RADICAL LOVE - LOVE OF NEIGHBOR
By Brother Martin
- extract taken from THE FOUR O’CLOCK TALKS – Discussions with JOHN MARTIN SAHAJANANDA compiled by Carrie Lock (pg. 177)
‘Love of neighbor seems the hardest thing to do.’
Yes, it is the hardest thing and sometimes, loving God seems easier. We don’t see God. We do certain things like pray morning, noon and evening, and its OK with God, but then loving our neighbor, particularly those close to us, is harder. Sometimes it’s easier to love someone who lives in another country than those whom we live with. It’s also easy to love someone you can talk and laugh with, but it is always difficult to relate to someone with a different temperament and a different level of understanding. In that situation, love is not very easy. The value of living in community is that it helps you to discover your limitations in relation to others and to persevere in love. When we discover that we are unable to love, we must surrender to God and be honest and say ‘God, help me to love’. It’s very easy when you are alone, to speak about love, but when you live together it can be challenging.
A powerful symbol that Christ left us was washing the feet of his disciples. This is another symbol of the love of neighbor. The Son of God is one who is at the service of humanity The Son of God is humble. Humility is the sign of the one who has realized his or her oneness with God.