941AFC100909
Happy Aloha Friday!
Today’s note will be a bit abbreviated (ok, who said “HURRAY!”?) because I’m getting set to go to Denver. In fact by the time you read this I will probably be in Denver for a short visit with family there.
In the past couple of weeks I have written about sharing – sharing suffering and sharing joy – and today I want to think about sharing love. It is one of the most natural, foundational, and integrating aspects of our humanity. The ability to love is hardwired into us as part of our creation in the image of God. When it is nurtured, it grows as God intended it to and that is what enables us to share love. When it is not nurtured, the outcome is tragic because it is so dehumanizing. We learn to love by being loved and then returning that love to the giver. Now there are a few of you whose background in psychology or social sciences will shift into high gear, but allow me the over-simplification for a moment.
To me it is simple.
First, we are created in the image of God. We are spiritual beings that are enfleshed in this world. It is our spirit that is most like God and which always leads us to ways to unite with Him.
Second, paraphrasing here, “God is Love and whoever abides in Love abides in God and God in them.” When we love, we are in harmony with the Creator; we are living as He lives. Sounds simple, yes? Like the old expression, “easier said than done.” That is because God does not make us love Him. He allows us to love Him – or not. We all know how that worked out for Adam and Eve and for each of us as well. Still, when one loves, one lives “in this world but not of this world.” One lives in The Kingdom.
Lastly, when we share love we come to the fullest expression of our humanity because eventually the “sharing” fades to the background and the Giving begins. Here in Hawaii we are very excited about one of our “local boys” being canonized this week. Damien de Veuster, now called Blessed Damien, will become St. Damien on October 11 in Rome. But there are other recent examples as well: Mother Theresa, John Paul II, Dorothy Day, and many others whose lives are based in the power of sharing Divine Love with the world. In this way we come to know the fullness of Joy and yes the fullness of Sorrow as well. One of the adages I heard often when growing up is “There is not Easter without Calvary.”
So, Beloved, love one another as He has loved you. Care for each other just as He cares for you. Share the suffering, share the joy, and share the love until you cannot share it any longer and you have to give it away. Guess what? The more you give away the more there is to give. That, too, is just as God intended. The lesson here is to know that being more like God is easier than we think and harder than we imagine. That is because we think it is impossible and we imagine we can accomplish our plans by being in control of our lives and souls.
It is not impossible. It is our nature. We don’t do it by control (law, ritual, personal effort). We do it by letting go and letting God be All in all and for all.
Thank you for your gifts of love and prayer. Please continue to pray for ALL the people, I literally mean everyone in the whole world, because all of us need to share suffering, joy, and love as God intended.
Thanks for praying for Justin. He’s so young! But getting better. And Jim, and Jorey, and Karen, and Carl, and Sandi, and Gerri, and Dan, and Ken, and Bill, and … Please, be diligent in praying for everyone who asks for our prayers. God absolutely knows who is asking and when you share the Love by interceding by praying for, with, and about them, He knows where to send the answers to your prayers. He is such a Good God!!
Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever — at your service, Beloved!
chick
941AFC100909
Happy Aloha Friday!
Today’s note will be a bit abbreviated (ok, who said “HURRAY!”?) because I’m getting set to go to Denver. In fact by the time you read this I will probably be in Denver for a short visit with family there.
In the past couple of weeks I have written about sharing – sharing suffering and sharing joy – and today I want to think about sharing love. It is one of the most natural, foundational, and integrating aspects of our humanity. The ability to love is hardwired into us as part of our creation in the image of God. When it is nurtured, it grows as God intended it to and that is what enables us to share love. When it is not nurtured, the outcome is tragic because it is so dehumanizing. We learn to love by being loved and then returning that love to the giver. Now there are a few of you whose background in psychology or social sciences will shift into high gear, but allow me the over-simplification for a moment.
To me it is simple.
First, we are created in the image of God. We are spiritual beings that are enfleshed in this world. It is our spirit that is most like God and which always leads us to ways to unite with Him.
Second, paraphrasing here, “God is Love and whoever abides in Love abides in God and God in them.” When we love, we are in harmony with the Creator; we are living as He lives. Sounds simple, yes? Like the old expression, “easier said than done.” That is because God does not make us love Him. He allows us to love Him – or not. We all know how that worked out for Adam and Eve and for each of us as well. Still, when one loves, one lives “in this world but not of this world.” One lives in The Kingdom.
Lastly, when we share love we come to the fullest expression of our humanity because eventually the “sharing” fades to the background and the Giving begins. Here in Hawaii we are very excited about one of our “local boys” being canonized this week. Damien de Veuster, now called Blessed Damien, will become St. Damien on October 11 in Rome. But there are other recent examples as well: Mother Theresa, John Paul II, Dorothy Day, and many others whose lives are based in the power of sharing Divine Love with the world. In this way we come to know the fullness of Joy and yes the fullness of Sorrow as well. One of the adages I heard often when growing up is “There is not Easter without Calvary.”
So, Beloved, love one another as He has loved you. Care for each other just as He cares for you. Share the suffering, share the joy, and share the love until you cannot share it any longer and you have to give it away. Guess what? The more you give away the more there is to give. That, too, is just as God intended. The lesson here is to know that being more like God is easier than we think and harder than we imagine. That is because we think it is impossible and we imagine we can accomplish our plans by being in control of our lives and souls.
It is not impossible. It is our nature. We don’t do it by control (law, ritual, personal effort). We do it by letting go and letting God be All in all and for all.
Thank you for your gifts of love and prayer. Please continue to pray for ALL the people, I literally mean everyone in the whole world, because all of us need to share suffering, joy, and love as God intended.
Thanks for praying for Justin. He’s so young! But getting better. And Jim, and Jorey, and Karen, and Carl, and Sandi, and Gerri, and Dan, and Ken, and Bill, and … Please, be diligent in praying for everyone who asks for our prayers. God absolutely knows who is asking and when you share the Love by interceding by praying for, with, and about them, He knows where to send the answers to your prayers. He is such a Good God!!
Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever — at your service, Beloved!
chick
About Chick Todd
American Roman Catholic reared as a "Baptiterian" in Denver Colorado. Now living on Kauaʻi. USAF Vet. Married for over 50 years. Scripture study has been my passion ever since my first "Bible talk" at age 6 in VBS.
