The Word is Love

Just got home from a conversation with Fr. Beuzer. As before, he’s given me much to think about and much to pray about. Although we had a fairly far-ranging discussion, talking about everything from my job search to Alaska, it all revolved around the Lectio assignment he gave me the last time we talked, the first chapter of the Gospel of John.

It took me about a month to read this. In my Bible, it’s four pages, and most of that is taken up with notes rather than the text itself. It’s dense – poetry dense – and I personally can’t think of a book I’ve read anywhere with a meatier and more poetic opening line.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

I mean, where do you go from there? From genius to genius, as it turns out. Every time I read this, I would get to the first part of verse 14 and just stop, unable to continue and often with the urge to fall prostrate.

And the Word became flesh

Wow.

The challenge is that “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” and dwells among us still. In his Rule, Saint Benedict instructs us to treat every guest as Christ, and indeed the challenge is to see every human being “made in the image and likeness of God” and to act accordingly.

This is what Jesus calls us to do. “And the Word became flesh” and because of that Incarnation, the Word continues to be flesh, will continue to be flesh, in exactly the same way as God created and continues to create, using us humans as some of His paint brushes.

Christ condescended to descend to us, to become one of us, that we might become His brothers and sisters and so with Him call God the Father our Father. But what a glorious obligation of love that creates for us! As sons and daughters of God, we must act like the Son of God acted.

God asks us to help Him in the great work of creation. I have heard Him asking, but often I’m unsure what it is I’m called to do or how I’m to do it. I know I’m part of the neverending story (so to speak) of the unfolding of creation, but I’m still struggling to let the Holy Spirit in to guide the way.

Still, knowing you’re part of the Story at all is a good first step. I am part of the Story. You are part of the Story. Be the part God is calling you to be.

Fr. Beuzer told me a story of a friend of his, a priest from Australia who grew up in the outback. He was one of ten children, and his family frequently interacted with the local Aborigine people who lived near them.

This man was a theologian, with a doctorate in Theology from a prestigious university, and his writings were apparently well respected within the Church. On a trip home to see his parents, the theologian was sought out by a local Aborigine elder, a man whose job was “keeper of the stories” for his people.

The elder asked him about Jesus. “He was a good man, eh?”

The priest replied, “Yes. A very good man.”

“So. What’s his story?”

And the priest realized right then that he had no adequate way of answering the elder’s question in the way that the elder wanted him to answer.

The priest spent the rest of his career studying and translating the Gospel of John for the Aborigine people.

As for me, I’m starting chapter 2 this evening to find out what the Holy Spirit wants me to become aware of in the wedding at Cana.