A Way of a Pilgrim: Listener Questions

SPEAKER_1 (0:00)

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James Finley (0:07)

Greetings, I'm Jim Finley.

Kirsten Oates (0:11)

And I'm Kirsten Oates.

James Finley (0:13)

Welcome to Turning to the Mystics.

Kirsten Oates (0:23)

Welcome, everyone, to season nine of Turning to the Mystics, where we've been turning to the way of a pilgrim by an anonymous author.

And I'm here with Jim, and in this session, we're going to be going through the listener questions that have come in. So welcome, Jim.

James Finley (0:39)

Yes, glad we're doing this. I was touched by the questions, because they're the kind of questions that seekers ask.

You know, they're real questions. So it's good when these texts bring forth these dimensions of ourselves like this. So lovely, you know.

Kirsten Oates (0:56)

Yes, yes. And just a big thank you to everyone who sent in a question, because they're helpful to you and I, Jim, in crafting the podcast going forward.

But also, I know they'll be helpful to everyone who's listening. So thank you for taking the time. So ready to dive in?

James Finley (1:13)

Yes.

Kirsten Oates (1:13)

Yes.

The first question comes from Mary Ann, and it's after listening to session one, she says, In session one, you said our effectiveness in the world isn't dependent upon the ways we are physically present to and help others. It's important to do that. But what really matters is that we follow our vocation, our interior vocation of being led by God into ever deeper paths to union with God. Could you say more about that? It sounds to me like you are setting a distinction between the two. Or are you meaning that in following our interior vocation to union, the service to others will follow and free us up from even the question or concern with effectiveness?

James Finley (2:02)

You know, my sense of this in the spirit of these contemplative traditions is that the norm is that our deepening faith in God and our deepening relationship with God and prayer and so on, quite naturally transforms our attitudinal stance towards ourself, our behavior towards other people, and it translates itself into being more Christlike and more loving and service to others and so on. Another level of this is that while that's true, it's also true that there's a dimension of our deepening relationship with God that touches the whole world in ways we don't understand, that is not dependent upon the physical contact, but it rather permeates and touches the world according to God's providential grace.

And the third level is that it's a deepening union with God that's infinite and eternal, like our eternal destiny and like the hiddenness of eternal life in us. So those three quite naturally just flow together according to the uniqueness of each person's experience.

Kirsten Oates (3:16)

Mm-hmm, wonderful. Thank you, Jim.

Another question from Alicia. And she's talking about vocation. And she says, I hope you will see a kindred spirit in my genuine wish to integrate the quickening that has been tapping on my door for some time.

To that end, James, you have mentioned that the pilgrim is called to solitude as an example of any number of callings that might be expressed. I feel called to my profession and to bring a mystical stance to my work as an IP lawyer. However, I scarcely know how to begin. Do you have any thoughts or guidance for a stumbling soul like me?

James Finley (3:59)

Yes, I would say this, and I would say this about law, for example, and I would say this also about teaching or different careers, is that there's something deeply spiritual about the inherent value of helping people. So when you're using your training in law to be there for and with the people in the midst of their needs, there's an inherent spiritual value to that. And the spiritual depth of it might be implicit, might not be explicitly stated at all. It's just there. The next level, I think, has to do with people that we work this way as students or law, whatever it is. I'm just thinking, I just had a talk yesterday on the same with my cardiologist, my heart doctor.

And there's a genuine feeling of gratitude that he's there.

You know, just that he's part of my life, that he's there for me. And I think that's another depth dimension of this. Then there's another level of saying then that the presence of God is the infinity of those dimensions of value. That there's something inherently holy about the engagement and the process with these sensitivities in mind this way. And so I think, yeah, that's how we grow, I guess.