Posted by Anne Ward on September 15, 1999 at 13:02:45:
In Reply to: Magnificent Magnificats - True Glory (an Ortho-doxology) posted by johnboy on September 10, 1999 at 10:29:38:
: thinking of my loved ones, the *unproductive* ones as the world sees it, the mentally ill, emotionally wounded and physically disabled, or of my babies, or my elderly
: all of these loved ones with a spark of the Divine igniting the fires of my love for them within
: all drawing me, irresistably and deeply, into the profound Mystery of unconditional Love, mine for them, theirs for me, ours for one another
oh, johnboy, how this brings to my heart the delight found in a friend who sits in a nursing home...seemingly never to move out of her chair. yet there is within her such a beautiful spark of Love, His Love. Her humor hangs there with the many times she says, 'i am ready to cash in my chips.' bless her for she shows to all who visit the power and undaunting Spirit of the Love of God.
then another friend is brought to mind..he lies there, courageously and undaunting, as death seems to surround him. Yet he fights....and there is that Spirit in him that keeps the fight going. And in his wife whose love developed and deepened over the years, sits, holds his hand...not ready to let go. Her spirit speaks of his spirit and the Spirit of our Wonderful God.
I know not why the suffering, but I know who is in the midst of the suffering...suffering seen as one walks the halls of a nursing home...or as one visits those whose mental capability is questioned.
: "there is a *passivity* in *passion*" is Henri Nouwen's final lesson to us in his book __Adam__
: Nouwen points out how Jesus was passive in His passion and this caused me to reflect on the other major Mysteries of the Gospels and Acts and how they are stories of what the Father accomplished in those whose wills were surrendered via fiat: it is not a matter of what Mary or Jesus did for God but is a story of what the Father allowed the Spirit to accomplish for those who said: let it be
: and this was true for the annunciation, the incarnation, the presentation,the resurrection, the ascension, the assumption, and other such mysteries
: and --- you, too, are His beloved and She is well pleased with you and --- you, too, will be passive in your passion but also in your resurrection
ah, nouwen..the love of my life ever since I read a small paperback THE WAY OF THE HEART and when I read "Solitude is the furnace of transformation. Without solitude we remain victims of our society...." I knew I had found my earthly man! :) But nothing prepared me for the depth, touching THE INNER VOICE OF LOVE. and when you speak of His Unconditional Love, i am reminded of a bit from that book called, 'Face the Enemy'...to me this is the enemy that would find the 'unproductive' as being unwanted, whatever....."What is important is to keep clinging to the real, lasting, and unambigous love of Jesus. Whenever you doubt that love, return to your inner spiritual home and listen there to love's voice." (p.93)...I want to take it a step further and i am sure that henri, who worked so untirelessly with those who society didn't fully accept....he wouldnt mind my saying that when I begin to doubt, look for that unambiguous Love that is present in the hurting, the homeless, the ones waiting to die, the ones sitting forlornly in a nursing home room....That Love is unending..and we need to rejoince in His so willingly spreading it and spilling it all over the hurting, hopeless, and wounded ones.
the only difference between my being numbered among the homeless, the wounded or disabled is the pure grace of our God. In many ways I carry wounds, but not to the extent that they are carried by my brothers and sisters.
Let us all join with you, johnboy, in learning from those who would teach us of the unconditionality of human dignity...and that we were, are now and ever will be loved unconditionally from our wonderful Father.
blessings, and grace,
anne