Healing Redemptive Love
"LOVE REDEEMS. DESPITE all the lovelessness that surrounds us, nothing has been able to block our longing for love, the intensity of our yearning. The understanding that love redeems appears to be a resilient aspect of the heart's knowledge. The healing power of redemptive love lures us and calls us toward the possibility of healing. We cannot for the presence of the heart's knowledge. Like all great mysteries, we are all mysteriously called to love no matter the conditions of our lives, the degree of our depravity or despair. The persistence of this call gives us reason to hope. Without hope, we cannot return to love. Breaking our sense of isolation and opening up the window of opportunity, hope provides us with a reason to go forward. It is a practice of positive thinking. Being positive, living in a permanent state of hopelessness, renews the spirit. Renewing our faith in love's promise, hope is our covenant."
- ALL ABOUT LOVE
BY BELL HOOKS
Personal Reflection/Insight:
During the week, most especially at those moments when I was not feeling well due to some physical pain, I took time to think back of my past experiences, making a quick survey how complicated and difficult those moments when I was longing and searching for possible breakthrough of hope. Then love nestled gently like the rains of early spring in my heart's desert place. Then and there, I was strengthened, renewed and rejuvenated by uncontainable feelings for another human being.
Being married and in a committed love relationship now, at times I pause and look at this person whom God has given me to share my life with. And to be honest, I am still mesmerized my the mystery and beauty of God reflected in her, the kindness of heart, the comely appearance, the gentle voice, the hearty laughter, the healing hands. Despite the humble situation we are in our place under the sun, we take it moment by moment to continue to share, care and love one another. love truly makes life exciting and bearable to live, especially when you share it with the one God has chosen for you.
The healing process and love's redeeming power comes piece by piece in the daily small gestures of thoughtfulness, understanding, concern and hope for the better promise of tomorrow. Henri Nouwen's image of the wounder healer comes again in a poignant way. Struck and wounded by love's error searching in the past, now we become angels of hope, friends of peace, healers of love for each other. At the resurrection, no wonder why Jesus was so spontaneous in showing his wounded hands, feet and heart to his fearful disciples. He witnessed to them the true courageous, brave and pure power of love. He still loves each of them and all of us despite the pain and the death He suffered out of love. In being apostles of love, we can also be resurrected redeemers of a world bereft of love as it is truly is.
" If you want to be happy,
Begin where you are,
Don't wait for some rapture
That's future and far.
Begin to be joyous, begin to be glad
And soon you'll forget.
That you were ever were sad."
I went to the McCloud Post Office on Saturday morning to get my mails. I saw a smiling face of an elderly man sitting on a car parked in front of the post office. I see this man every morning when I go to work there during the week days. He usually comes all by himself and driving his own car to get his mails. But on this particular day, he was with two ladies, one driving the car and the other seated at the back seat. Since we know each other by face I went nearer to say hi and greet them. Bursting with joy, the man said to me, these are my daughters, they came to visit me. Then I said, " Oh, I am so happy for you, have a nice day!" For me, moments like this are unique and rare in life. My joy in my job today is that each morning I meet different kinds of people who live in this little old mill town. Most often I will receive a compliment like, " This place smells so neat and clean!" or " You are doing a great job!" And my heart will sing a song of joy and gratitude to God and I will celebrate another day of having done God's most perfect will, to be the best I can be as His hands and feet in the world. Happiness is being attuned to what is true, good and beautiful in life as gifts of God, the giver of life and the designer of all creation. One needs eyes to see, ears to hear, soul to perceive the innumerable sparkles of joys that abound in the here and now.
Yesterday, I went with a group of friends for a sailing trip at Lake Almanor. While my friends were sharing things about their family life, I took time to get some photos and to contemplate. My memory brought me to that scene in the gospel when Jesus walked along the shore of the Sea of Galilee and called his first disciples. He said, " Come, follow me" . They left everything and followed Him. And the found the real joy they were seeking for in life. I have that same experience many many years ago when I was still a college student and I was watching the beautiful sunset at Manila Bay, Philippines. I heard the same call and began my journey of discipleship. When we were going home from that sailing trip, while we were driving home in the darkness of the night, I was telling my friend, Lynn E., that lake reminded me of stories in the gospel of Jesus making a trip with his disciples to the lake. They too were busy and tired after doing the Father's business of spreading the good news. They need to relax and be by themselves to sail, to rest, to pray. And after they got rejuvenated they went on to spread the good news to other towns and villages. These days I am learning to be gentle with myself and to relish the simple joys of daily life as I continue to seek the face of God in the moments of each new day. I work to earn my living and rest, relax and pray to balance my life. I have always the greatest joy to spend quality time with my wife Marl on a daily basis as we abide to our motto: " Love will always find a way." in terms of communication and other important foundations of married life. In my apartment, I have a door post which says, " It is better to give than to receive" . I keep giving myself in many ways of service to others and also treasure what life gives to me every day. I always tell my wife, let us be contented with what we have, everything comes from God as blessings!
" The way to be happy is to make others happy.
Helping others is the secret of all success ---
in business, in the arts and in the home."
