My Heart has a particular love for you, a love that My Father destined for you alone and for no other from all eternity. How it grieves My Heart when the unique love I offer a soul is spurned, or ignored, or regarded with indifference! I tell you this so that you may make reparation to My Heart by accepting the love I have for you and by living in My friendship. Receive My gifts, My kindnesses, My attention, My mercies for the sake of those who refuse what I so desire to give them. Do this especially for My priests, your brothers.
A Benedictine Monk. In Sinu Jesu: When Heart Speaks to Heart–
The Journal of a Priest at Prayer (Kindle Locations 600-604). Angelico Press. Kindle Edition.
The human heart, is made in the image of God’s heart, as revealed in Jesus Christ. However, the love of God cannot be reduced to human love. We can love a few uniquely, and love ‘all’ in a general way. We can have good will towards all, yet this is not loving in the way that Our Lord loves. It is perhaps beyond understanding, though because we love, we can grow in our experience of God’s love for us, and by that, expand it to everyone.
Once a human being feels that they are actually ‘seen’, it follows that they will experience love in part, like the love that God has for each human being. When we are seen by another, and still loved, it is because this ‘seeing’ goes deeper than what is often presented to the world around us. Love goes to the true heart of the matter, and in that, can draw out love from the one being embraced, accepted, and yes when needed, forgiven.
One term used to describe the Holy Spirit, is “Soul of my Soul”, which points to a ‘seeing’, and a ‘being with’, that is closer than we are to ourselves. I see a great deal of chaos in my soul. Yes, even strongholds, that seek to hide from this light of God’s love. Yet, when seen and embraced, the experience of healing can be felt suddenly, or slowly over a period of time. I am the one who does not know how to love others without condition, yet when experiencing Infinite Love, it opens up my heart, shatters it, and from the ashes, from the pain, comes something new.
We can either be wounded by the healing compassion of God’s love, or we can be wounded by our ways of ‘self-medicating’, which leads to stagnation at its least, or to a destruction of our own soul at its worst. Hiding from the loving gaze of God is an illusion, once that is understood, then nothing within our own inner world, or that which is without, can have dominion over us.
In human relationships, love purifies both parties, if the love is true, and not just an infatuation, or a desire to use, and manipulate. To love a man, or woman, who is healthy, and has good boundaries, by that very fact, anyone who seeks relationship with them, will have to grow, mature, and let go of self-centered, self-destructive habits, or the relationship will die. There is nothing to hold it together.
The love of God, is what the human heart seeks. In order to deepen that love, that relationship, then the affectionate exchange of love, will cause inner healing, which comes with a certain level of pain. Not from the love of God, but from our own souls, allowing our inner wounds to be healed by the fire of Infinite Love.
Once it is known
Lord, once your love is experienced,
nothing remains the same,
our journey can be rough,
but your love is sure,
no demon within or without
has power over us,
though we experience our wounds deeply,
your love sees all,
loves all within,
so ‘Soul of our Soul’,
teach us to wait, to pray,
to be patient, and to, yes,
love all that we meet
with your deep penetrating love.
Br. Mark Dohle, OSCO
Holy Spirit Monastery
