tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418166821095736040.post35246211697337465..comments2023-04-04T09:08:04.554-05:00Comments on musings from the pastor's study: MYSTICAL INSIGHTfr. david tokarzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323039126889157726noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418166821095736040.post-42102749637259440972010-10-16T16:57:19.907-05:002010-10-16T16:57:19.907-05:00I don't know if I can express my thoughts succ...I don't know if I can express my thoughts succinctly re understanding of Love. But for most of my life, feelings have run rampant, aided and abetted by movies, music, loosely expressed "love" by acquaintences, and for objects as well as individuals. Now when one conveys a love of God, this is a serious undertaking. In the "Cloud of Unknowing", which edition I have owned but largely unread until now, it expresses man's love of God, as a reverent love. The author of this contemplative book states that reverence is nothing but dread and love blended together by the staff of HOPE. Hope stems from making an amendment to mend one's ways: by departing from evil, and doing good. The two thoughts of dread and hope is like a tree full of fruit. Of this tree dread is in the earth, the root; hope is the trunk & branches. Hope must remain steadfast; when one is moved to deeds of love, it is the branches. The resulting fruit is reverent affection. When the fruit has ripened, it is ready to be removed from the tree and offered up to our God - a pure love, for God's own sake, and not for what God has given to us. <br /> This approach is one that can lead me and perhaps others as well.NEWER PATHWAYShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16886600691681161967noreply@blogger.com