Romans 5:1-11

Lent 3 – Year A

Romans 5:1-11

Pop Quiz: Compare and contrast the following two statements

* God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, and

* God proves God's love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.

= = = = = = =

If you play long and well with the words "pouring" and "proving" you may begin to see the secondary nature of atonement and suffering and dying.

Pouring is a release and is tracked back through the words "vent" and "wind" to a creation breath of life.

Proving is a testing of what is good but can easily shift over to a rigidity of "answered once-and-for-always". There is a tendency to rely on a proof for all time, rather than any new questions such testing raises.

Trust, again that the steadfast pouring of love into your life will continue, regardless of the suffering you or any other has experienced. This out-poured love is the experience we desire that will allow us to deal with every temporary blockage of same. No matter what the suffering, there is none great enough to substitute for a cup of love overflowing.

Rejoice in the flow, not its explanation.