Love & Fullness

I came to give life and life in its fullness

Questions are part of human nature, and they form the context of this article too.

1. Why Christianity? The attempt of this question is never to belittle others by emphasizing the superiority of one religion. Its a point to understand the uniqueness (uniqueness is not always equated to superiority).
2. Jesus says, I came to give life and life in its fullness. What is this fullness? And how it can actualized in our life? (I don’t think it just means eternal life and it has no connection to the life here and now).
3. Lent is a beautiful season. Can it be a season to make a response to the first two questions

If you read the church documents, or some good theologians, you will find an answer to these questions. They may not be so explicit, but hidden gems would be find here and there. Lives of some saints can be another treasure house for responses. I take a third way (there might be many other ways to respond too). I don’t assure you that I will respond all the three questions satisfactorily, but like to initiate some thinking.

1. I like to call Lent as a season of Love. The climax of Lent is Maundy Thursday, passion of the Lord and the resurrection. If love is not there, none of these Holiest of the Holy days make any sense. Moreover Lent is the time to grow in our spiritual life, to become more like Jesus. And that enigmatic commandment of Jesus is to love (not just God, but self, fellow humans and the creation). More than Lent being a season of prayer, fasting and almsgiving, its a season of Love. Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving are expressions of love; they help us to grow in love.
2. One of my awesome friend is friendly with a guy and according to me, they are at the verge of dating. One of the most beautiful aspects of their relationship of love is that both understands their struggles and weaknesses, and in love, their relationship is a big help in both of their healing journey. I am not saying that we all should do healing on our friends or spouses; but in true love, healing is a fruit. Love leads to a certain fulfilment and fullness.
3. There was another friend who came to me to talk about her struggles. She had such strong sentiments that she is a failure. I was almost not sure how can I help her, but I encouraged her to see the life in a different way. After the meeting, I thought some things will change; but my expectation was within appropriate limits of caution. But this person is fully transformed after one meeting; she considers me as her brother. But love of friendship or acceptance can radically transform people and their lives. A person who considered herself as a failure is able to experience a certain joy and fulfilment despite continued struggles.
4. Or as Fr Bobby Jose Kattikadu says in his beautiful Malayalam book, prodigal son found a home in the prodigal father (not in he elder son); the woman who was caught in the act of adultery found a home in Jesus (not in the crowd); injured man found a home in the good Samaritan (not in the priest or the levite); Jesus found a home in Mary or Simon of Cyrene or Veronica or John or the women at the foot of the cross and obviously in His father (not in the rest of the public). Some friendships, some relationships are home. Are we home to others ? Home is soaked in love. Are we home to atleast a few ?

If we can sense (we will never understand) the power of Love — if we understood love, probably what we understood is not love (to paraphrase St Augustine) — if we can experience Love; Love will transform us; it will help us to live the fullness in some way. And Lent is one of the best seasons to start this journey.