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Friday, November 20, 2009
Jesus Christ is the Reason for the Universe.
Trying to get these thoughts in the same place.
Today's Love Worth Finding (LWF) devotional from Adrian Rogers, called "Jesus Only" provides another reference and source for this thought.
"Do you want to know the meaning of everything? It is Jesus only." He is referencing here to Colossians 1:16b - "... all things were created by Him, and for Him." (NIV)
In the first section of the first enclyclical by Pope John Paul II, he states "THE REDEEMER OF MAN, Jesus Christ, is the centre of the universe and of history.
Then he proceeds to explain why.
"In many and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets; but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son..."3(Heb. 1:1-2), by the Son, his Word, who became man and was born of the Virgin Mary. This act of redemption marked the high point of the history of man within God's loving plan. God entered the history of humanity and, as a man, became an actor in that history. Through the Incarnation God gave human life the dimension that he intended man to have from his first beginning."
(c) Libreria Editrice Vaticana
This is closely related to the topic of the discussion from yesterday's LWF radio program called "What shall I do with Christ?" This is making reference to Matthew 27:22 "Pilate asked them, "What should I do then with Jesus, who is called Messiah?" They all answered, "Crucify Him!" In his sermon, he addresses the fact that we all have to answer this question, just as Pilate did.
Jesus is the purpose and the center of history and creation.
We will all have to live with our answer to "What shall I do with Jesus."
ML
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Mutual Love
Does Christ call us to mutual love?
What exactly is mutual love? Is mutual love really love?
Mutual love seems closely associated with filial love (love of brother). Love of brother or spouse is a very self-serving love. In serving someone that close to us, we have the expectation that we will be loved in return. Mutual love is more like cooperation, or maybe the economics of love.
Agape Love
We will compare Mutual Love with what is often referred to as Agape Love. Agape Love is what I call real love. Agape love is a combination of Charity and Mercy. Charity is giving good to someone who does not deserve it. Mercy is not giving punishment to someone who does deserve it:
JP II. On Divine Mercy:
To humanity, which at times seems to be lost and dominated by the power of of evil, selfishness, and fear, the risen Lord offers the gift of His love that pardon sln, reconciles and opens the soul to hope. It is love that converts hearts and brings peace.
from funeral homily by Cardinal Ratzinger:
The paschsal mystery is a mystery of divine mercy. The limit imposed on evil is ultimately Divine Mercy. (Memory and Identity p. 60,61) In sacrificing himself for us all, Christ gave new meaning to suffering, opening up a new dimension, a new order: the order of love.... It is this suffering which burns and consumes evil with the flame of love and draws forth even from sin a great flowering of good.
See, real love is that which is willing to suffer to consume evil. That is the very great love that the world needs, and our brothers need even more. Yet it is given without the expectation of return.
Lets look at three verses:
"This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you" (Jn 15:12).
"Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" (Jn 15:13).
“For our salvation he was obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross” (cf. Phil 2:8).
These verses clearly indicate the Agape, selfless type of love that Christ demonstrated for us. There is no way that God expects us to return the love that He has for us. Of course, He does want us to choose Him, and love Him as best we can.
An additional verse:
Love is patient, kind, not jealous, arrogant or irritable. It rejoices in the right and endures all things (cf. 1 Co 13:5-7).
Again, it is clearly seen as the selfless variety.
All this can be very confusing because Philanthropy is what people do when they give mony to causes, normally strangers, where filial love is that reciprocating relationship, that "mutually" self-serving love that brothers tend to have for each other
It is not to say that we are not to love our brothers or our spouses. On the contrary, our Monkey Sphere is probably the most critical area for us to love. But it must be seen as a way to take heart in those relationships where we feel that we are giving too much. We need to realize that it is at this time that we truly love, rather than trade services. True love, does not measure. True love is willing to sacrifice to overcome the sin, the selfishness, maybe the real personal demons that the other may be experiencing, if only we knew.
In some ways, a brother or spouse can be the most difficult to love. And sometimes we are so stupid that we find it hard to forgive a wife or brother. It is stupid particularly in light of the fact that it is ultimately in our best interest, although it does not seem that way at the time.
So Agape is a one way relationship, where as Filial Love, or Mutual Love is more that self-serving type. And again, where we are most likely to have to show Agape, is precisely to our brothers, and with no intent of ever having it returned. If any encouragement is required on that front, we can take comfort in the fact that someone else is probably sacrificing, or worse, suffering, for our hidden faults.
* Note: In the passage from Cardinal Ratzinger, it is exactly that Christ by his sacrifice on the cross gave meaning to suffering. When you give meaning to suffering, it becomes a sacrifice
What exactly is mutual love? Is mutual love really love?
Mutual love seems closely associated with filial love (love of brother). Love of brother or spouse is a very self-serving love. In serving someone that close to us, we have the expectation that we will be loved in return. Mutual love is more like cooperation, or maybe the economics of love.
Agape Love
We will compare Mutual Love with what is often referred to as Agape Love. Agape Love is what I call real love. Agape love is a combination of Charity and Mercy. Charity is giving good to someone who does not deserve it. Mercy is not giving punishment to someone who does deserve it:
JP II. On Divine Mercy:
To humanity, which at times seems to be lost and dominated by the power of of evil, selfishness, and fear, the risen Lord offers the gift of His love that pardon sln, reconciles and opens the soul to hope. It is love that converts hearts and brings peace.
from funeral homily by Cardinal Ratzinger:
The paschsal mystery is a mystery of divine mercy. The limit imposed on evil is ultimately Divine Mercy. (Memory and Identity p. 60,61) In sacrificing himself for us all, Christ gave new meaning to suffering, opening up a new dimension, a new order: the order of love.... It is this suffering which burns and consumes evil with the flame of love and draws forth even from sin a great flowering of good.
See, real love is that which is willing to suffer to consume evil. That is the very great love that the world needs, and our brothers need even more. Yet it is given without the expectation of return.
Lets look at three verses:
"This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you" (Jn 15:12).
"Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" (Jn 15:13).
“For our salvation he was obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross” (cf. Phil 2:8).
These verses clearly indicate the Agape, selfless type of love that Christ demonstrated for us. There is no way that God expects us to return the love that He has for us. Of course, He does want us to choose Him, and love Him as best we can.
An additional verse:
Love is patient, kind, not jealous, arrogant or irritable. It rejoices in the right and endures all things (cf. 1 Co 13:5-7).
Again, it is clearly seen as the selfless variety.
All this can be very confusing because Philanthropy is what people do when they give mony to causes, normally strangers, where filial love is that reciprocating relationship, that "mutually" self-serving love that brothers tend to have for each other
It is not to say that we are not to love our brothers or our spouses. On the contrary, our Monkey Sphere is probably the most critical area for us to love. But it must be seen as a way to take heart in those relationships where we feel that we are giving too much. We need to realize that it is at this time that we truly love, rather than trade services. True love, does not measure. True love is willing to sacrifice to overcome the sin, the selfishness, maybe the real personal demons that the other may be experiencing, if only we knew.
In some ways, a brother or spouse can be the most difficult to love. And sometimes we are so stupid that we find it hard to forgive a wife or brother. It is stupid particularly in light of the fact that it is ultimately in our best interest, although it does not seem that way at the time.
So Agape is a one way relationship, where as Filial Love, or Mutual Love is more that self-serving type. And again, where we are most likely to have to show Agape, is precisely to our brothers, and with no intent of ever having it returned. If any encouragement is required on that front, we can take comfort in the fact that someone else is probably sacrificing, or worse, suffering, for our hidden faults.
* Note: In the passage from Cardinal Ratzinger, it is exactly that Christ by his sacrifice on the cross gave meaning to suffering. When you give meaning to suffering, it becomes a sacrifice
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Christian Suffering?
It is true that as Christians we still suffer. However, as we die to ourselves and look completely to Jesus, He takes away our suffering. Especially compared to people who don’t know Him. In fact, for a person who does not know God, no matter how easy their life may seem on the outside, it is really Hell compared to the suffering God allows his faithful.
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Come to God as a Publican
"like the publican, when we are before God, we must recognize that the little that we have done is entirely God's own gift, and let us implore, for ourselves and for all, God's mercy."
So let us pray for guidance and rely on His grace.
http://www.zenit.org/article-20843?l=english
- From Father Cantalamessa on Luke 18:19-34 October 28th ’07 Mass readings
"it is the prayer of the contrite and humble heart that rises to the very throne of God."
http://www.miraclerosarymission.org/olpsnovenva.html
- From the Novena to Our Lady of Prompt Succor
When an occasion of practicing some virtue was offered, he addressed himself to God saying, "Lord, I cannot do this unless Thou enable me". Then he received strength more than sufficient. When he had failed in his duty, he only confessed his fault saying to God, "I shall never do otherwise, if You leave me to myself. It is You who must hinder my failing and mend what is amiss."
http://www.practicegodspresence.com/brotherlawrence/practicegodspresence02.html
- From Brother Lawrence, Practicing the Presence of God
One key to living in the state of grace, is the understanding and knowing that we are not worthy of it. No matter what we do, we must realize that the good comes from the fruit of God’s love for us, and the bad comes from our love for ourselves.
- From Father Cantalamessa on Luke 18:19-34 October 28th ’07 Mass readings
"it is the prayer of the contrite and humble heart that rises to the very throne of God."
http://www.miraclerosarymission.org/olpsnovenva.html
- From the Novena to Our Lady of Prompt Succor
When an occasion of practicing some virtue was offered, he addressed himself to God saying, "Lord, I cannot do this unless Thou enable me". Then he received strength more than sufficient. When he had failed in his duty, he only confessed his fault saying to God, "I shall never do otherwise, if You leave me to myself. It is You who must hinder my failing and mend what is amiss."
http://www.practicegodspresence.com/brotherlawrence/practicegodspresence02.html
- From Brother Lawrence, Practicing the Presence of God
One key to living in the state of grace, is the understanding and knowing that we are not worthy of it. No matter what we do, we must realize that the good comes from the fruit of God’s love for us, and the bad comes from our love for ourselves.
It can be easy to think “I have made it”. (I know I am going to go to heaven). We can take confidence from the fact that as much as we have died to ourselves and handed over our lives to the service of Christ, that is in fact true.
However, we all have areas of different sizes that we still have not surrendered to God, areas where we still look to ourselves, areas where we have not been redeemed.
One of the largest areas to be concerned about is having pride, as the Pharisee, thinking that we are better than others. We must keep in mind that it is by the sheer grace of God that we have found him, that we should surely fail without His grace.
The other is in the area of complacency. We can think, that since we have made it, that we can relax.
First off, we must appreciate that there is still more areas in our lives to be purified.
Second, we cannot even clear those up, no matter how hard we try, without his Grace.
Third, we cannot hope to have the strength to do good without the guidance of His spirit. We need to ask God to let us see the area in the Spirit of Christ, which is the Holy Spirit. We need to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus so that we will know the right thing to do, and so that we are not drawn by temptation.
For all that, we must realize perfectly that the good comes from God, and the selfishness and sin come from us.
So let us pray for guidance and rely on His grace.
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