"When we bring these religious experiences to the surface of our consciousness and make them appear as they truly are, we begin to realize that we really live with God; we become conscious of a personal relationship with Him,
In these experiences God has a face, He is our Father, who cares for us; He is our Creator, but a Creator who keeps us in existence here and now; He is the Master of life and death, but a Master who is very much concerned about our life and our death; living with Him gives our relationship with our fellowman a supplementary depth.
Often we experience that we are in intimate dialogue with Him, that we can feel Him, and become emotionally involved with Him.
Jesus taught us this relationship
It does not take long to discover that this manner in which we live with God has been taught us by Jesus Christ.
The sermon of the Mount is often portrayed as the blueprint of Christian behaviour, as a new code of morals. In reality Christ speaks as much about God in that sermon as about us; the sermon is really neither an exposition of God's nature, nor a series of commandments for us, but it is a blueprint for the intersubjective relationship which we have with God.
In this relationship there are two poles.
The one is God, our Father, who cares for us with a very personal, individual care, so that we do not need to fret about what we shall eat, what we shall drink or wear, because the heavenly Father knows what we need, and will provide us. He cares more for us than an earthly father cares for his son.
"What man is there among you, who, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? How much more will your Father who is in Heaven give good things to those who ask Him." (М. 7-9) He is the Father of the prodigal son, the good shepherd who goes after his lost sheep, He is the Father who invites all to the wedding feast of His son, who reveals Himself to little children.
And the other pole is the follower of Christ, who seeks the Father in constant dialogue, praying to him in the secret of his heart, and finding Him in the relationship to his neighbour, by loving that neighbour, by being good to those who hate him and calumniate him, by being poor of spirit, merciful, meek, pure, suffering in silence, by being an arbiter of peace. We must be all these things, because we shall see God, we shall possess the Kingdom, we shall be called the children of God."
"There are moments in life - quiet, often fleeting - when something within us rises gently to the surface. A memory, a sense of presence, a deep interior awareness. These are not merely passing emotions; they are religious experiences, subtle yet profound invitations to see reality as it truly is. When we allow these experiences to emerge into the light of our consciousness, something remarkable happens: we begin to realize that we are not alone, that we truly live with God.
This realization is not abstract or distant. God is no longer a vague idea or a distant force. In these lived experiences, He has a Face. He becomes our Father Who knows us closely, cares for us personally, and walks with us constantly.
He is our Creator, not only in the sense that He once brought us into being, but as One who sustains us here and now. God holds us in existence with love at every moment. He is the Master of life and death, yet not in a cold or detached way; rather, He is deeply concerned with the course of our lives, our struggles and joys. God supports us during the mystery of our passing.
To live with this awareness changes everything. Our relationship with God begins to shape how we see others. Human relationships gain new depth, a quiet sacredness. We begin to recognize others not merely as individuals, but fellow beings loved and sustained by the same Divine Presence. Compassion grows more naturally, patience deepens and forgiveness becomes easier. Living with God enriches our humanity.
It is here that the teachings of Jesus Christ become not only relevant but transformative. In the Sermon on the Mount, the Master offers us what can be called a blueprint for true holiness, This blueprint is not a distant ideal, but a practical and deeply human way of living.
Jesus teaches us to be poor in spirit, to be gentle, to hunger for righteousness, to be merciful, pure of heart, and makers of peace. These are not merely moral instructions; they are a way of being that flows from living in relationship with God.
Through these teachings, we learn what it means to be truly human. Decency, kindness, integrity - these are not external rules imposed upon us, but virtues that grow from within. Holy values are nurtured by our relationship with Christ. The Sermon on the Mount reveals that holiness is not about separation from life, but about entering more deeply into life and community with others.
As our relationship with God matures, we often find ourselves in what can only be described as close dialogue with God. We speak to Him, sometimes in words, sometimes in silence. We sense God's Presence; not always dramatically, but gently, faithfully. At times, we feel God so close, that our hearts respond with emotions such as peace, longing and gratitude. At times, we even respond with tears. This is not illusion or sentimentality; it is the lived reality of a relationship.
It is no coincidence that we come to know God in this way. This manner of living with God as a present, personal, loving Companion has been taught to us by Jesus Himself. Christ revealed not only who God is, but how we are to relate to Him. Through the Saviour's Words, Life and Example, He showed us that God is not distant, but near. God is not impersonal, but deeply relational.
When we allow our religious experiences to surface and be seen for what they truly are, we begin to understand that we are already living with God. The invitation is simply to become aware of it; and to respond."
Heart-Stone of Christ
In quiet hours when earth grows still,
And bends at last to Heaven’s will,
A whisper stirs within the soul;
A Presence there that makes us whole.
Not distant, cold, or far above,
But near to us in tender love;
In hidden moments, soft and clear,
We wake and find that God is near.
We walk with Him through passing days,
In simple thoughts, in work, in praise;
And slowly, through His guiding Light,
Our hearts are formed in what is right.
For on the mount His voice once rang,
Where truth like living water sprang;
There mercy, meekness, hearts made pure,
Became the path both strong and sure.
And as we climb that sacred height,
Through shadowed vale or morning bright,
We bend beside the dusty sod,
To find a sign that speaks of God:
A rust-red stone, in heart’s own shape,
Time-worn by wind, by years’ escape;
We lift it up, we clear its face,
To hold it close in love’s embrace.
A token of Christ’s Love so deep,
A gift our weary souls may keep;
Through winding years, through joy and pain,
Its silent warmth doth still remain.
In that dear love, our lives are changed,
No longer distant, lost, estranged;
For every soul we come to see
As held in sacred dignity.
Our human bonds grow every day,
With depth from God's own loving way;
A quiet grace in all we share,
With sense of God’s own Presence there.
In fellowship our hearts unite,
Drawn onward by His gentle Light;
A living Church, 'mid joy and strife,
Made one within His hidden Life.
And when at last life’s course is run,
When fading falls the setting sun,
We cross the line no eyes can see,
Into love’s vast eternity -
No fear shall claim the final breath,
For He is Lord of life and death;
Companion, Saviour, ever near,
The One we love now drawing near.
[1] Fr G.M.A. Jansen. (Norbert Jansen OP). p 13, Pro Veritate Vol V No. 9. Our Living with God. 15 January 1967. Page 7
https://sahistory.org.za/sites/default/files/archive-files4/PvJan67.pdf
With thanks to sahistory.org.za
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