Reconsidering Love

In advent we return to a familiar story, familiar themes… Reconsidering love – the love of a mother for her baby, the love of a husband for his fiancée and her baby that isn’t his, the love of God for his world, our love for God and each other.

Yesterday…

…I collected my new glasses: My eyes had been tested; my sight has deteriorated; new glasses were ordered; I received the phone call, ‘Your new glasses are ready.’

In all of the mess and complexity of people, relationships and life a new pair of ‘love-spectacles’ help us to see things more clearly, refocus with greater clarity.

…I completed my Christmas shopping: I inspected what I’d already bought, identified what was still needed, gritted my teeth and proceeded with determination. I hate shopping!

Love is about giving. I know St Francis said, ‘It is in giving that we receive’; we also receive (or buy through gritted teeth) so that we can give.

…Grandson-Luca came for tea: Rachel collected Luca from school; he got himself a snack, chatted, told us his news, watched a bit of a Christmas film, played games with his Granny, ate his tea, was taken home.

There’s something unspectacular and comfortable about love. It just happens in the ordinary things of everyday life.

…I went to church for a ‘Crib Service’ rehearsal for Sunday afternoon, Christmas Eve. There were children dressed up, a stable and manger, musicians sorting music, narrators clarifying cues, sound systems being adjusted…

Love improves with practice; sometimes we don’t get it right first time; sometimes we need too get love right because it’s on public display…

…I was introduced to François Fénelon: Reading about this 17^th-18^th Century French Catholic archbishop, writer, reformer, human rights activist… Quotes like, ‘Time spent in prayer is never wasted’, and ‘All wars are civil wars, because all men are brothers.’

And ‘Be persuaded, timid soul, that He has loved you too much to cease loving you.’

Reconsidering Love… refocusing, giving, ordinary, practiced, continuing…