There are two deaths that had a profound impact on me this month. And both of these people lived love in a way that blows any sentiment on a Valentine card out of the water. One was an acquaintance from college, Paul Coakley, who lived a valiant life of love and died a valiant death, with his beautiful, pregnant wife by his side saying with him, “Thy will be done.” The other was the humanitarian, Kayla Mueller, who served the exiled people in the Middle East and was killed after being taken hostage by the terrorist group ISIS. Links to their stories are below (just click on their photo) and, trust me, they will inspire you!
As often happens with death, those of us left behind are left with fear or gratitude … sometimes both. We are reminded of our mortality, its wonder and its transience. I find myself sitting here truly thankful for each bite of my breakfast, marveling at the ocean, savoring my tea. Because, after all, this moment could be it. And everything is gift; everything is grace. We can tackle the fear another day, but today I want to focus on gratitude, especially because it relates to LOVE, the topic of this newsletter. How? I’m glad you asked. 😉
On Thanksgiving, when I was younger, I’d hear people who have no faith say we need to be grateful for everything, etc. And I’d always think, “But who are you grateful to?” I’m an editor, so I should probably say, “To whom are you grateful?” The universe? Some cosmic energy field? I mean, it’s fine, it’s a good disposition to have, being grateful for something. But you can’t be grateful to something that has no capacity to receive that gratitude. You can be grateful that something exists, even if you don’t believe it has a specific origin. But being grateful to some thing like the universe or energy is to say, “I’m grateful to you for this gift,” even though there is really no “you,” no giver to thank. I think gratitude is a very personal act — because there’s something more, something deeper behind every good thing. Or rather, Someone behind it all.
I love the quote in the Catechism (1079) that says, “From the beginning until the end of time, the whole of God’s work is a blessing … one vast Divine blessing.” Everything. And I believe what von Balthasar wrote when discussing the work of St. Irenaeus on the Incarnation. First we start with the premise that, yes, everything God created in the beginning was “good,” a tiny taste of His goodness, a reflection of His beauty, an overflow of Trinitarian love. And He gave it all to us. GIFT. Incredible, right!?
But … when He entered time, actually became part of His creation (b/c we needed a Savior after screwing up so badly in not appreciating the gifts or the Giver … good lesson to remember!), the original gift of creation was also transformed into something even more amazing! He — the One through Whom ALL was created — merged His Being with the created world for us. He touched our land with His footprint, immersed Himself in our waters, sweat blood in a garden, and died on the wood of a tree … and so sanctified the created world with LOVE.
So not only does everything good reflect the One who is goodness, it all speaks a story now of passionate, incomprehensible, personal LOVE — so that each smudge of dirt says, “I fell here, and I am yours”; the fish forever say, “He will provide”; each wisp of wind that brushes your face, whispers your name.
All is gift. And the greatest gift He gives is Himself. Then He calls us to do the same.
As we enter this beautiful season of Lent, I can’t think of more poignant thoughts to leave you with, than this section from a letter written by Kayla from an ISIS prison cell. May we all come to recognize and relish the goodness in all the gifts around us, to know ever more deeply that God is our all in all, that He loves us beyond imagining, and that we are called to serve Him in our neighbors as an overflow of that great love. Let’s form a bond of love and prayer through these 40 days, as we give and fast and pray … for our world and for each other.
“I remember mom always telling me that all in all in the end the only one you really have is God. I have come to a place in experience where, in every sense of the word, I have surrendered myself to our creator b/c literally there was no else … and by God and by your prayers I have felt tenderly cradled in freefall. I have been shown in darkness, light + have learned that even in prison, one can be free. I am grateful. I have come to see that there is good in every situation, sometimes we just have to look for it. I pray each day that if nothing else, you have felt a certain closeness + surrender to God as well + have formed a bond of love + support amongst one another.”
~ Kayla Meuller
(Taken from MercySong Ministries E-Newsletter, Issue No. 2: Lent & Love)
