Love explains it all

The full moon is the great symbol of Easter.  Maybe this is so because no matter what is happening on earth, nor where we are, we can all look up into the sky and easily see this sign of wonder and beauty, graciously reminding us that life goes on, even despite us.  

We can be a cruel lot, a selfish anomaly stuck in the midst of the beauty of creation, but none of that ultimately defines us, for we are defined by higher values.  Sounds good?  Some may simply say - Easter, so what?  Do I even get it?  To be honest, I get it so far, but then there is a huge gap in my understanding.  

I was just at yet another work meeting where ones think they are saving the world.  By this time in my life, I just tend to sit and watch, coming in at poignant moments of concern, thinking this is somewhat a theatre of the absurd..  

It is within this context of an absurd world, with all its divisions, conflicts and destruction, that it becomes challenging to fully capture and appreciate the ultimate goodness of the world.   What is this ultimate goodness?   I read it is love.  I agree, but surely not love on human terms.  

Of course, not!  It is love wihin the realm of the divine.  For is not God love?  Love for God is quintessentially expressed in creation.  So love creates, going out and making God's realm the realm of all, taking all into the embrace of the Divine.  So we are caught up in the love of God   Even in the midst of the absurd, love is all.  Love explains it all, at all times. 

Lent is over. Now, we get the full picture.

For anyone who follows my blog, there may seem to be a present lull, but that is far from the truth.  Rather, it is the opposite, as my life has been full of concerns and issues, arising in my everyday existence.  The individual issues do not matter here as this is not a forum for clearing complaints.  

In fact, in facing this time, I have kept in mind a motto posted by my hero, Pope Francis.  It basically stated - "Keep complaints outside my office".   This highlighted his focus was to keep an eye on the possible and moving forward.  

Well, present experience shows me yet again that we more easily deal with moving forward, when pressing concerns and issues, no matter how minor, are put behind us.  Keeping focus on the possible and moving forward is all good philosophy, when looking back in hindsight, but not so when one is caught within the seemingly overwhelming demands of the immediate moment.         

My easy submission to the trials of life appears at the very end of Lent, when our focus is on surmounting much graver matters of life.  I look around and I see a world overcome by war, conflict, suffering of all sorts.  So what of my little concerns?  Nothing, it would seem. Is not life about achieving much greater heights and dealing with real challenges facing humanity?   I am so easily pulled down by the minutiae, losing sight of the big picture, of what truly calls forth our shared call to greatness.  Life is meant to be transformative, not an exercise in survival.