Usually I begin each entry with some sort of scripture passage. Today, I am looking to reflect on love. this will be just a stream of consciousness. There is no real structure or order to this entry.
God makes us a promise that when life is cold, we will never have to be without love. As we are carefully and wonderfully created and fashioned by the hand of God, our souls bear the imprint of God himself. As God is love, our souls also have love. The greatest pain I believe a person can experience is to feel unloved. However, the Lord shares with us his life and love through the Gospel. In the words which recount for us the life of Jesus, we will find the invitation to share in the Gospel joy.
There is no greater love than this, to be willing to die for one's friends. Jesus tells his disciples this in the Gospel according to Saint John. We read that this sacrifice is fulfilled in the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus. We also read from Saint Paul that we should seek to imitate our Lord. But what does it look like to be willing to die for one's friends? Pain teaches us that we should seek to protect ourselves and avoid the things which could take our lives. In a sense, pain makes us self-preserving. Wanting to live is not a bad thing. The Lord, himself, tells us that he came that we might have life and have it to the fullest. With that said, how ought we be willing to die?
I would like to conjecture that this willingness is a response to the Lord's call to love our neighbors as ourselves. If we are protective of our lives, then out of love, it seems that we should be willing to protect the lives of our friends. Sometimes, loving our friends is very easy and other times, it can be a mighty struggle.
For each of my friends, there exists a sacred bond. A special unity exists in my friendships that is unique to each of us. Common experiences and common faith bind us to one another. Some of my friends and I are friends for no discernible reason. And I have friends where communication has decayed and degraded over time. However, my resolve to serve and defend them remains as adamant as the first time I called them "friend." The best thing about my friendships is our ability to look past each other's sins and transgressions and continue to enjoy each other's company.
My past is not without regrets for my transgressions. And it is my great hope that one day there can be peace and reconciliation. I don't know what that will look like but I pray it happens while my conciliatory words have meaning. And when my time to die comes, I pray that forgiveness finds me and the peace of the Lord carries me.
My future is known only to the Lord. However, if the present gives any indication, I see both joy and sorrow ahead. And yet, through it all, there will be the constancy of the Gospel joy. Joy is not always happy nor is it sad. It is the peace and contentment that something good has happened and that something good will happen.
I pray that I can always know the love found in the Gospel joy. And as this reflection comes to and end, may the Lord grant me and you a restful night and a peaceful death.
God makes us a promise that when life is cold, we will never have to be without love. As we are carefully and wonderfully created and fashioned by the hand of God, our souls bear the imprint of God himself. As God is love, our souls also have love. The greatest pain I believe a person can experience is to feel unloved. However, the Lord shares with us his life and love through the Gospel. In the words which recount for us the life of Jesus, we will find the invitation to share in the Gospel joy.
There is no greater love than this, to be willing to die for one's friends. Jesus tells his disciples this in the Gospel according to Saint John. We read that this sacrifice is fulfilled in the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus. We also read from Saint Paul that we should seek to imitate our Lord. But what does it look like to be willing to die for one's friends? Pain teaches us that we should seek to protect ourselves and avoid the things which could take our lives. In a sense, pain makes us self-preserving. Wanting to live is not a bad thing. The Lord, himself, tells us that he came that we might have life and have it to the fullest. With that said, how ought we be willing to die?
I would like to conjecture that this willingness is a response to the Lord's call to love our neighbors as ourselves. If we are protective of our lives, then out of love, it seems that we should be willing to protect the lives of our friends. Sometimes, loving our friends is very easy and other times, it can be a mighty struggle.
For each of my friends, there exists a sacred bond. A special unity exists in my friendships that is unique to each of us. Common experiences and common faith bind us to one another. Some of my friends and I are friends for no discernible reason. And I have friends where communication has decayed and degraded over time. However, my resolve to serve and defend them remains as adamant as the first time I called them "friend." The best thing about my friendships is our ability to look past each other's sins and transgressions and continue to enjoy each other's company.
My past is not without regrets for my transgressions. And it is my great hope that one day there can be peace and reconciliation. I don't know what that will look like but I pray it happens while my conciliatory words have meaning. And when my time to die comes, I pray that forgiveness finds me and the peace of the Lord carries me.
My future is known only to the Lord. However, if the present gives any indication, I see both joy and sorrow ahead. And yet, through it all, there will be the constancy of the Gospel joy. Joy is not always happy nor is it sad. It is the peace and contentment that something good has happened and that something good will happen.
I pray that I can always know the love found in the Gospel joy. And as this reflection comes to and end, may the Lord grant me and you a restful night and a peaceful death.
