Ducas
From the book, "Re-Connecting to your Monadic Mother Soul" via Facebook.
In the Irish language, there is a word that better captures the understanding of being of the Body of Christ and belonging to Jesus: dúċas. Like most words in any language, it does not translate neatly, but generally it means: one's native place, where you belong, or where you have always belonged. There is a phrase, "Ag fillead ar do dúċas," which means returning to your native place, and also "the recovery/rediscovery of who you are."
But dúċas also goes a little deeper: it can also refer to one's purest or deepest nature, our "gut" feeling or pure instinct – as opposed to our PRIMAL feelings and instinct. In the Christian's case, that is our nature in Christ, our essence in Christ. That which is left when the baptismal waters wash over us and allow us to be beyond a primal, individual - and instead be one of the Body of Christ.
John O'Donohue reminds us when we allow ourselves and our minds to lose our rootage, we revert to fundamentalism: a false longing and forced belonging. Such reinforces that old "I wish it was like the good ole' days" feeling, which – at least when I asked my parents about such once - I was quickly told, "They weren't really that good." O'Donohue goes into detail:
"[Fundamentalism is] a false certainty [that] can only endure through the belief that everyone else is wrong. It is not surprising that such fundamentalism desires power in order to implement its vision and force the others to do as prescribed. Fundamentalism is dangerous and destructive. There is neither acceptance nor generosity in its differences with the world. It presumes to know the truth that everyone should follow. There is often an over-cosy alliance between fundamentalism and official religion. Disillusioned functionaries sometimes see fundamentalism as the true remnant which has succeeded in remaining impervious to the virus of pluralism... Blind loyalty replaces critical belonging..."
The good news: "There is a Providence that brought us here and gave us to each other at this time. In and through us, a greater tapestry of creativity is being woven. It is difficult for us to envisage this. We live such separate and often quite removed lives. Yet behind all the seeming separation a deeper unity anchors everything." (John O'Donohue, _Eternal Echoes_, pp. 253-258)
It's the story of Jesus Christ: devout but not a Pharisee, a King and Lord but not by use of a fist and stealing land, our Savior who conquers death so that we might know eternal life.
May we all find our dúċas and know that we belong, and belong to each other, in Christ.
The Rev. Sky McCracken is senior pastor of First United Methodist Church in Jackson, Tenn. This post is republished with permission from his Facebook page.