Richard Rohr On Grace
It's In Your Heart ~ Ever Since to Evermore
Glad Tidings ~ Indeed
Richard Rohr sees grace as God's very essence—an inherent, unearned, all-encompassing goodness that fills the universe, not something God gives out as a reward; it's the "Goodness Glue," a divine energy flowing through everything, especially in depths, wounds, and death, inviting us to move from a merit-based life to a gift-based one where we receive God's free, persistent presence, realizing all is gift and learning to enjoy it.
Key Concepts of Rohr's View on Grace
- Who God Is: Grace isn't a transaction; it's God's nature, always present, sustaining all creation.
- The Universal Field: God's goodness fills "the gaps," holding darkness and light together, a free energy transforming death into life.
- Beyond Meritocracy: Grace challenges our "earn and deserve" mindset (capitalism/meritocracy) by showing everything is a gift, moving us to stop counting and weighing.
- Found in the Low Places: Like water, grace pools in the lowest spots, in wounds, brokenness, and the "bottom" of things, not just the pious or perfect.
- The Gift Economy: Jesus introduced a "gift economy" where all are guests, receiving freely without owing anything back, fostering gratitude and hospitality.
- The "Deadly Sin": The only real sin is living on the surface, missing God's deep presence and love by focusing on self-worthiness.
- An Unearned Bridge: Grace is an uncreated, unearned bridge that carries us from death to life, beyond our efforts, achieved through radical openness and surrender.
How to Experience It
- Openness: Be open to God's persistent presence through your senses, heart, and mind.
- Letting Go: Stop striving for worthiness; realize you already have it.
- Gratitude: Recognize everything as a gift, fostering thankfulness.
- Embrace the "Now": Receive God's presence now, not just at the end of life, moving from moralistic religion to mystical experience.
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