In this world there are many broken relationships, broken families, and psychologically many people just tune out. Tune out of the pain, turn to indifference, bury themselves in work and become numb or even worse become bitter and hateful. The unfortunate truth about hate is it multiplies, if we allow it. However, there is a counter that can defeat hate from spreading, and that is Love.
I am in awe of how Truth is never subject to time but rather is above time. Truth is profound, striking and beautiful and our hearts are drawn to it. The Lord has written the truth upon your heart because he is Truth, and given you the free will to freely embrace him, his love or reject it. Truth whether fifty years ago or today is the same and cannot be denied. We cannot deny how God loves. For example, after watching another episode of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, (I’m really starting to Love this guy!) he made this point “the only way to stop hate is to diminish it by absorbing it into Love and Forgiveness.”
Only Love and forgiveness can truly absorb hate and stop the cycle of pain or evil. He went on to ask, “Where does Love that absorbs hate and destroys it with forgiveness come from? Evolution?” In the reality of this world and regards to his question when one thinks in basic evolutionary terms, survival of any species isn’t founded on weakness. I use the word “weakness” with a new perspective for it. Archbishop Sheen stated the following Truth in life: “He who Loves The Most is always the weakest.” these words resonated in my mind so intensely and grabbed my attention in a way that I stopped what I was doing and stood still in my kitchen as I was cooking. I thought of how my heart has loved many dear friends and at times I have felt great pain due to this. In my life, as I can only speak for myself and recalling those beautiful souls that I have been blessed to learn, to see their imperfections, to know, to share time with and create memories, to appreciate their humanity and their weaknesses… those souls that I love, well for me… Love doesn’t die nor does it end. I have often pondered on what it would be like not to love others as I do…to be strong, to not Love those who have hurt me or rejected me in this life, but alas my heart only loves. It is, as it has seemed to me many times a weakness but I understand it is how God made me.
And in light of what Archbishop Fulton Sheen pointed out it gives me comfort. He stated that “He Who Loves the Least is the Strongest” and I can attest, as I am sure you can to those people that have hurt you in this life, it is because they were “Strong”. So strong. Their strength allows them to love the least. Allows them to walk away…It amazed me further when The archbishop put into perspective and stated this fundamental truth about Love…”Whenever we Love we give power, Whenever there’s Love, there’s almost a surrender.” As he described and used an example of a mother and child and how a mother Loves her child so immensely she is made weak. She wakes in the middle of the night at the sound of a cry, she is afraid to leave her child, she truly loves and there is a surrender to her child out of this love.
The beautiful summit to this episode ended with the question of where did a selfless Love like this, a Love that surrenders oneself to absorb pain and hatred come from? We know it is not an evolutionary development…”Somewhere there had to be someone who loved so much that he was helpless….So helpless that nails could be pinned against his hands and feet….and this is where such Love comes from, it is from heaven, it is from God.”
To love is to be brought low in weakness…where there is vulnerability, where we surrender. Oh, but what a beautiful source of Light and Hope is found in that vulnerability. What a gift it is to Love. May we emulate the Love Christ has shown us and pray for those who because of their brokenness and wounds have chosen to be strong and run from love.
I will close with my most recent and favorite quote that I reflect on daily. I feel it ties in nicely to today’s blog. It is a quote that I stumbled upon a week or two ago.
“Where there is no Love put love, and you will draw Love out.” St. John of The Cross
