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Spiritual Accompaniment Literature Reflection 1

The article “Spiritual Direction And The Wonder Of The Incarnation” discusses the dichotomy of belief in the incarnation, emphasizing lived experience over doctrine rules. It explores the connection to spiritual accompaniment, highlighting love as the driving force and creating space for healing and change. The underlying thought is the decrease of the ego and the…

Suzie Gallagher

8 Apr 2024

2–3 minutes

Advice, Chesterton, cloud of mystery, God, Holy Spirit, humility, Jesus, John 3:30, Mary, opinon, Philip Carter, Thessalonica, trinity, Williams

Carter, Philip. “Spiritual Direction And The Wonder Of The Incarnation.” In Presence 28/2 (June 2022) 6-22

The dichotomy in the opening paragraphs of this article gives the implicit impression of the dichotomy of the human race. There are those who believe in the incarnation and those who do not. Quoting Armstrong’s view that the earth could be blotted out by his thumb brings us into humility which contrasted with Schweikart’s vision of earth being something fragile and precious. Reading their perceptions of earth from the moon reminded me of the honour and privilege they held by being in space able to view the earth from a different perspective to the dwellers of the earth. What an honour and a privilege it is to read about the incarnation and live the incarnation as a lived experience not a set of doctrine rules “Faith, far from mere intellectual or rational conviction, is always about our willingness for commitment and engagement. In other words, faith is lived out in practical and practiced ways that free us and change us.”[1] This call for a change in response to the wonder of the incarnation is cemented with quotes from Chesterton[2] and Williams.[3]

My head fills with questions some of them cannot be answered and the cloud of mystery remains with them. Some are to be pondered upon as Mary so eloquently did, Luke 2:19[4]. When God put skin on, he entered into the human condition, as Carter says, “the possibility of encounter,”[5] and that is the wonder of the incarnation.

How does this relate to Spiritual Accompaniment? The words of Paul to the church in Thessalonica come to mind, “May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.” In the Spiritual accompaniment process, love is the driving force. Love stops the Spiritual Accompanier fixing things, offering opinion and advice. Love creates the space for healing and change to begin. In the final part of the article the focus is on what happens in the room. John testifying about Jesus said, “He must become greater; I must become less.”(John 3:30 NIVUK) and in this article that is the underlying thought. There is something greater than us and the sacred space created for the Spiritual Accompaniment to be effected allows the greater (Godhead: Father, Spirit, Son) and the ego of the Spiritual Accompanier lessens. Then the wonder/awe/miracle occurs.