Eternal Life

Time is of the essence. Time is money. Almost everyone I know is paid by the hour, day, month, or year. Even those who aren’t, who are paid by the project, can often readily compute their estimated hourly wage. Almost in a way of checking to see if they are holding their place in the market.

Finance-based Capitalism requires a distorted understanding of time to function. Theologian Katheryn Tanner makes the case that leveraging at the corporate and personal level propels one into a collapsing of time where an ever increasing percentage of one’s actions are determined by past decisions. This collapsed time requires “via indebtedness an unbreakable continuity with one’s past self” (Tanner, pg. 31). This orientation to the past shows up in the way wages are calculated, often being based upon decisions in the past (such as what schools attended, geographic location, etc.) rather than the present work being done.

 

This collapse of time violates the way Stoic emperor/philosopher, Marcus Aurelius understands the matter. Contrary to our present being controlled by decisions in the past he proclaims, “the sole thing of which anyone can be deprived is the present, since this is all one owns” (Meditations 2:14). The Roman Empire was certainly a brutal place. It’s hard to imagine it a place where nearly every person was in a race to raise and leverage themselves simply to stay afloat.

Jesus of Nazareth talks about life in all four canonical gospels. In John’s gospel, however, he adds a significant qualifier: eternal. In his final prayer (John 17) Jesus claims that his disciples have the ability to “give eternal life” to people. Then Jesus defines eternal life: it is when one’s vitality is in never-ending supply. What’s more crazy, this eternal life happens when someone imitates God to the extent that it is difficult to tell the difference between God and the person acting like God.

That acting is paradoxical. That which looks strong is often weak. That which looks foolish is often intelligent. “One who is filled with virtue”, Lao Tzu says,”is like a baby. Bees, scorpions serpents, and snakes won’t sting her. Wild animals won’t attack him. Birds will not stroke them. Bones weak, muscles soft, yet the grasp is firm”. This is to say that the strength of God, or the virtue of the Way, is demonstrated by harmony with nature, eschewing a worldly or social power. Lao Tzu finishes this idea by saying, “Knowing harmony is called eternal, Knowing the everlasting is called enlightenment. Increasing one’s vitality is called a blessing”.

Anyone who has business to accomplish or people for whom they need to care could use more vitality and clarity.How does one begin putting these ideas into practice? One possibility is for people of faith is to look to monastic practices to help form our identity and give us the strength and connection to the Divine we need. In a previous post on monasticism I outlined some of the global features of this identity. I say features because specific practices vary from region to region while the identity remains recognizable. Monastic living and identity is a way to reform one’s self away from that of consumer. The identity of professional/consumer cannot last. It is unsustainable.

Whether through a monastic or some other identity and practice, eternal life is possible. The ancients tell us it may very well be hiding in plain sight. Let us examine our lives and hearts to leave behind that which no longer leads us to life. Give up what you have, and follow Christ.