Spiritual/Political/Philosophical Blog on the Nature of Truth and Falsehood and Heaven
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| Sunny Days in Heaven Spiritual/Political/Philosophical Blog on the Nature of Truth and Falsehood and Heaven |
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Thursday, March 14, 2002 Thought from a Sunny Day (from my book Contentions) 114 It is funny that I thought the encounter with God meant an eternal love affair with him in a direct and visceral way. I had no idea that the encounter with the living God would lead us through a fire of purgation where we emerge pure of heart (I hope), and God disappears as an object of love and desire - only to reappear in the faces of others whom we love according to boundaries of friend, parent, child, or mate. We are created to touch, see, and sense ourselves and others in a way that is not spiritual (or immaterial), but that is physical. There may be much more than this in Eternity, but that awaits further development which is not available to scrutiny now. No, our first task is to know Love and perfect it, and thus become free and selfless in our love of others. What we miss in this life, both with God and others, is the sensation of being in love. I do not mean that heaven is a constant ecstasy of "feeling" in love. I am sorry we only have the pejorative "infatuated" to describe the sensation of love. In heaven, love for a mate means a kind of eternal infatuation - or call it eternal fascination, wonder, delight, and awe of the other. How is it possible not to exhaust endearment? That's easy - contemplation. When people have discovered how to contemplate God - the freshness of it never wears off or out. For instance, I have never tired of beauty whether in the face and figure of a woman, or in watching a tree tossing its branches in the wind, or in noticing a cloudscape of gorgeous shapes and rhythms amidst a brilliant azure sky - and so on. As gaudy as some sunsets might be described, I have never complained of a single one of them. If it impossible to ever tire of beauty (here on earth), how much more shall we appreciate others and their beauty in heaven? We were made to love beauty, to draw pleasure and delight from it always and ever. I'm surprised that more people don't realize this - it seems obvious - right before our eyes. But it means a confrontation and annihilation of the self which is what many strenuously resist and fear. Love destroys egotism and selfishness. Our failure to know, practice, or receive love breeds pride and lust for power. posted by Mark Butterworth | 4:57 PM | |
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