‘my beloved,’ ‘my joy,’

Though we are happy about love, often we don’t dare to own love. It is not easy to take up love, because it has responsibility implied within itself. Often, we engage in emotional games which we are happy to call as love. Though God says, ‘my love for you will never leave you,” still we speak of curses and punishments. Perhaps, it is because it is easy to explain many sufferings and struggles. What denies grace is our own closedness, the hardness of heart. Sin is an outcome, not the source. Repentance includes a reminder about the Covenant of peace, “my steadfast love shall not depart from you.”

Love is not a reward, it is a flow of the heart to the beloved. Voice of love is life-generating. It also gives a new life and new meaning. This en-voice-ment embraces the heart with love. God gives us new names. Instead of ‘forsaken’ (‘azubah) and ‘desolate’ (Shemama) a new name ‘married,’ ‘my joy’ or ‘beloved’ (be’ulah / tib.ba-el) is given. There is ownership, belonging and embrace. It retells our life with new love.  Instead of repeatedly thinking of curses everywhere blessedness is to be recognized. Blessed is the land, blessed indeed are our children, blessed are the things we engage in. The sense of Grace-fullness itself will make our life worthy of further graces. From that love will be born the new man in us.

It is the time to hear the voice in our hearts full of love. God rejoices in us, he calls us ‘my beloved,’ ‘my joy,’ he hides us in his loving embrace.

3rd Wk Adv Thu 2021 Isaiah 45:6-8,18,21-25 Luke 7:19-23 Ref Is 62: 4