Keep on trying to love

I was checking for something among earlier editions of this newsletter and next minute got that terrible sinking feeling. On so many occasions there had been news about our new facility in Kerikeri. Big announcements even. Talk about embarrassment!

But that is not stopping us from presenting in this newsletter, with more pictures than ever before, the plans we now have. It is a facility for church and community. It has changed somewhat – 150 square metres less for one thing – but it is still going to work as a centre for the community with spiritual heart.

Being embarrassed or feeling foolish for taking so long doesn't come into it. It can't be of concern when it's God's work we're working on. God, or however you understand the heart-beat of life, is notorious for being unpredictable and beyond our management. The purpose at hand matters more than our feelings, our commitment to the task of serving the community is much more important than our pride.

Here's something I read at the recent meeting when we had our latest round of discussion on the subject of building. It's called “Trying to love”:

I find that it is better to love badly and faultily than not to try to love at all. God does not have to have perfect instruments, and the Holy One can use our feeble and faltering attempts at love and transform them. My task is to keep on trying to love, to be faithful in my continuing attempt, not necessarily to be successful.¹

Keeping our eye on the bigger picture is my antidote to getting disheartened or succumbing to cynicism. Our task is to keep on trying to love – our community, one another, the world around us in which we're so fortunate to live – and when the time is right our efforts to be faithful will bear fruit. In this and in everything else we're involved in.

Rangimarie Peace Shalom, Robyn

1Morton Kelsey, Companions of the Inner Way