We say that we love God;
but do we? . . . Really?
We say we love our neighbor;
but do we? . . . Really?
We say we love ourselves;
but do we? . . . Really?
Can we love an assassin?
Too hard!
Can we love the murder hornet?
Too hard!
Can we love the cockroach,
crawling from our toilet?
Too hard!
Can we love the ants,
eating the sugar on our kitchen counter?
Too hard!
Start with something more humble:
the pebble we kick down the street,
0r the dirt we sweep from our walk.
Are not these also part of God’s creation?
Is this what Bonaventure means,
when he says to start with the very humblest things?
References:
“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Jesus, Matthew 22.
“To work up to loving God, start by loving the very humblest things, and then move up from there.” St Bonaventure (1221-1274)
Meditating to Heal 