At the most basic level of existence, we come from God, are rooted in God, “live, move, and have our being” in God (Acts 17:28), and are called forth to God at the end of our lives. Dominican mystic Meister Eckhart even spoke of a “light in the soul that is uncreated and uncreatable,” suggesting that the Presence of God is a grace within us from the moment of our creation throughout our existence. The source of this light is not us, but God, and the energy that keeps the light burning comes not from us, but from God, so there is nothing ignite or extinguish the light. God within us is just the fact of the matter. All that’s left up to us, then, is to give the light a place and space to shine. This explains why so much of contemplative practice is to do with subtraction: letting go of thoughts, releasing expectations, learning to recognize and embrace the unplanned “God moment.” Contemplative practices aren’t generating a bond between God and the person – the bond is inseparable. God doesn’t come to love us because we pray – our lives have been rooted in love since the beginning. Rather, we are trying to unclutter ourselves of all the things that have since been piled on top of that light so that light can be seen by us and others. Every person carries the divine light, but are we willing to take off the bushel basket?
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