I am a retired educator with a lifelong interest in spirituality and its intersection with religion. Of late, I have become more aware of how the essential teaching of Christ (love of God and Neighbor) seems to rarely make it into discussions, liturgies, homilies, and reflections. In fact, I have found that talking about 'love' can be a good conversation stopper. Part of the reason, I think, is that our popular understandings of 'love' are quite limiting.
As I continued to reflect on what I came to see as a serious omission, I began to assess how well I am applying this essential or foundational teaching to my own life. I had no choice but to give myself a failing grade. As one who had dedicated his work life to education, it should come as not surprise that what I needed were "Lessons in love". They continue to this day!
I have always had an affinity to quotations, so I began to seek out quotations by the recognized "saints" of the (Catholic Church). Why these saints, and not the saints of other religions? I guess it comes with the territory of being a cradle Catholic who has been actively involved with church matters for most of his life. Though I have a strong belief in the universality of the spiritual journey, I felt that any reflection and analysis of quotes by saints of other religions would not only be fair, but inaccurate. Nonetheless, as a kind of motif running in the background of these explorations, I often thought of a long-ago interview with the Jewish poet/novelist/ vocalist Leonard Cohen in which he referred to saints as "Monsters of Love".
I have learned that writing is one of my best ways of clarifying my own thinking and (perhaps) intuitions. So I naturally began to write about what some saints had said or written about love. In time, some categories seemed to emerge (for example: friendship and love, integrity, God's loving pursuit, Loving gladly, pain of love, and so on)
I am inviting you to join me in these explorations. I have no formal training in theology and so these reflections are merely a collection of one seeker's search of life's meaning and purpose. As time goes by, I find myself moving towards the "spiritual but not religious" camp, though I still regard the Catholic Church as a kind of spiritual home base. I continue to value the role that healthy religion can play in the formation of a framework from which to explore how God is present in one's life. At its best, religion is a means to that end, the finger pointing to the moon, but not the moon itself. I have come to believe that much of life is about evolving from one stage to another, in which some elements of the previous stage become integrated with new perspectives. More than ever, I am of the opinion that love is the "driver" of these movements. What else could it be?
Peace and love
Ed
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