Something is going to give, somehow, someway, things will be set straight and the world will be made new. Scripture is abundantly clear on this note. However, a look throughout the history of mankind makes one wonder how this will ever happen. While individually we yearn to love and be loved in return, on a whole mankind continually creates heartache and pain – the very things guaranteed to not give us love.
Today, as in Jesus’ days, while we desire love, too often we find ourselves seeking love in the world and not love on our Triune God. Seeking love in the world will not fill the human heart with true love. Our hearts cry out for God, they cry out for his true love. Nothing else will do. The human heart is created to love God and to receive his love in return.
Early Church Fathers and Mothers and Saints
So how can we experience God’s true love? How can we properly orientate ourselves towards God so that we can live a life of love? I believe that mastering anything, let alone something as important as mastering the ability to love, is accomplished by following someone who is already a master. As Catholics we have a rich history full of virtuous individuals who properly orientated themselves towards God – our early Church Fathers and Mothers and our Saints. Their orientation towards God lead them into real love, even amidst pain and tragedy. Studying their lives is an investment in love.
What did these individuals do that worked so well? Well, they had faith in the promises of Jesus Christ and they time spent significant time with our Trinitarian God. They read Sacred Scripture in a manner that drew them into a deeper love union with God. God invites us to do the same. Fortunately for us the Bible is readily available throughout most parts of the world today. A common practice that many (most) of our early Church Fathers, Mothers, and Saints followed is Lectio Divina. This form of “sitting” with Sacred Scripture will draw us closer to God – it’s one of my favorite forms of meditation. Lectio Divina is born out of Benedictine Spirituality. If you would like to read about Lectio Divina. I invite you to visit this page: Lectio Divina.
Flutes, Dirges, and Love
The flute and dirge Jesus speaks of in today’s Gospel offers beautiful symbolism. Flute music symbolizes the love that Jesus, John and the disciples had for all people. Have you listened to flute music recently? It does sound like love to me. Yet, most of the people didn’t hear the divine flute melody that was being “played” right in front of them. Without ears to hear the melody they could not dance the dance of love. This melody of love was in plain sight for all to see. It played when love was shared with the less acceptable people of society – tax collectors, prostitutes and others who were excluded or seen as less worthy of love.
A dirge, a song sung at funerals that accompanies mourning, can also be referred to as a lament predicting calamity. People all around Jesus were choosing sin and death over love and life. This grieved Jesus because, being fully God and fully man, he knew the spiritual consequences of this choice. The dirge was a cry to the people – “Choose love and life over sin and death.” However, while many were choosing sin and the spiritual death that follows, many were also choosing love and true life. Jesus’ disciples, including John the Baptist, continually surrendered to love and life over sin and death. Through humility they died to themselves and allowed God’s love to reign in their hearts. Their great love for humanity called them to play a dirge to warn people of the impending calamity that follows sin and death.
Playing Our Flute
Let’s take this season of Advent to more fully surrender to the love of God. The season is full of hope as we look forward to the celebration of the birth of our Savior and anticipate his second coming. We can play our flute in Jesus Christ’s orchestra and let love reign. Our melody is especially beautiful when we love those who are excluded from society or those who are hard to love. God’s music is playing all around us and the sheet music is found in Sacred Scripture.
Global Light for Christ (GLFC)
If you are trying to love more I invite you to share your petition below. I for one am trying to grow in deeper love for others. Our community, GLFC, is a group of sojourners supporting one another through prayer and love.
I want to thank all of you who post here. When I sit with your petitions, often in the Adoration Chapel at my parish, my heart is deeply touched when I feel both your pain and the love we hold for each other. Even though we are separated by space and time we are together in the living waters of God. What a blessing we have in our community.
My Book – Understanding The Jesus Code
FREE Kindle version!
I have been working hard on the revised version of my book, Understanding The Jesus Code. In it I have added important information on how our personality type effects our spiritual journey into wholeness. The paperback and Kindle version are now available on Amazon and the audio version will be available soon!
On December 21st – December 23rd the Kindle version of Understanding The Jesus Code will be available FREE on Amazon. If you would like a copy mark your calendars. If you want to make sure you don’t forget I will send you an email reminder. Click here to set up your email reminder.
God bless all of you. See you next week Friday – Carolyn
If you would like to learn more about my work and my ministry I invite you to visit my website: CarolynBerghuis.com.
Saint John of the Cross – pray for us.
God the Father – hold us in your Fatherly love.
Sacred Heart of Jesus – heal us with your divine love.
God the Holy Spirit – immerse us in divine love.
Today’s Readings Isaiah 48:17-19; Psalm 1:1-2, 3, 4, 6; Gospel Matthew 11:16-19
