I would
like to illustrate four moral equivalencies that I see as the foundational
message of Jesus. This might help us understand the whole reason for
non-dualistic thinking.
1.
Jesus creates an equivalency with himself and the Father. “The Father and I are
one” (John 10:30). Because we made Jesus different than ourselves, we thought
Jesus was just talking about himself. We did not understand Christ as the
corporate personality wherein he is the stand-in for all of us. He really meant
for us to follow him on this same path. We are supposed to be able to say at
the end of our spiritual journey that we, too, are one with the Father.
2. The
second moral equivalency is with Jesus and other people. “Whatever you do to
the least of my brethren you do to me” (Matt. 25:40). This is a mystical way of
knowing. A dualistic mind cannot understand this thinking because dualistic
thinking usually excludes those who are “least” by my definition. With a
non-dual mind we are able to see each and every person as an “Alter Christus,”
another Christ.
3. The
third moral equivalency is with any person and God. “The Spirit is with you.
The Spirit is in you” (John 14:17). Jesus closes the gap between God and us. As
St. Paul says, “You are all temples of the Holy Spirit and the Spirit dwells in
you” (1 Corinthians 3:16). This levels the playing field of humanity.
Theologically, we are all of equal dignity and importance. Only a non-dualistic
mind can get this, however. The dualistic mind will always make distinctions at
a lower level and cannot usually get beyond them.
4. The
fourth moral equivalency is between yourself and any other person. “In
everything, do unto others what you would have them do unto you” (Matt. 7:12).
How you love one person is how you love every other person, and how you love
other persons is how you should love yourself, and how you love yourself is how
you should love other persons!
Such
non-dual seeing of everything really is enough to change the world.
Richard Rohr
