A Love That Transforms

On Christmas we celebrate the birth of a baby that would grow up to be an extraordinary man. A man that would come to show us the ways of love and reconciliation. Through his life Jesus would reveal to us the transforming nature of Divine love. A love we can all experience and extend outwards to others-the very spark of God filtering its light in our darkened world allowing peace to blossom. A love that transforms.

Martin Luther King, Jr. in a Christmas message he preached at the Ebenezer Baptist Church in 1967 where he served as co-pastor put it this way. :

Agape is an overflowing love which seeks nothing in return. Theologians would say that it is the love of God operating in the human heart. When you rise to love on this level, you love all men not because you like them, not because their ways appeal to you, but you love them because God loves them. This is what Jesus meant when he said, "Love your enemies." And I'm happy that he didn't say, "Like your enemies," because there are some people that I find it pretty difficult to like. Liking is an affectionate emotion, and I can't like anybody who would bomb my home. I can't like anybody who would exploit me. I can't like anybody who would trample over me with injustices. I can't like them. I can't like anybody who threatens to kill me day in and day out. But Jesus reminds us that love is greater than liking. Love is understanding, creative, redemptive good will toward all men.

Despite the violence, suffering, injustices and cruelty in this world Jesus gave us the hope that love will always prevail. By digging deep through prayer and meditation we can discover that love buried within us, that "original goodness", as Eknath Easwaran  puts it, that is of God and has the power to bring peace to the moments in our lives.

I'd like to wish all of you a very merry Christmas! Below is a song from one of my favorite Christmas albums by the artist Jewel. It is a great reminder that no matter how seemingly small we feel in this world we can all have an impact towards making it a brighter place by being actively involved, as Jesus was, in spreading God's peace and love.

 "Hands"

If I could tell the world just one thing
It would be that we're all OK
And not to worry 'cause worry is wasteful
And useless in times like these
I won't be made useless
I won't be idle with despair
I will gather myself around my faith
For light does the darkness most fear
My hands are small, I know
But they're not yours, they are my own
But they're not yours, they are my own
And I am never broken
Poverty stole your golden shoes
It didn't steal your laughter
And heartache came to visit me
But I knew it wasn't ever after
We'll fight, not out of spite
For someone must stand up for what's right
'Cause where there's a man who has no voice
There ours shall go singing
My hands are small I know
But they're not yours, they are my own
But they're not yours, they are my own
I am never broken
In the end only kindness matters
In the end only kindness matters
I will get down on my knees, and I will pray
I will get down on my knees, and I will pray
I will get down on my knees, and I will pray
My hands are small I know
But they're not yours, they are my own
But they're not yours, they are my own
And I am never broken
My hands are small I know
But they're not yours, they are my own
But they're not yours, they are my own
And I am never broken
We are never broken
We are God's eyes
God's hands
God's mind
We are God's eyes
God's hands
God's heart
We are God's eyes
God's hands
God's eyes
We are God's hands
We are God's hands

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!