Laurence Freeman, OSB

The mind likes dualities because there’s always a winner and a loser. But, as God and the meditator know, dualities are only two-thirds of the story.

Because we are so bombarded today with messages and demands, and our attention is being pulled in many different directions, we like the idea of simplicity.

“Are you with me?” It’s a question we might ask an audience to make sure they haven’t gone off to sleep while we were talking.

When we see hypocrisy—the enemy of integrity—we are cautious. If we condemn it—as Jesus and the great teachers did—we expose ourselves to attack.

A good new practice to highlight, even at this midway point in the Lenten period, is silence. Silence is the greatest of teachers.

We cannot pursue success, acceptance, and acclaim as authentic goals of life, and be real. In meditation we score no goals but we win the match.