The Oldest Answer to "What's My Purpose?"

Monk Mindset Principle #5: Choose Love
Love Precedes Atoms

Fr. Anselm Flores, OSB

One of my favorite monastic writers is Isaac the Syrian, a 7th century hermit who eventually became a bishop. He writes about the Christian life with real beauty, and in one of his homilies, he says this about love:

"In love did He bring the world into existence; in love is He going to bring it to that wondrous transformed state, and in love will the whole course of the governance of creation be finally comprised."

What Isaac is saying is that love is the motive for the creation of all things. God sustains the cosmos because of love, and at the end of time, everything will be swallowed up by that same love. The whole universe is shot through with it.

As Christians, we believe in God as Trinity — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. That means the ground of all reality isn't atoms or physical processes or even an abstract divine creator. The Christian God is a relational God; God as the Trinity exists in a constant loving relationship. If that same God is the most basic ground of reality, then relationship and love become integral to every facet of our existence. Love and relationship are what hold the universe together.

Put It Into Practice This Week

Grab a pen for this one:

Write down the names of three people who've helped deeply shape your life. Next to each name, jot one thing you received from that relationship (a lesson, a comfort, even a growth that came from a challenge).

Then pick one of those three people and reach out today. A text, a call, a quick note. Nothing has to be profound. Just let them know you were thinking about them.