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Advent is a time to reaffirm God's love for us. We share this cosmos with a benevolent, wonderful Presence. Advent is an interval to look honestly at the darkness in our world and lives. It is a season signifying the waiting for newness that we often go through. However, the darkness, whether spiritual, emotional, moral, physical, relational, or social, is not barren. Darkness holds within itself the seeds of new life.
Our many moments of waiting for healing or important transitions in life are not devoid of lively hope. Newness gestates in the womb of delay. It is often absence of normal consolations that brings us face-to-face and anew with God's love.
Thomas Merton reminds us that our capability to love others and ourselves is rooted in trusting God's love for us. He writes, "The root of Christian love is not the will to love, but the faith that one is loved by God." We can rightly love when we sense strongly that Spirit loves us. Then we can infuse darkness with gentleness, patience, and encouragement.
Love will not be gained or spread by sheer determination. Love flows naturally and gently among us when we know in ourselves a love that allows us to pray like Jesus: "Dear Dad, Father." When we in myriad ways can live such intimacy with God daily, we are rooted in an awareness from which springs all true Love.
TODAY'S ACT OF KINDNESS
Tell someone, "I love you."
OneLife Ministries is a pastoral outreach and nurture ministry of the First United Methodist Church, Fort Meade, FL. For Spiritual Direction, Pastoral Counseling, spiritual formation workshops, Christian meditation retreats, or more information about OneLife, write Rev. Dr. Brian K. Wilcox at briankwilcox@comcast.net.
Brian's book of mystical love poetry, An Ache for Union, can be ordered through major bookdealers.
Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors
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