12.3.22 EChurch@Wartburg: Dr. Miroslav Volf: Loving for No Reason (On the Book of Job)

Glass Bauble and Tree link

Advent Prayer by Henri Nouwen link

Lord Jesus,
Master of both the light and the darkness, send your Holy Spirit upon our preparations for Christmas.
We who have so much to do and seek quiet spaces to hear your voice each day,
We who are anxious over many things look forward to your coming among us.
We who are blessed in so many ways long for the complete joy of your kingdom.
We whose hearts are heavy seek the joy of your presence.
We are your people, walking in darkness, yet seeking the light.
To you we say, “Come Lord Jesus!’
Amen.

Advent Prayer for Forgiveness and Mercy link

Father,
We contemplate the birth of your Son.
He was born of the Virgin Mary
and came to live among us.
May we receive forgiveness and mercy
Through Our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.
God of love and mercy,
help us to follow the example of Mary,
always ready to do your will.
At the message of an angel
she welcomed your eternal Son
and, filled with the light of your Spirit,
she became the temple of your Word,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.
Amen

Anglican Collect for First Sunday of Advent: 1979 Book of Common Prayer link

Almighty God,
give us grace that we may cast away
the works of darkness, and put upon us the armor of light,
now in the time of this mortal life
in which thy Son Jesus Christ came
to visit us in great humility;
that in the last day, when he shall come again
in his glorious majesty to judge both the quick and the dead,
we may rise to the life immortal;
through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost,
one God, now and forever.


Dr. Miroslav Volf “is a Croatian Protestant theologian, public intellectual,
and Henry B. Wright Professor of Theology and
Director of the Yale Center for Faith and Culture at Yale University.
Having received two advanced degrees under the German theologian Jürgen Moltmann,
Volf has been described as a “theological bridge builder.”

Benediction: Epiphany Solemn Blessing link

God has called you out of darkness,
into his wonderful light.
May you experience his kindness and blessings,
and be strong in faith, in hope, and in love.

because you are followers of Christ,
who appeared on this day as a light shining in darkness,
may he make you a light to all your sisters and brothers.

The wise men followed the star,
and found Christ who is light from light.
May you too find the Lord
when your pilgrimage is ended.
Amen

Comments

12.3.22 EChurch@Wartburg: Dr. Miroslav Volf: Loving for No Reason (On the Book of Job) — 8 Comments

  1. Thanks, Dee.

    I often scribble some thoughts in reflection on the weekly lesson, but this time I think the only appropriate response is to cover my mouth and be silent.

  2. Seems to me that the ONLY connection between Creation and God is that He created out of ‘love’ and that He sustains all in being ‘out of love’. . . . not ‘need’ on His part, but having ‘loved’, He then has not abandoned Creation but entered into it Himself in Christ to heal its wounds and care for it’s lost lambs.

    Did He ‘have to’ ? I don’t know, except when there is love FOR something in our human world, it is no longer about ‘having to’ but ‘wanting to’ help. Is giving and serving a part of that ‘love’ that God Is? What is it about the all-consuming fire that would gather its creatures to itself and wipe away their tears?

  3. Samuel Conner: but this time I think the only appropriate response is to cover my mouth and be silent.

    OK, then I’ll be the guinea pig.
    Loving for no reason makes no sense.
    Love always has an object, and the hopeful object is to be loved in return.
    Volf dances around this like an old vaudeville tap-dancer.

  4. Muff Potter,

    To add along the same lines as I think your ideas may be: Isn’t there a NT verse, “We love God because God first loved us?” This was my thought after listening. I also felt conflicted recalling past dilemmas after listening.

    I have a friend, though, that I use to live closer to who would speak and model “Praising God in the midst of difficult circumstances,” which, for me, back then was methodically thinking about by best glimpses of God’s character (scripture verses, what I read or was told by an encourager), as opposed to some of the places where my mind would be taken by circumstances. It definitely seemed to help, whatever the practice was.

    But, having been really refreshed by nature over the last couple of years I thought about my response in earlier times of reading Job versus thinking about it now. Near the end of Job it seemed, then, like a “sit down and stop your talking” kind of event happening. Now, in remembering that part of the book of Job, I think about “forest bathing” and “mountain meadow bathing” and how good those are for cellular health (even according to an artsy/sciencey video, although it’s likely more than that, too), but those are reasons it seems to me, that we “get” to experience…

    There are directions where I want to help and I hope that my help is productive and effective. Sometimes, it seems like it is and sometimes I’m not sure.

  5. Muff Potter,

    I disagree — Volf directly speaks to that in his critique of contractual, “reciprocal benefits” approach to “relationship.”

    What I think he does leave out is the question of “what should be understand ‘love’ to be. My working hypothesis is that it is in the approximate direction of “determination to pursue another’s good”.

    This doesn’t require reciprocation, and IMO it’s a pretty good characterization of God’s stance toward the creation, which often doesn’t reciprocate His kindness toward it.

    I’ve never been a parent, but I suspect that this is often what parental love is like. Perhaps that’s a ‘take’ on Jesus’ address to YHWH as “Father.”

  6. Samuel Conner: I suspect that this is often what parental love is like

    This makes sense to me, too. And “determination to pursue another’s good,” makes some sense.

    Although, if parental love is the best imagining of what God’s love is like, I think I was thrown off by Volf bringing up the “falling in love” context. I can understand, I think, what he is getting at in considering the “why do you love me” question.

    Samuel Conner: What I think he does leave out is the question of “what should be understand ‘love’ to be.

    I agree that this question doesn’t seem to be addressed, but is a non-stupid question.