Surrendering to Love

A reflection on our shared humanity, the innocence we have forgotten, and our responsibility to bring love into a world so often characterised by hatred, division and indifference.

An olive tree beside a quiet hillside path

Surrendering to love isn’t as simple as it may sound.
How much better the world would be though if more of us did.

It is quite heartbreaking, the amount of horrific things that happen in this world, and although most of us live a life that is well hidden from the more horrible and tragic sins, this does not mean that it isn’t present or relevant.

What difference does it make though?

As a single person, making a significant change in the world is very difficult.
It is not the strength of one individual that causes real change, but rather the strength of the collective.

All of us share in that responsibility.

Being engulfed in the daily troubles of our modern lives blinds us from the many fundamental truths that we share.
As humans we are all so alike, certainly more than if we compare ourselves to other species.
That togetherness is easily forgotten, to the point where we hurt and kill each other over issues where peaceful solutions are achievable.

We forget ourselves, and each other.

We have forgotten our childhood innocence.
The innocence that our Lord Jesus Christ told us to strive towards.
It is understandable though, that this innocence has been suppressed.
It is a self-defense mechanism adapted to the sinful and difficult world that we live in.

But when should we expect change to occur if not by us?
Is this not what Christ would have wanted?
I find it hard to believe that He would condone any sort of violence towards one another.
And should we not follow in His example?

Certainly, this was one of His objectives, to show us and the world how we ought to behave with ourselves and with each other.
So learn to surrender to love, the love that our Lord made possible for us.

We forget that we are all brothers and sisters, and understandably so, but if we do not change, how can we expect the world to change?
We are the world, so the change must begin with us.
Doing this in practice is not an easy thing, but like a diamond being polished, we too must be polished and rinsed of the sins of the world.

Remember your childhood innocence.
Remember the life of our Lord.
Remember love.

He provides for us, always.
Should we then repay Him and His creation by partaking in its destruction?
Be a beacon of light, His light, and nurture it as the caretakers we ought to be.
It will seem strange to others, naturally so, but although we live within this world, we are not of it.

We share the same world as everyone else, and being that beacon of light is how we can change it.
Not by force, but by raw unapologetic love.

Be followers of Christ in its purest form.
Every act we do, every word we say, even every thought we have and entertain, affects us and those around us in ways that we may not be fully aware of.

Truly it is a gift that we are here now.
The fact that I can sit here and write this down, and that you are reading this right now.
Hopefully it is in safe and comfortable circumstances.
But even if it is not, we should take comfort in the fact that our Lord is always with us.

This comfort and understanding, this faith, must drive us to do and be better.
For whatever happens to us we are always protected by Him, whether in this life or the next.
Without this faith, of course it is difficult to loosen up, when the fear of our safety is ever-present.

We must remember to pray for those who do not yet have this faith, that the Lord may open their hearts and minds.
This is all we can do, to trust in Him, and be dependable vessels of His gospel, so that He can have trust in us.

Love, forgiveness, and mercy.
These things are possible when the expectation of the world to come is well established within us.
So do not lose it, grip it firmly, and practice it daily.

Remember your innocence, the love towards ourselves, each other, and our Lord.

Amen.

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