job. If we are vigilant then we shall have the mind of Christ. What more could anyone wish for?