. . . Let me count the ways. I was asked this question recently and was perplexed to come up with a clear way in which to give a succinct answer. In prayer and meditation, I ask God for guidance and assistance, and while I don't always receive the guidance and assistance that I am hoping for, time and reflection plus further meditation will reveal how God's grace was afforded me in the way God intended. It isn't always my first thought to thank God when things go favorably; more often I implore him for his gudance and assistance when things go poorly. The question posed to me that was so perplexing was simply how do I express my love of God ? Certainly doing what I beleive to be God's will and working towards a greater good shows my desire to serve and please God. But how would I describe my actual Love for god as an emotion, rather than an action.
Several examples came to mind from this past weeks experience. First, it is Spring and my Redbud tree has bloomed and looks Glorious. I love the way the bright purple flowers are in contrast to the dark wood of its branches. I love the irregular pattern of the trunk and branches. And once its blossoms are gone, its leaves hold equal granduer to the precursors blossom. When I see these things, I pause to point it out to my children, explain my appreciation to anyone who will listen. This is just a single example of the earthly creations that makes me aware of my Love for God.
The inner reaches and outer Space also hold great senses of awe and wonderment as I contemplate them. Too often, my mind as it learns new topics of Science starts to expand its conceptual understanding at a much greater rate than my brain can formulate words to explain its burgeoning grasp. As a result, my mind floats in a sea of mystical serenity. Knowing not how exactly to grasp and relate a new idea, but still able to revel in a breif but satisfying unity with a greater truth than my consious mind enjoys.
Great music, be it performed or just listened to, can bring a similar mystical serenity to me. I hear a particular classic, like Mozarts "Ave Verum Corpus" and something wells up inside that can be expressed no other way than a sensing of mans inspiration from God. In the right setting, this experience evokes a communion of self, man, and God that is truly awesome.
Yet another and possibly most tangible way that I am aware of my Love of God is witnessing the growth of my own children. Recently I was overwhelmed by the satisfaction my son received from being of service to others. In our world, most all of the kids are being raised by "me generation" parents or more commonly,a parent. So it is nice to see that a person whose extent of adult interaction has been his own parents and school teachers (with an occassional path crossing with an adult voice on X-box live) can discover the joy of being helpful to another human being, moreover, a stranger. Seeing my son express the novelty he experienced as a great satisfaction while assisting a fellow soul in their human experience was, for me, a novelty in parenting and yet another example of how I am aware of my Love of God. In summary, if a cool experience brings a joyful tear to my eye, I know that I am expressing and experiencing my Love for God.
