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Meister Eckhart’s “Rapid River that Divinizes Us”

02/21/2024

We ended yesterday’s DM about Joy, Courage and Generosity as signs of holiness with reference to Meister Eckhart’s amazing sermon on “The Holy Spirit, Like a Rapid River, Divinizes Us.” Let us explore that sermon more today.

Eckhart first cites Psalm 46:4: There is a river whose streams refresh the city of God, and it sanctifies the dwelling of the Most High. Then he offers another translation of the same psalm: This rapid or quick-flowing river has caused the city of God to rejoice.

The Seine, rolling past Notre Dame Cathedral. Photo by Philippe D. on Unsplash

He tells us to pay attention to what this ‘city’ is. In a spiritual meaning, it is the soul. A ‘city’ means a civium unitas (‘a unity of the citizens'). This means a city that is secure on the outside and united within as the ‘unity of its citizens.’ So also should the soul be into which God is to flow.

Saint John says that from all of those who have a faith enlivened by divine love and who prove it by their good works ‘living waters will flow’ (cf. Jn. 7:38). In this way he wished to point to the Holy Spirit. 

The Spirit flows just as completely into the soul as the soul empties itself in humility and expands itself to receive him.

United by the flame of the Spirit: “Pentecost.” Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

I am certain of this: If my soul were as ready and if God should find as much space in it as in the soul of our Lord Jesus Christ, he would just as completely fill it with this ‘river.’ For the Holy Spirit cannot keep

from flowing into every place where he finds space and he flows just as extensively as the space he finds there.

Eckhart tells us that the soul is to receive the divine river’ that fills it and causes it to rejoice. Saint John writes that the Apostles were gathered together and enclosed when they received the Holy Spirit. We need to be gathered together and enclosed also and that is the work of meditation, contemplation and the via negativa. 

For God leads his bride, that is, the soul…to a solitary desert and not himself, and he himself speaks in the soul’s heart….For this noble deed the soul has to gather and close itself up.  

To be continued.

Adapted from Matthew Fox, “Sermon 26: The Holy Spirit, Like a Rapid River, Divinizes Us,” in Fox, Passion For Creation: The Earth-Honoring Spirituality of Meister Eckhart, pp. 363-365.

Banner Image: A rushing river. Photo by Rudolf Kirchner on Pexels.

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Queries for Contemplation

In this time of Lent and of loss, is it useful to hear how emptying makes room for Spirit and for joy and invites them in?

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Passion for Creation: The Earth-Honoring Spirituality of Meister Eckhart

Matthew Fox’s comprehensive translation of Meister Eckhart’s sermons is a meeting of true prophets across centuries, resulting in a spirituality for the new millennium. The holiness of creation, the divine life in each person and the divine power of our creativity, our call to do justice and practice compassion–these are among Eckhart’s themes, brilliantly interpreted and explained for today’s reader.
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