Kenosis

**Kenosis** is the concept of the 'self-emptying' and becoming entirely receptive to God. It is used both as an explanation of the Incarnation, and an indication of the nature of God's activity and condescension Mystical theologian John of the Cross work "Dark Night of the Soul" is a particularly lucid explanation of God's process of transforming the believer into the "likeness of Christ".

Kenosis timeline: [] Under construction.

 FROM: Cynthia Bourgeault’s “The Wisdom Jesus: Transforming Heart and Mind: A New Perspective on Christ and His Message”. Shambhala Press. Boston: 2008

 Chapter 6: Kenosis: The Path of Self-Emptying Love. Pages 73-74. . . . . As we practice in daily life, our acts of compassion, kindness, and self-emptying, both at the level of our doing and even more at the level of our being, something is catalyzed out of that self-emptying which is pure divine substance mirrored in our own true face. Subtle qualities of divine love essential to the well being of this planet are released through our actions and flow out into the world as miracle, healing and hope.  The power of this sacred alchemy to transform even the blackest of calamity, in which there appears to be absolutely no redemption or saving grace, is attested by an unknown poet who left the following prayer beside the body of a dead child at the Ravensbruck death camp during the era of unspeakable human darkness:

 O Lord, remember not only the men and women  Of good will, but also those of ill will.  But do not remember all the suffering they inflicted on us;  Remember the fruits we have bought, thanks to  This suffering—our comradeship,  Our loyalty, our humility, our courage,  Our generosity, the greatness of heart  Which has grown out of all this, and when  They come to judgment let all the fruits Which we have borne be their forgiveness.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">"But by dealing with the climate of prayer, and especially with the process of what the Germans call Entlarvung--the smoking out of the "bogus interiority" of the "communal woolgathering" of the "inert primitive infantile narcissism" of the attempts at an "unsassailable narcissistic security" of the worshipping of idols of our own making, mental idols of God that will not disturb us, he is able to come at his task obliquely enough to lessen at least the futility of so much that is written on this subject and to bring us nearer to what lives behind the last curtain." Thomas Merton, 10-11 //Contemplative Prayer// 1969.