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February 18

The Heart of the Matter

While a generous person is known for his or her generosity, such a person should be primarily appreciated for who he or she is, and not only for what one does and gives. So it is with God. The great Life-giver is to be loved even in times of

darkness and difficulty.

There is little doubt that life in the modern world is very pragmatic and utilitarian. It is all about progress and benefits for me. As a consequence, little attention has been given to the true meaning and purpose of life. But life is more than security and material much-having. It is also about love and beauty. It has to do with relationships, with care, with giving and receiving, with forgiveness.

A vibrant spirituality at the heart of life cannot be one of mere

benefits and blessings. This follows too much the contours of our present age. Instead, such a spirituality should focus on the source of all things. Thus the focus is on the Giver, and not only on the gifts.

Thomas à Kempis points us in the right direction. He notes, “A wise lover considers not so much the lover’s gift as the giver’s love. He attends more to the giver’s affection than to the gift’s value.”49

And so it is. The source of all things is the loving heart of God who called all things into being and who recreates us in love to be whole, full of goodness, and in service and care to the neighbor and stranger.

Thought

The heart of the matter is the loving heart of God and not only the

blessings that God gives.