Everything Belongs: The Gift of Contemplative Prayer

by Richard Rohr

Jesus’ notion of the kingdom of God will not come from political correctness because it is the same game on the other side of the playing field. The ego has just found another way to be right: with vegetarianism, for example! I’m not against vegetarianism, but if it’s used as our new way to be in control and morally superior, we are not enlightened. While crunching organic carrots, some assure their egos bite by bite, “I am right.” Health can become the new name of salvation. I suppose the religion of health is as close as a materialist culture can come to salvation. We start with a preoccupation with the body, so physical health is as close as we can come to a full life. I’m all for health, but dieting, exercising, health food, and elaborate spas can be just a materialist definition of salvation. You can usually tell if your pursuit of health is an ego control game if it becomes obsessive and is not balanced with the work of mind, heart, spirit, and soul. How can we be fully present to another human being if all we see is their eating habits so we can judge them accordingly?