A congregation of the United Church of Canada
NOTICINGS…
February 15, 2023
I have written and spoken of my deep admiration for theologian Howard Thurman many times. As February is Black History Month, and this week had Valentine’s Day, I thought I would combine these and share an excerpt from Thurman’s sermon “The Meaning of Love” (1958). Thurman defines love as “the experience of being dealt with at a point in oneself that is beyond all the good and beyond all the evil.” I really like that. He notes that the love of God functions as the exemplary love to which humanity should strive towards. Thurman’s conception of love is not possessive nor transactional, rather, it is interdependent and comes from the heart. Enjoy!
I want to read a few verses from (James) Moffatt’s translation of the 13th chapter of 1 Corinthians.
Love is very patient, very kind. Love knows no jealousy. Love makes no parade, gives itself no airs, is never rude, never selfish, never irritated, never resentful. Love is never glad when others go wrong. Love is gladdened by goodness, always slow to expose, always eager to believe the best, always hopeful, always patient.
The working definition that we are using is this – love is the experience of being dealt with at a point in oneself that is beyond all the good and beyond all the evil. To love is to deal with another person at a point in (them) that is beyond all the good and beyond all the evil.
There is something in the experience which has with it always a note of security, of emotional security. And security in its simplest terms means the experience of having one’s needs satisfied. And whoever is able to satisfy one’s needs, simple needs or complex needs, the response, because of this sense of satisfaction, is in terms of not only dependence but in terms of trust, in terms of confidence, in terms of affection, in terms of love.
It is for this reason that religion insists that God loves (us) and that it is (our) experience of the love of God which in the first instance enables (us) to be able to love anyone… Love means in simple, experiential turns, the ability to let one’s life be filled with many simple deeds of gratuitous extras, gratuitous kindnesses, as manifested towards people by whom you are surrounded…
…(Love) at its best does not demand requitement. It gives, and in its giving, it finds its strength and its security and its ability to give more and more and more. This is our privilege. And this is our opportunity.
I want to read a few verses from (James) Moffatt’s translation of the 13th chapter of 1 Corinthians.
Love is very patient, very kind. Love knows no jealousy. Love makes no parade, gives itself no airs, is never rude, never selfish, never irritated, never resentful. Love is never glad when others go wrong. Love is gladdened by goodness, always slow to expose, always eager to believe the best, always hopeful, always patient.
The working definition that we are using is this – love is the experience of being dealt with at a point in oneself that is beyond all the good and beyond all the evil. To love is to deal with another person at a point in (them) that is beyond all the good and beyond all the evil.
There is something in the experience which has with it always a note of security, of emotional security. And security in its simplest terms means the experience of having one’s needs satisfied. And whoever is able to satisfy one’s needs, simple needs or complex needs, the response, because of this sense of satisfaction, is in terms of not only dependence but in terms of trust, in terms of confidence, in terms of affection, in terms of love.
It is for this reason that religion insists that God loves (us) and that it is (our) experience of the love of God which in the first instance enables (us) to be able to love anyone… Love means in simple, experiential turns, the ability to let one’s life be filled with many simple deeds of gratuitous extras, gratuitous kindnesses, as manifested towards people by whom you are surrounded…
…(Love) at its best does not demand requitement. It gives, and in its giving, it finds its strength and its security and its ability to give more and more and more. This is our privilege. And this is our opportunity.
Shalom,
Rev. Larry
Rev. Larry