Love is all and everything
“In the evening of life, we will be judged on love alone.”
—St. John of the Cross
Miroslav Volf, a professor and Christian theologian at Yale University, teaches a popular class entitled, “A Life Worth Living: A Guide to What Matters the Most,” now a New York Times bestseller. Volf poses the question: What constitutes a worthy life and how do we go about accomplishing it.
A popular modern vision for a good life is one that is long, healthy, and happy. Our culture champions the feel good, live long mission. I would be lying if I said a “long, healthy, happy life” was not included in my prayers. But it’s simply not a big enough prayer or vision for this one precious life. There must be a grander reason for God giving me breath and a soul. A life focused predominantly on myself and whether I am healthy, happy, and live long, wonderful as that would be, ultimately will let me down. There isn’t a set operating manual for achieving a worthy life. There have certainly been spiritual guides such as Buddha, Mohammad, Paul, and Jesus who have shown us worthy paths. But finally, we will have to figure it out for ourselves. One’s intuitive soul actually knows what is right, true, and holy. It recognizes when our external life is out of joint with True North. Jesus warned about gaining the whole world at the expense of losing everything that matters.
Sometimes life presents us with a “soul shock,” an evil stab of the heart (like the recent tragedy in Nashville) that wakes us up again to another reality. We are given the opportunity to connect again with the mysterious supernatural voice of truth within that calls us to higher things. I have spent the last six weeks in the terrible trenches of loss. There I have found my answer to how to live a worthy life. It all comes down to living for someone or something larger than myself. We are made to take risks for love. God took a supreme risk for love sending his son into this broken world, knowing it aimed to destroy him. Mary took a risk for love saying Yes to being Jesus’s mother, intuiting it would break her heart one day. Jesus took a monumental risk for love. He gave his very life for us. Love calls you out of your comfort zone, dares you be brave, makes you give up a tiny part of your soul. When we love from the delicate, purest part of our being, anything is possible. A long, healthy, happy life can not measure up to the immensity of giving freely the best of yourself to another.
I have witnessed this over and over again since the Covenant tragedy: the miracle of people doing the impossible for love. Life became holier right before my weeping eyes.
This week I stood by my friend to bless, anoint, pray, and say goodbye to her beloved husband. I am certain a court of angels came out for his celestial homecoming. Although much too short, his whole life was about making personal sacrifices for love. He knew love was all and everything. Maybe it’s tomorrow, two years, or fifty years from now, but the final day in the Book of Life will come for each of us. May our spirits release with no regrets, because we took a risk on love.
Sally McGinty
May 15, 2023 at 7:58 amI will forever keep that tv shot of Moms and children walking home from that shooting I pray that picture will be in my mind forever to inspire me and my prayer to include thanks for the love I have received and given . Also that I will do something positive to change laws that enable these horrors to happen I will be 80 soon and have never written a letter to a government official. Pray that I start now
Anonymous
May 15, 2023 at 10:57 amBeautiful Farrell❤️❤️❤️
Anonymous
May 15, 2023 at 8:21 pmThank you for making me stop and think
About what it is I am living for. What does this all mean…..I ask myself everyday. LOVE is the answer. I pray I can share more of it to everyone around me.
Diane Tucker
May 18, 2023 at 8:14 pmSweet poet, I look forward to your word, whether it is at the end of 9:30 service @WCC or writing on your “living soulfully”. I especially loved the antidote about the Mother tree on Mother’s Day! How poetic and scientific! Can’t wait the next chapter on Mother Trees! Hugs!
Susan Swann Howell
May 22, 2023 at 8:24 pmMakes why my husband and I left the comfort of our former home in mid-west to move to Nashville. Why Nashville I’m asked? I still am not sure completely why, but this Living Soulfully, All I Need is Love, brings me closer to why. At 75 there is something left unfinished in my life—the search continues.