Sunday, June 3, 2012

What do you think?


 "I have found the paradox, if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love."
Mother Theresa

Tonight I reflect on this quote knowing that it cannot be understood with the usual mind. I wrote it down after watching an iMovie from a Spring Break Service trip. The healing balm of love enters so many areas of our lives. One of my mentor/friends in CSA always talks about loving people into life and I have become a believer. I have been that broken and had the love of others breathe life back into me through their care. Now, as I get older my hope is that I am able to offer the same to others. What does it mean to love until it hurts? I think it means that their is a cost for love. That for the sake of love I have to be willing to risk it all. This is a great concept until it is a coworker I do not like so much, or a sister that irritates me, or the student resists everything loving is no longer a lofty ordeal. Sometimes it is difficult to love and the cost might be that I have to open my heart to people who are irritants. Sometimes the cost is that what I currently objectify will have to become real and human. Sometimes the hurt is in loss and then being willing to love again. Love is not as easy as I would like it to be and yet today we celebrate Trinity Sunday and that is the greatest model of love I know. Maybe I am not equipped to deal with Mother Theresa's depth tonight. Still, I must reflect on the quote some more as it strikes a chord. What are some of your thoughts on this quote? Please share if so moved.

4 comments:

  1. While I was reading this quote this morning I happened to be talking with my daughter via Facebook. I thought it would be interesting to get her point of view. Here is part of what she said: If you love until it hurts I look at that and think.. what is hurting? How is there *love* with so much hurt... Love with pride,love with justice.. if your hurting by the one you love then its different, is it worth the pain for the love?" Deep thoughts for 17 yr old. My thoughts on the subject were about loving others unconditionally.Not everyone will give love back but you are a better person for doing the giving and in some form it will come back to you. ( That brought our earlier mother, daughter conversation to the subject of Karma. Ahhh facebooking during studyhall.)I've thought about this a little more throughout the morning. I think maybe it means giving of oneself to help the sick, hopeless and poor without thinking of yourself and your own needs.

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  2. "I have found the paradox, if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love."

    A couple of weeks ago, a Mexican "hombre" who had spent about twenty years of his life in the United States supporting and loving his wife and children was deported. He continued to try to come back to his family so that they could continue to be in the United States and he could continue to support them financially-each attempt resulted in deportation. His body was found in the desert close to Nogales. This man paid the price of love; was his love meaningless; was his death just another sad event of yet another migrant who sought a better quality of life for himself and family? I am finding it harder to answer my own questions when I hear and see the pain of people who seek human dignity for themselves and their families. Years ago when I taught sixth graders we read a poem called Profit of Pain-it has stayed with me. Do I need to spell it differently--Prophet of Pain of do I call it Prophet of Love? I am learning the answer to the question each day. Maybe I am learning more questions. I hurt for the people who are constantly crossing the border looking for ways to build dreams. I guess I need to continue to support and love the people who touch the core of my being. My own focus continues to be the Samaratan who cannot pass by and move to the other side. That is my call to love and not count the cost because the cost is high!

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  3. This is fantastic, Sis! Your thoughts on love really moved me.

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