God is Love - Love is Present

Of all the words written in scripture, John's first letter sums up revelation from the very beginning to here and now.  "Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.  Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love."  The phrase is so overused we hardly know how to live inside its truth - and its truth is Jesus Christ.  So we try talking in endless circles of avoidance, or we try not using the name of Jesus and say it's better to live it than to talk about it, but there is no avoiding this truth:  Jesus is love.

I ask myself today, and I will ask everyday, "am I love?", or "does anyone see Jesus in me?"  or again, "How am I love?"  Am I willing to feed the hungry thousands as Jesus did at the borders of nowhere, enter into their suffering, speak on their behalf, stand in their defense against mindless violence?

On Frontline this evening, I watched as immigrants, refugees, pregnant women, young babies and children were held as prisoners in squalid, standing room only, unconscionable conditions reminiscent of concentration camps.  They were held this way for days on end, when what they hoped for was to claim asylum for their families from violence and poverty in central America.  Children taken from parents and held in like manner...all happening in the city of El Paso and the town of Clint, TX, on the orders of the Trump administration.  Vigils and protests from good people of El Paso and Clint, and senate hearings very slowly changed the course of action, but not all is yet resolved.  There is a sleepiness in us, slow to act, and reminiscent of the early days before WWII.  (watch Frontline:  Targeting El Paso)

Now, it seems we do stand on the brink of war.  There is no coherence between love and war.  If there was the story of Jesus' life would have ended very differently.  How does love act?  He, she, you or me, gathers people together, teaches in deserted places, feeds the hungry thousands, heals disease and divisions, fasts, plans vigils for peace, and protests against violence.  Love prays in the public squares, in the churches,  in the streets and most importantly in the places where violence is happening.  Love is present.  Love witnesses to these things and holds fast to the truth regardless of the consequences.

My prayer is to live more deeply in union with Love - my prayer is for all of us to live more deeply in union with Love, to make love present and living, especially where there is suffering in our world.  The time is now, the Source is Love, and with love all things are possible.