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Wisdom Saying
Love is natural. It is not the result of teaching an idea. It is part of our being.
*St. Bernard of Clairvaux (b. 1090), On Loving God
Wisdom Story
A king had a silver bell placed in a high tower of his palace early in his reign. He announced he would ring the bell whenever he was happy so his subjects would know of and share his joy.
The people listened for the sound of the silver bell, but it remained silent. Days turned into weeks, weeks into months, and months into years. But no sound of the bell rang out to signify the king was happy.
The king grew old, and he lay on his deathbed in the palace. As some of his weeping subjects gathered around him, he discovered he had really been loved by his people all through the years.
At last, the king was happy. Just before he died, he reached up and pulled the chord that rang the silver bell.
Musings of a Modern Day Mystic
It is not enough for me to talk about the love of God ~ which would be merely pious words, nothing more ~ or to try to convince others of it by rational argument, theological affirmation, or passionate plea.
I must live Love. Living Love means I am lived by Love. For my living Love is Love and flows from Love. And Love finds fulfillment in being Itself lived by me in my particularity.
But how can I live Love and be lived by Love apart from knowing I am loved by the other? Indeed, the other is a means of my knowing Love loves me. If I do not trust the other loves me, how can I see myself as lovable, and, thus, believe I am lovable to Love?
Thus, I grow to accept the loving of Love, by means of every other who loves me. Every other is potentially, then, the icon of Love to me. And not just because I know Love through the other, but for that love in itself, apart from all others, is itself a reality in all its specific particularity.
To receive and give love, in union with Love, I accept, as affirmed by St. Bernard, love is natural; therefore, love is part of my being, even as I am in the Being of Love. For to be in Love is to participate in the Quality making Love Love and not something else. And if love is part of by being, and the being of the other who loves me, I am as Love is.
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Possibly, then, being a man called to a vocation of daily giving love in the name of Christ, my greatest challenge is to see the love of the other for me and receive that love. And I must do this not as I would like to receive it, but as the other offers it to me.
Possibly, the anxiety and evasiveness of much of our society is grounded in loss of the sense of truly being loved and lovable. Regardless of how efficient I am in proving myself a success, as defined by a majority themselves seeking to prove by what they do that they are lovable, my very efficiency itself is evasion of the reality of my being lovable as a graced gift of natural createdness. And if I see that I am loved and lovable, I shall live in joy, regardless of the challenges of my life in God and among others. Otherwise, no amount of success, even in service to God, will result in inner joy and contentment.
Suggested Reflection
Who in your life has affirmed through his or her, their, love for you your lovableness?
What is the relationship between the love of God and the love of other persons?
*Quote from St. Bernard is from
Near to the Heart of God. Ed. B. Bangley.
Brian is available to respond to requests pertaining to seeking a Spiritual Director, his speaking, doing classes, workshops, or retreats for churches or other spiritual groups. He will inform regarding how to receive his other writings or offer replies to comments or questions.
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*Brian K. Wilcox lives with his wife, Rocio, and their two dogs, St. Francis and Bandit Ty, in Clearwater and Punta Gorda, Florida. He is a United Methodist pastor and vowed member of Greenbough House of Prayer, a contemplative Christian community in Georgia. His passion is living a contemplative life and inspiring others to experience a deeper relationship with Christ through contemplative prayer and living.
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