LOVE IS THE ANSWER
By Kattukaren Devassy Paul
Sometimes I think what is the meaning of this existence! Not sometimes but rather many a times. And if I, who am more fortunate in life, should say this – what about all those other people around me?
What about people who face perpetually the scourge of war and hate; what about people who have to live in the shadow of death from fear and poverty. What about families struggling to come to grips with the death of a loved one; with a drunkard husband or a drug addict son; with sickness ----- with joblessness ---- but more than all this a sense of being UNLOVED, UNCARED & UNWANTED!
MOST PEOPLE LIVE LIVES OF QUIET DESPERATION! Women tolerating insensitive husbands. Children driven crazy by parents telling them to do this or that or don’t do this or that or study! Study! Study! Men facing a dead wall in their jobs with unco-operative bosses & colleagues with politics and intrigues against the struggle to earn a livelihood & shine in their professional career.
Where is it all going? Where are we going? What is the meaning of this existence?
Yes! I have the answer.
HEY! What is the answer?? Yes. The answer is LOVE.
Says Innersole, the great poet:
Love is the only bow on life’s dark cloud. It is the Morning and the Evening Star. It shines upon the cradle of the babe, and sheds its radiance upon the quiet tomb. It is the first to dream of Immortality. It fills the world with Melody, for Music is the voice of Love. It is the perfume of the wondrous flower – the heart- and without that sacred passion, that divine swoon, we are less than beasts; but with it, earth is heaven and we are Gods!
Says St. Paul to the Corinthians:
I may be able to speak the languages of men and even of angels but if I have no love, my speech is no more than a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
I may have the faith needed to move mountains but if I have no love I am nothing.
I may give up everything I have --- even given my body up to be burnt. But, if I have no love --- this does me no good!
In fact, this is what Christianity is all about--- LOVE. Jesus said----- I have come to break down the archaic laws of Moses ----- this new Commandment I give unto you:
LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR AS YOURSELF.
The solution to many, many, many of the world’s problems, tensions in the families, mental sicknesses and even physical sicknesses is LOVE.
LOVE conquers all. We are shaped and fashioned by what we love.
A young man phoned the famous psychologist William James and said; “Look Sir ----I am really desperate ----- I don’t see the point of living ------ I want to commit suicide. Please help me!!”
And what did Prof. James tell him: “ Lock up your house, go out, breathe in the air---- try to find someone who needs your help-------- help him.”
Which brings me to an important face of LOVE. Love is -------- giving not taking! To give till it hurts!! True love is unconditional. And, this habit of giving till it hurts has to be inculcated---- in our families, in our homes.
But you only give if you have something to give – do you have Love to give?
And this indeed is the right season and time to think about it for Christmas is the festival of LOVE.
The Son of God came into this world, so tiny, so naked, and so defenseless---- this is LOVE.
So examine your inner self seriously: how can you spread Love in your family, in those around you when you yourself have no love! What if you are yourself all twisted inside by fear, anger, and hatred! There is a cure for you – LOVE. Only Love.
So, go out into the world and --- LOVE. Give of yourself completely. Love your wife, your children, those around you ---- at your workplace, in your neighbourhood ---- in your community. For, believe me ----- without Love there is really no hope for you!
You cannot give of yourself completely unless you genuinely care for others or have something to give. Give, give, and give --- till it hurts. That is Love; that is Christianity!
For most people today their world is their kitchen, their wife, and their children! They have no time for others. They are so full of themselves --- their own problems, their sufferings, their heartaches. And so our hearts get hardened : our conscience stilled! We don’t care if the poor get poorer and the rich get richer. Do they perhaps deserve it! We turn the other way at the corruption, injustice and suffering all around us
What can I do – you ask! Why, you can do a lot ---- maybe not lead an army like Joan of Arc but in your own home, in your own family, in our own life situation – you can spread the fire of LOVE. You can set into motion the ball rolling ----by your example of love ----- usher in a new millennium of love, faith & hope. At least for the children’s sake for – or else --- there is no hope for this world – moving senselessly into a new era without any brakes on!!!
This Advent season let us examine our conscience to discover how much love we have to give and ask our Lord humbly; LORD, TEACH ME HOW TO LOVE
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of thy faithful and kindle in them the fire of thy LOVE.
