The reason I speak to them in parables is that ‘seeing they do not perceive, and hearing they do not listen, nor do they understand.’
Matthew 13:13
Dear members and friends,
The most essential human challenge, according to Swedenborg, arises from the fact that our journey begins here on earth, yet this journey ends in the spiritual realm. In other words, the deepest challenge comes to us not because of anything from and of this world, but of the other realm. Thus, the challenge arises not from the fact that we are all born in the physical world, but from the fact that spiritual awareness is not an automatic process. What this means is that all humans are innately designed to live a life of materialism until they gain spiritual awareness by themselves. Humans are not capable of seeing, hearing, or understanding truths leading them to spiritual transformation until they gain spiritual awareness.
You may ask, “How is that true since we are created in the image and likeness of God?” The answer is that precisely because we are made in the image and likeness of God, spiritual awareness is essential to initiate our spiritual formation. So, what is spiritual awareness? What I mean by spiritual awareness is definitely not about knowing and thus being able to talk about “spiritual” matters and issues, but rather about being able to sense and acknowledge what is not materialistic within oneself and in one’s life. Spiritual awareness, therefore, arises into our mind only when we are willing and thus able to create a space within our mind for the possibility and presence of the spiritual world, which Jesus often describes as the kingdom of heaven. This must be done voluntarily. Otherwise, it will still be a mere knowledge or a simple agreement to someone else’s conviction. With spiritual awareness, we not only sense and acknowledge heaven within us, but also embody peace, joyfulness, and tranquility in our minds and lives.
My brothers and sisters in God, let us take a moment of reflection this week. Let us look into our minds and see how truly real the spiritual world is to us. Let us send our prayers to our Creator to encourage our hearts and illuminate our paths.
Blessings,
Rev. Junchol Lee