I'm including Friday's piece with what immediately follows those words - again from Jurgen Moltmann in "The Source of Life. Human beings are erotic beings through and through, but their eros can never fulfill its desires in this world because it is animated and attracted by the infinite beauty of God, the highest good, and it is only in God that it can find happiness. If the soul's hunger loses sight of God, it turns to things which are not God, and is disappointed. Nothing is more dangerous in this world than disappointed love and love that has miscarried. Disappointed love for God which has missed its mark is the power that destroys, the fury of annihilation. Ever since Augustine, theology has called this 'original sin'. The soul that is in search of God divinizes things or powers which are not God, expects too much happiness and security of them, and by doing so destroys them. Fear awakens in the soul, the fear that things and other people will fail to live up to what we expect of them, and this fear evokes hate of things and hate of the self; and this hate generates aggression and acts of violence. Is our hunger for God sometimes a hunger for more of what we all ready know and what we already have? Is that why we are so willing to place a claim on something less than the God who comes and takes us up into God's loving embrace - just because that is what God does? As Moltmann uses these images he does so in the sense that we often are able to see these limited gods who cannot stand up to time. Therefore, many often consider everything that is a part of the world something that will disappoint. We forget that the things of this world disappoint only when we put more power and value in them - value they do not deserve. I find that it is more of our task to find all things as being a gift that is to be valued for what it is. My relationships are valued as relationship - they do not rule. My wealth is a gift that is to be give me the ability to serve others - therefore no matter how much or how little, I can serve. It is here that we find our place and our power within a world that is blessed with so many possibilities to become the beloved creatures of our God. We are able to embrace all thing and demonize nothing at all - for we have nothing to fear. Connection: Don't fear what we may lose - live fully alongside that which is available and present with us as we take on the journey of this day. O God of All Creation, you bless us with an abundant life in the midst of all your creation. Inspire us to see the fullness of its beauty and way it comes together so that all things may thrive and become vitally alive. Amen. |
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