Spirituality is....Asking

(c) 1993, 20th Century Fox, The Simpsons. 

In the Simpsons episode "Homer and Apu" the Simpson family travels to India so Apu can ask for his job back from the guru of gurus - the head of the Kwik-E-Mart. When they arrive - he is sitting crossed legged on top of the Himalayas - like the stereotypical wise man.  He only allows petitioners to ask him three questions.


Head Of Kwik-E-Mart: You may ask me three questions.

Homer: Are you really the head of the Kwik-E-Mart?
Head Of Kwik-E-Mart: Yes--
Homer: Really?
Head Of Kwik-E-Mart: Yes--
Homer: You?
Head Of Kwik-E-Mart: Yes. I hope this has been enlightening to you. Thank you, come again.

Poor Apu never gets to ask his question! That's a shame, because the act of asking is one of the best pathways we can find in spirituality. 

We often see or hear of spiritual people  much in the same way The Simpsons represents them. Whether or not they are sitting on a mountain top - we tend to think of spiritual people as peaceful, all-knowing, wisdom providing beings who have all the answers.  They wait for us to come to them and they tell us those things we need to know. They bring light and enlightenment to us with their very presence. We walk away from our encounters saying, "someday I'd like to be like that!"  And when we do - we miss the point.

Spirituality isn't about knowing all the answers, being ever-calm, or being isolated from the rest of the world. In some ways, that model is about as far from spirituality as you get.  Spirituality is about asking the questions, longing for answers and learning from each other along the way.  Spiritual people don't isolate themselves permanently on the mountaintop of  "above-it-all"  floating over the problems of life.  Spiritual people are in the world engaging other people in acts of healing, words of hope and prayers of connection.  Spiritual people are the ones down in the mud helping others or seeking help themselves.

Always knowing the "right thing to say" isn't spirituality. Sitting beside someone, holding their hand in silence because you don't know what to say but you desire to comfort them is the breath of God in you. Spirituality isn't always a pretty, fluid prayer timed like a dance that rolls off the tongue. Sometimes its a jagged heaving cry that simply says, "God, I don't know what to do anymore. Help me."

Being spiritual doesn't make someone untouchable, elevated or holy.  Being spiritual makes someone real. There's an old preacher's joke that I think of when I come across one of those stereotypical views of the spirit.

A farmer stopped by a little country church and approached the desk of the church secretary. Standing before her with a farmer's tan and dirty overalls he asked for the pastor.
     "Let me speak to the head hog of the herd!" He thundered joyously.
     "Sir!" gasped the startled secretary. "We do not refer to our Pastor, The Most Reverend Alan Clayton, like that! It's disrespectful and undignified. Please remember, Sir, this is Holy Ground."
     "Well, I'm terribly sorry," the farmer continued. "I reckon I don't belong here then. I was just excited because I got a great price on my crop and I stopped by to donate 5 thousand dollars to thank the Lord.  I'll be leavin' now."
The secretary bounded over the desk, jumped in from the farmer and replied, "Hold on! I'll get the big pig right now!"

There's nothing wrong with respect, or dignity. But I think it would serve us to remember that spirituality is about pursuit and connection - not pomp and circumstance. 

Asking has many of the elements of spirituality.  Please note: I am purposely using the word "asking" and not the word "seeking" - to get us out of the habit of "church speak" and into the world we live in. 

• Asking involves honesty. In order to ask, you must admit you don't know. 
• Asking involves opening. Whether asking God, or a person - you must open yourself to receive an answer.
• Asking involves connection. It is a reaching, joining thing to ask a question. 
• Asking involves hope. We don't ask something unless we believe or hope we will get an answer.

Who did Jesus commend for being of great faith and spirit?

• A centurion who asked Jesus to heal his servant
• The Syropheonician woman, who asked and argued, for Jesus to heal her daughter
• A woman who goes to a corrupt judge and asks for justice over and over and over
• A thief who asks to be remembered (perhaps forgiven) when Jesus comes into his kingdom.

 So, in your journey of spirit and hope don't simply weigh your faith in the balance of how many answers you know. Encourage your soul with the questions you are willing to ask.