“Our once great western Christian civilization is dying. If this matters to followers of Jesus Christ, then we must set aside our denominational differences and work together to strengthen the things that remain and reclaim what has been lost. Evangelicals and Catholics must stand together to re-establish that former Christian culture and moral consensus. We have the numbers and the organization but the question is this: Do we have the will to win this present spiritual battle for Jesus Christ against secularism? Will we prayerfully and cooperatively work toward a new Christian spiritual revival ― or will we choose to hunker down in our churches and denominationalisms and watch everything sink into the spiritual and moral abyss of a New Dark Age?” - Mark Davis Pickup

Tuesday, February 26, 2019

LOVE THAT OVERCOMES

I wrote a film script I called Journey Toward Love. It chronicles the odyssey of love that my wife, LaRee, and I have experienced covering half a century in our journey toward the radical love of God. It is a radical love because it involves faith and surrender, and love of neighbor, even if they spitefully use us. It has involved the glory of life and the darkness of death. It has involved the anguish and chains of physical disability and the transcendence of love above it all.  Great is the love that overcomes. 

Saint John of the Cross compared faith to feet by which we journey toward God, and love is our guide. It is ironic that during the years that I could not actually use my feet because of disease, I continued to walk spiritually toward God. And yes, love was my guide. Now as an old man, I am discovering that the whole of my life — even in its darkest times — has been a journey toward love in its various forms: 


 LaRee and I are acutely aware that we are being led
rather than leading. Our journey toward the love of God has an intimate connection to our love for each other. We are startled at the sudden change of direction in our journey of and toward love. 

 Over the past few months, I have discovered there is
something that needs to heal and something that needs to die, something that needs to be rejected and something that needs to be embraced, There is something that needs to stop and something that must begin, something that needs to be changed and something that needs to be celebrated.

 I think LaRee and I are getting to the heart of what matters in life and love. The purpose of life is to grow in love without strings attached. Trust that is broken must be forgiven. We must trust again without fear of whether it is wise or not. Our example is Christ. He forgave me when I thought I was unforgivable. He loves me though I may seem unlovable. 

 Christ loved those who hurt him—he is God-made-man [1] and God is love.[2] The journey toward the source of love (personified with the Incarnation) is the whole purpose for my time on earth. And I suspect that in your heart of hearts you will discover the same is true for you. 

 MDP
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[1] John 1.9, 14, 1John 4.2., Luke 1.35., 14.9, Romans 1.4., Colossians.1.15. Hebrews. 1.2-3.
[2] 1John 4.8.
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