One of the joys of being a spiritual director is the privilege of listening, learning and being inspired by people in all walks of life and numerous faith traditions. This morning, as I thought about a topic for this column, I found myself reflecting on the generosity of so many who mirror the love of God in ways that often go unnoticed.
For me, it serves as an ongoing reminder that the grace of God is at work in people everywhere and that the Good News is being preached by ordinary people every day. In a world that seems to focus on the negative, ready to name and shame anyone who makes a misstep, it’s important for Christians to accentuate the positive and to share stories that inspire others.
The other day I learned of a young mother who gave birth to her infant who died shortly after birth. From the beginning of the pregnancy, the couple knew the baby’s chances of survival were slight, yet they never once considered abortion as an option. As heart wrenching as the death of her infant was, this young mother pumped her breasts for several months after the baby died, donating her breast milk to the local children’s hospital for the infants in the intensive care unit. Such selfless love is as edifying as it is rare in a day and age where posters and angry voices shout, “It’s my body.”
Another source of inspiration came from a woman who loved and cared for her husband with Alzheimer’s for three years preceding his death. As the illness progressed, she spent months sleeping at the top of the stairs to ensure his safety in the event that he might awaken during the night, wander and fall down the stairs.
Godly love abounds whenever compassionate presence sheds its light on a world too often characterized by cynicism. Sometimes charity takes on a more subtle presence. One such occurrence took place during a meeting I attended. When a member made a disparaging remark about a person not in attendance, one person spoke up and said, “I’m not comfortable talking about him since he’s not here today.”
It didn’t take long for those sitting around the table to get the message. His example has often made me think twice when I’m tempted to make an unkind remark about a person with whom I happen to disagree.
Scripture continues to be written in the lives of people everywhere. All we need to do is take the time to notice. Stories of kindness that reflect the love of God are the glue that holds people together, which makes Scripture the greatest story ever told. It was an art form that Jesus mastered, which is why his parables continue to touch hearts and minds. That’s the beauty of storytelling! They teach without intimidating, and convict without accusing.
A good storyteller invites listeners to examine their hearts and minds in the ensuing silence where God transforms and recreates souls in his image. Stories allow each person to draw from them what is needed to deepen their understanding and experience of God. However, for this to happen, we must be willing to listen rather than speak.
Just as we repeat and reflect on the stories of people in Scripture, so we should repeat and reflect on how God’s love shines forth in people whom we encounter, regardless of ethnicity or religious tradition. Like Jesus who praised the faith exhibited by the Syrophoenician woman and the Roman centurion, we’re called to look beyond the smallness of self-imposed boundaries, be less judgmental and strive to see the presence of God in each person — especially those who are different from us, or whose experience of God is unlike our own.
St. Paul wrote, “Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart” (1 Cor 4:5).
In the book “City of God,” St. Augustine concluded: “Many existing Church members would not be found to be members in the City of God. Similarly, there were some who never belonged to the Church who would be found to be members of that city.”
It’s a warning that we should take to heart when tempted to disparage others, for as St. John of the Cross reminds us, “In the end, we will be judged by the way we love.”
And so, we pray, “Lord, teach us to love.”