The scribe said to him, “Well said, teacher. You are right in saying,
He is One and there is no other than he. And to love him with all your
heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love
your neighbor as yourself is worth more than all burnt offerings and
sacrifices.” And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding, he
said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” - Mk 12:32-34
It seems to me growing in love usually includes pain and sacrifice
which is often hard for me to endure. I’m still learning that to love
means letting go of self for the greater good of another or the whole.
As I was driving home yesterday, I sensed my fingers gripping strongly
and not wanting to let go. It was like someone was trying to peel my
fingers away, one by one, like you might do to get something out of the
fist of a child. I thought, wow, what was that about? Here I am
thinking I’m detaching pretty well, but would I really be willing to let
go of everything for love no matter where it took me? It made me stop
and think about what it is I’m loving. I realized I’m attached to more
than I thought. I think it was God’s way of showing me I’m not as ready
for my wings as I thought and I have more internal work to do. I’ve
decided I’m going to pray about this, asking God for His grace to show
and help me love more openly and fully. Please pray for me. I will
remember you in my prayers, too.
Am I holding on to something that is keeping me from fully
expressing the love that is within me? Is there a change I can make in
my life that will help me wholly surrender to God’s will?
Reflected by Ruth Clarke Ragin
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