When Bernard Lonergan speaks about Insight in the introductory paragraphs he speaks about insight as taking place in an atmosphere of the 'tension of inquiry.' This tension takes place between a searching and a finding: a searching for what the mind considers part of a 'composite' structure of knowledge and the finding that composite structure which it once found to be missing, but not yet understood. When this information, in whatever form it takes, the mind registers it as an insight to a previous search.
Lonergan is very concerned in making the reader understand that this kind of insight happens under certain circumstances and not under others. If it happens under one it happens for a reason, while it it doesn't happen under others, it also happens for a different reason, though usually in a counter complimentarity or inverse fashion. In other words, as Jesus said: ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find; knock and the door shall be opened.' He didn't have to say, 'whoever does not seek will not find, whoever asks will not receive; whoever doesn't knock shall not enter,' since this is understood by teh truth that he spoke. Jesus expects his followers to 'seek, ask, and knock.' Also, there is a consequence to the type and quality of the seeking, asking, and knocking. THE one who sincerely seeks Jesus with all 'one's mind, heart, soul, and strength' will genuinely seek what he knows what he should seek and not what he shuldn't seek in wanting to find Jesus; in asking what he should and not asking what he should not ask of God in finding; lastly, in knocking as long and as hard and as consistently as it takes to be united to the One He loves with his 'whole mind, heart, soul, and strength.' For in the end, He realizes that in the proper asking, seeking, and knocking is already a gift, not so much in the receiving, finding, and the door being opened. For Jesus Himself and His Spirit is all of this and more: " I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE."
Asking , seeking, knocking! All this is only possible because first ' sought us, found us, and loved us.' If he Himself has sought, who could hide; if He Himself has knocked who would not want to open, if he Himself has asked, who would not give. So it is a privilege just to desire to give to he who has already sought and found; to he who has asked and has been given; to he who has knocked and the door of our hearts have been opened.
Not that we were worhty of his asking, his seeking, or his knocking, for 'we had all gone astray like sheep without a Shepherd, ' and were perishing as surely as the sun rises. No, the invitation to return in asking, seeking, and in knocking comes as a pure gift from he whom nothing is needed, nothing is missing, nothing changes.
For if the tension of our inquiry is not motivated by the love of He who created and sustains us, what will we truly ask for? If our inquiry is not motivated by seeking He who died for us to set us free from sin and death, what will we truly find; lastly , if our inquiry is not motivated by a love for He who truly knocked on the door of our hearts by putting on Himslef the 'form of a slave,' and emptying Himself for our sakes, what other door will we find worthy of entering?
IP CRL
5:35:17 AM.
