I've said in this space before that more and more I'm learning to appreciate what Richard Rohr has to say about Great Joy and Great Suffering. Specifically that I'm coming to appreciate them both equally, and that I no longer see the need to differentiate between them. At least on a good day.
Here's the next step. Something for us as we venture forth into 2012, desiring to be more of Who We Really Are:
RESOLVE TO LIVE A LIFE OF GREAT LOVE
We must learn to be able to think and behave like Jesus, who is the archetypal human. This becomes the journey of great love and great suffering. This journey leads us to a universal love where we just don’t love those who love us. We must learn to participate in a larger love—divine love.
If we remain autonomous, independent, self-sufficient, we cannot know God nor can we love God. St. John of the Cross says: “God refuses to be known; God can only be loved.”
Any journey of great love or great suffering make us go deeper into our faith and eventually into what can only be called universal truth. Love and suffering are finally the same, because those who love deeply are committing themselves to eventual suffering. Those who suffer often become the greatest lovers.
Richard Rohr - Adapted from Experiencing the Naked Now webcast
This gives me the shivers.
SO good
Posted by: HeidiRenee | January 03, 2012 at 04:48 AM
Absolutely, yes!
Posted by: Erin Wilson | January 05, 2012 at 04:39 PM