Simplicity

      "No matter how simple discourse may be, it is never simple enough. No matter how simple thought may be, it is never simple enough. No matter how simple love may be, it is never simple enough. The only thing left is the simplicity of the soul in God or, better, the simplicity of God."

–Thomas Merton

      Why must we make things so complex? Why do we always wrap ourselves up in this notion that we are more important than we actually are? At church we do a verse that we added to the song, "The Love of God" and it goes like this:

"If our love could just be simple

We would take Him at His word

Then our lives would be thanksgiving

And we'd kneel, and wash, and serve"

      What does simple love look like? Love, to me, seems to be such a complex reality. Love never ceases to baffle me. Just when I think I have a grasp on it, something comes up that shakes my "grasp" on it. Love is supposed to be simple, maybe love can be shown in the smallest and simplest of things. Maybe love really can be captured in a smile, or an embrace, or a phone call. Love is this thing that I feel like I can write about forever, and yet, it seems so easily summarized. 

      Why is it that we make love so complicated? I mean, why is it that we do this weird dance around love? I suppose it stems from our fallen nature, it stems from our imperfect love. I would wager that, before the fall, we were more capable of love and experiencing deeper love than we are today. The commandments make it clear, love is what we're supposed to do. "Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the Lord alone! Therefore, you shall love the LORD, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength." -Deuteronomy 6:4-5. I mean, Jesus even says in Matthew's gospel, "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (Matthew 22:37-39) There it is, the entirety of the Christian life is placed before us, yet, we're afraid. Yes, we're afraid, afraid to let someone in, afraid to give of ourselves, afraid of being let down or pushed aside, so our love is weak. It's okay though because whatever we lack, He makes up for, His grace strengthens us. St. Paul says in his second letter to the Corinthians of the Lord's grace, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." God will make our love powerful, and I would wager that the simpler our love is, the more powerful it becomes.