People who reflect

The more we become people of action and responsibility in our community, the more we must become people of contemplation. If we do not nurture our deep emotional life in prayer hidden in God, if we do not spend time in silence and if we do not know how to take time from the presence of our brothers and sisters, we risk becoming embittered. It is only to the extent that we nurture our own hearts that we can keep interior freedom. People who are hyperactive, fleeing from their deep selves and their wound, become tyrannical and their exercise of responsibility only creates conflict Jean Vanier, Community and Commitment

L'Arche is a inspiration to us and a challenge. Jean Vanier's vision of community is one of value but conscious that busyness is our worst enemy. Friday I has a good long conversation with a Chinese scholar about love and duty and how they are basically two ways of looking at or two sides of the same thing. We had been talking about schoolmates and where they had ended up and about a family who had given up everything to care for a child with a degenerative muscle disorder instead of sending him off to an institution. I pointed out that frequently humans in every society aren't good at looking after their disadvantaged or disabled even in our own country accessibility is built into building codes. However if no-one had taking the time with Stephen Hawking then theoretical science would be a poorer place. I am not making any comments about his faith or lack of it but he is valued despite disability. Perhaps his disability forced deeper and deeper reflection because he cannot really flee from himself nor distract himself.

We also had cause to look at happiness and discuss its relationship to satisfaction. Life can be disappointing and even cruel. Life circumstances can make us perhaps embarrassed but if we are truly happy then you cannot be ashamed, only embarrassed. We need to nurture our own hearts to find this kind of freedom. This week I've meditated and also contemplated the phrase God's eternal love in 1 Kings 10:9 Strangely I have been singing his love endure for ever for years but the phrase has been partially or completely meaningless until recently when I began to embrace the emotional consequences and the life orientation that flows from that. Perhaps because the Queen of Sheba said this to Solomon is why I pause and wonder. Perhaps because God's love is for all of us.

Because of the LORD's eternal love for Israel, he has made you king, to maintain justice and righteousness. 1 Kings 10:9