Jesus said to them, "If you fast, you will bring sin upon yourselves, and if you pray, you will be condemned, and if you give to charity, you will harm your spirits. When you go into any region and walk about in the countryside, when people take you in, eat what they serve you and heal the sick among them. After all, what goes into your mouth will not defile you; rather, it's what comes out of your mouth that will defile you." (14 Thomas)

Religious rules can be treacherous. In this verse the fundamental disciplines of fasting, prayer, almsgiving, and diet are simply condemned.

In the gospels of Matthew and Mark the warning is more conditional. There Jesus cautions that pride can pervert the spiritual disciplines. (See Matthew 6)

In recent years I have become increasingly pious. These morning meditations have become the highpoint of many days.

When I travel I seek out shrines and worship services. I read religiously oriented books. I welcome spiritual discussion.

I come from a tradition that mistrusts piety - outward displays of devotion. But - so far - I perceive that this is a journey deeper into uncertainty rather than pride.

The more regular my study and thinking on God, the less sure I am of knowing any two connected things about God.

I am confident that God loves us. I am confident that God is the source of justice. But how God's love and justice interact is - so far -entirely beyond me.

There is an increasing sense that God is entirely beyond me. While I am drawn to God, I am conscious of being at a far edge where I can see very little that I recognize and I mostly feel a combination of thankfulness and humility.

I don't think the rules matter much. But they help begin my day. They bring me comfort. They focus my attention beyond myself.