November 08, 2012

LIFE AND LOVE

Recently I've been reading back into books and quotes that I keep because they've impacted me greatly.

The first is a small book by Mother Teresa of Calcutta, "A Simple Path" which reminds me what life is really about and forces me to keep things simple and real when I've started to get caught up in things that may not count at all for eternity.

I love this comment on LOVE:

"The success of love is in the loving - it is not in the result of loving.  Of course it is natural in love to want the best for the other person but whether it turns out that way or not does not determine the value of what we have done.  The more we can remove this priority for results the more we can learn about the contemplative element of love."

My question to myself is, can I love without return, or even the hope of it, because I remain in Love Himself, and He remains in me?

The other old thing I re-read this week is a short poem by Alexander Solzenitsyn which is a great reflection on LIFE by a man who lived it with great suffering, great joy, and great faith.

I LOOK BACK IN WONDER

How easy for me to live with you, O Lord!

How easy for me to believe in You!

When my mind parts in bewilderment or falters,

When the most intelligent people see no further than this day's end,

and do not know what must be done tomorrow,

You grant me the serene certitude

that You exist and that You will take care

that not all the paths of good be closed.

Atop the ridge of earthy fame

I look back in wonder at the path

which I alone could never have found

a wondrous path through despair to this point

from which I, too, could transmit to mankind

a reflection of Your rays.

And as much as I must still reflect

You will give me.

But as much as I cannot take up

You will have already assigned to others.

During prayer this week I heard the Lord clearly say "As it was in the days of Noah..." which sent me to read Matthew 24 again.  It continues on to say "so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man."  These verses are a reminder that I need to look at how I live LIFE and how I LOVE those around me every day.  They do not fill me with trepidation, but remind me that one day (and no one knows which one!) Jesus will suddenly be standing on the earth again and in an instant everything will change.  It assures me that there will be life on this planet and a world to rule ... happy thought!

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