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Abundant Love Versus Virtue
When I was a child, fall was a time of great promise. When summer ended and the first day of school arrived, I was ready for another chance to experience the time of
year that brought so many wonderful gifts. Even if an Indian summer prevailed, I could still feel the hint of a chill in the air, promising that Halloween was not far away,
followed by the feast of Thanksgiving.
The promise of a child’s favorite time of year reminds me of the potential life holds everyday. To me, there is one guarantee in life that you can always count on—the
promise of change and growth, even in the midst of life’s familiar rhythms.
Life is continually changing, spurring new growth. New experiences greet you everyday when you are open to looking at each moment as an opportunity to live in deeper
communion with your inner spirit and God. This is a life of abundance, a way of living that honors your spiritual nature by letting your inner heart guide your outer actions. As
you live from the center of your being, your virtuous actions are driven by the love of God that is always present within.
Growing up in the Catholic church, I was told that in order for God to love me, I must follow the church rules and live a virtuous life. As an adult, I have come to
know God’s love through prayerful communion and times of mystical union with the presence of the divine. The outer rules have fallen away as the motivation for my actions. My
inner connection with God fuels my desire to live in integrity and truth, following the path of Jesus.
The difference between obeying God and knowing God has raised questions in my life: Is God’s love an abundant, freely given promise of life or is it earned through
virtuous acts? Must you do certain things to sit at the banquet table of God?
I am reminded of a parable in the Bible that addresses the bounty of God: The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field that a man found and then
covered up. With great joy, he sells all that he has to buy the field of treasure.
To me, God’s love is always present in our hearts and in our world, like a treasure hidden in plain view. When we are willing to let go of old thoughts that limit
the potential of love within, we bring forth new abundances to bless our lives. We grow from these new kernels of wisdom, letting God’s eternal love change our view of what the
treasure holds. When you keep your eyes on God, you bring forth new ideas from old values.
From a simple perspective, we sit at God’s banquet table when we hope for the promise of a new day, another chance to experience the bounty of life from a fresh
point of view. You uncover this treasure when you look deep within, listening for that still small voice to guide you to live in unity with others. Virtue flows naturally when you
allow God’s guiding hand to lead you to loving actions.
That’s what fall represents to me—experiencing the familiar rhythms of harvest celebrations as new when I look at the world from God’s perspective. My old ways
become new when I lead a Spirit-driven life, empowered by God’s abundant love.
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