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Scripture: Song of Solomon 3.2-5 (NLT)
3 Like the finest apple tree in the orchard
is my lover among other young men.
I sit in his delightful shade
and taste his delicious fruit.
4 He escorts me to the banquet hall;
it’s obvious how much he loves me.
5 Strengthen me with raisin cakes,
refresh me with apples,
for I am weak with love.
Song
The following is a verse and chorus from Celine Dion's hit "That's the Way It Is" ...
When you question me for a simple answer
I don't know what to say, no
But it's plain to see, if we stick together
You're gonna find the way, yeah
So don't surrender 'cause you can win
In this thing called love
(chorus)
When you want it the most there's no easy way out
When you're ready to go and your heart's left in doubt
Don't give up on your faith
Love comes to those who believe it
And that's the way it is
(That's the way it is)
Comments
Love, seeing Christ-Who-Is-Love is always present, nevertheless is not always a reality in us. Indeed, often persons seek this love in the branches of life, rather than the roots: the core Self.
As in the above lyrics, faith is a key to growing to know truly Love, and not its many transitory substitutes. This is a full and overflowing inner realization of Divine Love.
I share some words written to a friend regarding faith in Love:
Fortunately, at our stage of life we are often drawn to listen to the Voice Within in a new way, more intent way: this is part of the blessing and hopefulness of the 40s. This season of mid-life offers us new beginnings, as we learn from the first half of life. And, we come to find that the Voice of God is none other than the Voice of our Deepest Heart, within us, which eternally lives apart from all the other voices that have led us too often before. We find that Voice is one of Love, Love beyond all the loves of the past.
We have lived long enough to yearn deeply for some new directions, different choices, and fresh experiences: the old and tried has proven exhausting, not because it was necessarily wrong but that it was insufficient to meet our deepest longings and true needs now. The ruts of the past no longer fill our deep need. In a true way we become more unselfishly selfish, and we find that our previous unselfishness was often a selfishness that denied our God-given needs and dreams. We find we often have given little pieces of ourselves to everyone else who wanted and sometimes demanded our devotion, our time, our attention, our energy, …
Then we awaken at mid-life to find that no or little “I” is left. This is often especially true for women, who have nurtured the family, and, then, something inside seeks to rediscover who she really is beyond roles of caring and pleasing others. Often we men discover our attachment to career has blocked us from receiving intimacy from family and God. As we all at mid-life, if we are fortunate to be aware enough and have not totally deadened our spirit in the first half of life, look down the other side of the mountain and say, “There must be more,” know there is More for us and that is our natural birthright by Grace. Some are so dead by this point in life, however, that they no longer can feel the suffering of the soul crying out for More.
I experienced this with the Church. I was serving in Ministry at age 15, and my first pastorate was at age 19. In my mid-thirties I began trying to discover who Brian is apart from serving others and meeting their needs (being a “parent” to church members). That True Brian was crying out to be recognized, loved, and attended to, apart from the “caregiver-please others” roles that had consumed my attention for over twenty years. I began a painful but wonderful journey of self-discovery and self-love, and it has led me through some wonderful experiences as well as painful mistakes (St. Teresa of Avila teaches that we must learn to love ourselves first, even before knowing how to love God and others). Likewise I took some risks personally and professionally—not all necessarily wise, now that I look back--in order to somehow try to find myself apart from how I was defined by others. I ended up going through some emotional and physical, and professional, upheavals, including divorce, a career change, a change of religious denomination, a move to Florida, …
... Just be open and receptive: that is all Spirit waits for—our loving and trusting openness for Good to flow in, and to respond to participate in such holy birthing (another theme of Advent Season). Surrender is the “secret” of the life of Spirit—How amazing such a paradoxical act of courage and faith!
... Look up—at the Sun shining and It will show the way, as it rests upon your face and the light of your heart meets the Light of that Heart within Which you have always been, even before time--as you listen and respond with Love to Love.
Remember, sometimes our fear indicates the direction God is leading us. We are afraid, in such times, not because the place we are led is bad or hard (indeed, it is often a relief and easier than the way we have been following), but because of only one reason: it is unfamiliar. Just imagine, this Season, how astonishing Mary might have felt when hearing of her conception of the Christ. So unfamiliar for her, yet she spoke, “Let it happen as you have said.”
Christ, Who is born in us is born as a new experience of Love. Often this birth follows years of painful gestation, ups-and-downs that purges the aspects of the self that block receiving Love. Ironically this leads to reclaiming yourself as a Self, a spiritual being, dearly loved by Love and abiding in Love.
As in the lyrics of Dion's song and the Gospel account, not losing faith is essential in this birthing of Love. When we trust in God, we trust in Love. What more important gift can we give ourselves than not to give up on Love, to see its conception within, formation inside, and birthing through us happen in this life?
Suggested Reflection:
How do you see that Love is growing inside you? Have you ever gone through a crisis whereby you learned the importance of loving yourself? ... reclaiming parts of yourself you had given to other persons? What does it mean to you to say, "God is Love."
Turn to next page for information on OneLife Ministries, the author’s book, and data on quoted materials.
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