Jul 28, 2023 |
Nourished by Love
| The Rev. Philip DeVaul
Nourished by Love
That’s the trick with nourishment: It is not permanent. It is not one-time only. Our need is ongoing. We must be fed again and again. This is not because we are broken or faulty – this is how we were made. Our bodies are built in such a way that they use the nourishment we are given and then need more. It’s perpetual, and in fact is a sign that we are alive and thriving.
I tell my kids I love them every day. I have one child who, when I call him over to tell him something, says, “You’re gonna say you love me.” And he’s right. I am. Every time. Because I do. And also because I do not believe once is enough. I’ve heard people say, “Well so-and-so never says it, but I know they love me.” That is not going to be the case for the people around me. I try to tell people that I love them regularly, because I do, and because I believe hearing it repeatedly matters. I don’t often think of myself as a disciplined person, but telling people I love them is one of my disciplines.
And I know words aren’t everything. I know it. “I love you” can ring hollow if not backed up by action. The words can be misused, abused, twisted. If rule number one is tell them you love them, the second rule is act like it’s true. But the act of loving people cannot be a one-time event. It cannot be. Because our Gospel belief is that we are made by the God of Love, that we are made out of the abundance of God’s love, and that we are made for loving and being loved. It is the most fundamental truth of our being. And that means we need to be nourished by love. We need it again and again, day in day out.
