The restlessness of love

THERE’S an undeniable restlessness when we are truly in

love. With love, we cannot afford to remain idle and passive. Love

will always set us on fire, making us fervent, passionate, driven,

zealous. No difficulty or problem can stop it. Boredom has no place in

love. Love will always find a way around obstacles.

            Love will always be inventive and creative. It never

ceases its drive for serving God and others. It is not afraid of

sacrifices. It does not count cost. It gives itself without measure.

In fact, it considers the cost and sacrifices involved as signs of its

intensity. In short, it is freely given and is its own reward. It does

not expect to be reciprocated, though it would certainly welcome being

requited.

            To be sure, this restlessness of true love is compatible

with peace and joy. Its tension is constructive and sweet, not

destructive nor bitter. Its zeal does not leave behind the details of

understanding, compassion and affection. It knows how to go slow or to

‘waste’ time when the occasion requires them. But its impelling

forcefulness abides.

            It would know how to adapt itself to every person and

situation without compromising itself. Its focus is not lost. It stays

the course. It is keenly discerning of what is essential without

unduly neglecting the non-essentials as long as they make things more

integral, more complete and perfect. The restlessness of true love is

the genuine expression of the empowerment proper to us.

            We need to find out if we have this kind of restlessness.

If what we have instead makes us more agitated than peaceful and

joyful, then it can be a restlessness that is motivated by

selfishness. It could be a result of a worry or anxiety that comes

from a lack of faith and hope. Or worse, it could be a symptom of

malice, or concupiscence, for example.

            To have this restlessness of true love, we need to train

ourselves always to be thoughtful of others, that is, of God first and

then of everybody else following a certain hierarchy. This is actually

what is proper to us. Remember that when Christ was asked which was

the greatest commandment of God, he replied that it was to love God

with everything and to love our neighbor as ourselves.

            The moment we think simply of ourselves or when we just

allow our thoughts to go anywhere without direction, we would actually

be undermining our own nature. That’s because we would be going

against the character of love for which we have been created. We would

simply be indulging on ourselves, a sign of selfishness that will

always spoil us.

            It is not that we do not think or take care of ourselves.

We should. It, in fact, is against common sense, let alone, God’s

commandment, if we neglect our own selves. But the concern we have for

ourselves should always be related to our duties toward God and

others. Otherwise, that concern would be destructive to us, sooner or

later.

            Yes, we have to think of our own health, our own security,

and even of our comfort, convenience and our own name and reputation.

But all these should be pursued in relation to our duty toward God and

others.

            We need to train ourselves in the art of thinking always

of God and of the others. And we have to help others to do so. Let’s

strive that this becomes an abiding trait in us. Failing in that would

actually mean failing in our life. It is as simple as that.

            In this regard, we cannot deny that we have a tremendous

challenge to face, given the temper of the times that is now given to

so much self-indulgence. Just the same, God will always be around,

guiding and helping us in this delicate task.