All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flower of the field;
the grass withers,
and the flower wilt (1 Pt 1:24)
This wonderful teaching of Buddhist anicca, or impermanence, is not meant to inspire terror or hopelessness, rather to state the obvious and allow men to wake up from their involved worldly lives of clinging and aversion. It seems this teaching from St. Peter is also a quotation from the prophet Isaiah (40:6-8), but is also found in Job and Sirach and used again in the New Testament of James, warning the rich that all that has made them rich, all to which they cling and guard, shall pass:
for he will pass away “like the flower of the field.” For the sun comes up with its scorching heat and dries up the grass, its flower droops, and the beauty of its appearance vanishes. So will the rich person fade away in the midst of his pursuits. (Jas 1:10-11)
If all material things pass away, rise and fall, many people see this as doom and gloom. Rightly so! We loose all the things we love, however, we cannot 'loose' love. Love is with us and in us. It is our nature, even if we refuse it, ignore it, neglect it.
the word of the Lord remains forever (1 Pt 1:25)
The Word is life and love and light through out the cosmos and beyond time. The Word became flesh for us in the Christ, His son Jesus, who lived a life as a man and taught to all who had ears the message of Love. This Love is present in all mankind through His spirit, the Holy Spirit. We are intimately bound to the Word, indeed, we live and breathe and can reach out to all brothers in the service of Love, if we so choose. Though our bodies be like grass, temporal, mortal, bound to the cycle of birth and death, integrated in the ecology of the Earth, we are more. We always have been more. We can shine and know holiness, gaze upon the face of God if we are fully awake, fully aware, fully dedicated to this goal. All we have to do is open our eyes and use our ears to hear in the service of God and mankind as disciples of charity, apostles of Love.
P.S. while flowers wilt and we are advised not to cling to them, smelling them is sweet and smiling at their frail, temporary beauty with a whispered 'thanks' can do no harm.
Deo gratias.
This wonderful teaching of Buddhist anicca, or impermanence, is not meant to inspire terror or hopelessness, rather to state the obvious and allow men to wake up from their involved worldly lives of clinging and aversion. It seems this teaching from St. Peter is also a quotation from the prophet Isaiah (40:6-8), but is also found in Job and Sirach and used again in the New Testament of James, warning the rich that all that has made them rich, all to which they cling and guard, shall pass:
for he will pass away “like the flower of the field.” For the sun comes up with its scorching heat and dries up the grass, its flower droops, and the beauty of its appearance vanishes. So will the rich person fade away in the midst of his pursuits. (Jas 1:10-11)
If all material things pass away, rise and fall, many people see this as doom and gloom. Rightly so! We loose all the things we love, however, we cannot 'loose' love. Love is with us and in us. It is our nature, even if we refuse it, ignore it, neglect it.
the word of the Lord remains forever (1 Pt 1:25)
The Word is life and love and light through out the cosmos and beyond time. The Word became flesh for us in the Christ, His son Jesus, who lived a life as a man and taught to all who had ears the message of Love. This Love is present in all mankind through His spirit, the Holy Spirit. We are intimately bound to the Word, indeed, we live and breathe and can reach out to all brothers in the service of Love, if we so choose. Though our bodies be like grass, temporal, mortal, bound to the cycle of birth and death, integrated in the ecology of the Earth, we are more. We always have been more. We can shine and know holiness, gaze upon the face of God if we are fully awake, fully aware, fully dedicated to this goal. All we have to do is open our eyes and use our ears to hear in the service of God and mankind as disciples of charity, apostles of Love.
P.S. while flowers wilt and we are advised not to cling to them, smelling them is sweet and smiling at their frail, temporary beauty with a whispered 'thanks' can do no harm.
Deo gratias.
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