Monday, March 5, 2018

The Gravitational Force of God's Love


It should not be surprising to find ourselves pulled into the “gravitational force of God’s love,” as Esther de Waal puts it in her book A Life-Giving Way: A Commentary on the Rule of St. Benedict. Science teaches us that gravity is a natural phenomenon by which all things with mass are brought toward each other. As Wikipedia notes, “Because energy and mass are equivalent, all forms of energy (including light) cause gravitation and are under the influence of it.” Because the love of God the Creator is the energy that animates all things—manifested in Christ, the light of the world—everything in the universe is pulled toward God, including each of us.

The effects of gravity become increasingly weaker on farther objects, and thus when we are angry or upset we can attempt to distance ourselves from God. However, because the energy of God’s love exists in everything, we can never escape its gravitational pull. Attempting to do so will lead to nothing but frustration and exhaustion.

When the world seems to be spinning out of control, it is comforting to think that it is a temporary phenomenon, because ultimately everything bends toward the energy of God’s love. Furthermore, as we allow ourselves to succumb to the natural forces of gravity that draw us closer to God, our own gravitational force will attract others to make this journey with us, increasing the mass and thus the power of those who live in love. Surrender, then, and rejoice!

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