fall in love, again

Jan 8, 2014

It is a glorious summer’s morning here in Cheviot. I’m thinking of the many people around the world who are suffering the weather at present with, extreme cold in the US and flooding in the UK and unbearable heat in Australia.  Our time in NZ will come again as the seasons turn, but for the moment I am happy to wake this morning to early morning sunshine and a gentle summer breeze.

A news item this morning about the Jesuits stirred gratitude in me for the positive influence the Society of Jesus have been for me. At the seminary I was taught by Jesuits, then it was the Jesuits who continued to form and teach me in post-ordination studies.

Several years ago when I first saw the Edward Hopper painting “Cape Cod Morning” I thought of the Jesuit Superior General Pedro Arrupe (d. 1991). Arrupe was on my mind this morning when I remembered his 1976 address to the United States bi-centennial Eucharistic Conference. At that gathering he reflected that…

“Nothing is more practical than finding God,
than falling in love in a quite absolute, final way.
What you are in love with,
what seizes your imagination, will affect everything.
It will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning,
what you do with your evenings,
how you spend your weekends,
what you read, whom you know,
what breaks your heart,
and what amazes you with joy and gratitude.
Fall in love, stay in love,
and it will decide everything.”

As I ‘got out of bed this morning’ and saw the Hopper print on my wall, I gratefully remembered Pedro Arrupe, and resolved anew with Christ to “Fall in love, stay in love” knowing that this one fundamental daily decision will keep all this day’s decisions in perspective.

1 Comment

  1. A wonderful reminder, John. We used this prayer on our wedding prayer card – a favorite for sure.

    Reply

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