|
The disciple spoke to his Teacher about the love of God. “Teacher,” he spoke, “you talk about the love of God being wonderful and comforting. But, for me, the love of God seems to be just the opposite.” Replied the Teacher, “God is a Fire of Love. But, unlike normal fire, in which the closer you get the hotter it burns and the farther away the less intense the heat, with the Fire of God, the fire becomes hotter as you move away. Draw closer to the Fire of God, then, you will feel an increase of comfort and pleasure from Its sweet and solacing delights. Enter the Fire, and you will feel a peace perfect and a joy indescribable.”
Christmas is about receiving the Love of God. God does not intend to inflict harm, and God does not harm. As we draw toward the Wonderful Presence, we discover, increasingly, that God is the infinite potential and supreme outpouring of every spiritual delight we have always longed for. Often those longings live below the surface of consciousness, and we cannot put words to them. Often, we seek substitutes, and find ourselves discontented and unfulfilled.
Ultimately, we enter this Fire, with its delights, and become one with It. And, as we move closer toward that union of Love with love, we do not cease to be who we have always been. We find out we have always been more than we thought ourselves to be. Likewise, drawing near the Fire, we are infused with a Holy Ingression of the Spirit. The more we receive, the more pours from us into the world, and like Christ, we become incarnations of the Divine Affections.
On this Christmas Day 2005, may we enter more deeply into the magical enchantment of the Christ Birthing. Through the Story, may we draw closer to the Fire of Love, and may we know the Christ so intimately that our lives become chalices pouring out Grace throughout the year.
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.
|
