Joy of Love 사랑의 기쁨

       (written in 2008)

 "Love, love, who said love is deeper than fragrant flowers?" You're probably familiar with this verse. Love is sweeter and more beautiful than flowers. Love, love, love!

  I think love is the most popular word in the world. Love, being the fundamental cause and the driving force of life, is closely related to the secret of life.

  What is the greatest secret of life? The Bible doesn't talk about the secret directly but it does imply it is love. The Bible keeps saying God is love and advises us to love one another. And I think this love is the key to every problem.

  When we love one another we can solve various problems more wisely and naturally become more joyful and inspiring in spite of obstacles.

  "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne, about the law of attraction, is widely read these days. It keeps saying that powerful intentions and good thoughts attract people and move the universe.

  Since October last year, it has become a steady seller. Similar books are continually published, such as "The Secret Blend," "Girls' Secrets," "The Secrets of Wealth," "The Secret Things of God," "Secrets for Christians" and "Secrets for Children."

  It seems that the word 'secret' itself draws people's attention and curiosity; we are interested in the secret and look for the secret of life in the flowing contemporary society, changing from the age of reason to the age of sensitivity.

  Being more concerned with sensitivity, we are involved in values such as love, peace, sharing, and empathy. In search of these spiritual values, we often talk about the topic of happiness; actually, people have always been concerned with happiness throughout the ages and often ask themselves how to be happy and how to attain happiness.

  Some people relate happiness to material success but find outward success is not everything. Naturally, many people are looking for inner peace, meditation, spiritual life, and simplicity as a new, more spiritual, and transcendental way of life. They realize loving the self and others is the stepping stone to going forward and to renewing the self. Without loving and accepting the self, it is not easy to be happy and enjoy life.

  There lies the secret of life. Loving the self and neighbors is the most simple but profound truth for which we are searching every moment of our lives. Love is the ultimate purpose of everything.

  Even though we live with different religions and ideologies, love is a common concern in life. I also entered the religious congregation not because of achievement but because of my love for Jesus Christ.

  It is love that motivates and directs us to do something. It is love that sustains and encourages us even in the midst of difficult moments and struggles.

  St. Alphonsus Liguori, who lived during the late 1700s, meditated on St. Paul's powerful, touching and influential homily on love and discussed 13 ways of practicing love in "Practicing in the Love of God."

 Thirteen ways are suggested to love Christ Jesus and to live life with the lofty spirit of love.

  They come from St. Paul's hymn to love in first Corinthians 13, 4-7:

 "Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." 

  St. Paul confesses that love is the greatest of all in his touching homily on love as the supreme gift of the Spirit. Without love, we are nothing and useless. Every religion and charity institute exists because of love and for the sake of love.

  Jesus died for us because of his love for God and all the world's people. Thousands of young people chose the consecrated life because of love.

  Mother Teresa lived with the poor and for the poor only because of love, enduring dark moments of fear, doubt, and dryness.

  Working can be a joy when we love one another. Collaboration can be more dynamic and creative when our hearts are filled with love.

  Love is the ultimate answer to every question and the power of God moving the universe. "Love, love, who said love is deeper than fragrant flowers?"

 

The Korea Times/ Thoughts of the Times/ Feb. 6-10, 2008