I am delighted to share another beautiful submission to the Monk in the World guest post series from the community. Read on for Janeen R. Adil’s reflection on love inspiring contemplation and action.
I was an undergrad when I first read the works of esteemed poet Richard Wilbur. Decades later, the title of one of his poems still resonates with me. As I seek to live as a contemplative monk in the world, the title’s words land as a sort of rallying cry: “Love Calls Us to the Things of This World.”
The deeper I’ve been led into my Christian traditions and faith, the more I see this as truth: our call as followers of Jesus means not separating from but engaging with the world. It is after all, our temporary home and to be honored as the Creator’s gift.
So while we’re on earth, in this time and in this place (wherever that may be), what might Love call us to? What are the “things of this world?” While some might consider them material objects or worldly pleasures, I cannot. Rather, beauty and compassion, care and hope, sacrifice and joy, the utter goodness of Creation – these, I believe, are the things to which Love calls us.
As a child, I remember listening to a recording made by film actor Loretta Young, of Charles Tazewell’s story, “The Littlest Angel.” Again a particular passage has stuck with me these many years.
The Littlest Angel struggled to be a part of the heavenly host, exhibiting behaviors more suited to a small child on earth than a celestial being. Then word spread through heaven: a Child was to be born! In preparation the angels create magnificent gifts, ones suitable for a Son of God.
The Littlest Angel has a gift as well for the Christ Child: a small, rough wooden box containing treasures from his time on earth. In it are a butterfly with golden wings; a sky-blue egg; two white stones, and his beloved dog’s simple collar.
But then, after seeing the other angels’ splendid gifts, the Littlest Angel is heartbroken and ashamed. Why had he ever thought that the Baby would love these things too? And yet, out of all the heavenly gifts, God selects this one as most pleasing, declaring that the box’s contents “are of earth and of men, and my Son is born to be king of both. These are the things my Son, too, will know and love and cherish…”
Love, indeed, calls us to the things of this world!
The good things of this good world are indeed to be savored. We must realize though that this is half of our call: It is precisely because Love calls us that we must take our stand. We can and must demonstrate what Love looks like, how Love acts, what it is and is not. And this leads straight to the heart of being a contemplative in action.
In 2021, my denomination voted on a national level to encourage their churches to become churches of contemplatives in action. This was a call to “remembering the essential disciplines modeled by Jesus … and letting contemplative depth inspire our … church’s action in the world through works of charity, social justice, peacemaking, earth-stewardship, and making disciples on the path of God’s unconditional, agape love.”
When the things of this world are imperiled – when people and Creation are hurt by cruelty and greed – then we must respond. Our contemplative living in Love calls us to take action in Love. Feeding the hungry, caring for the stranger; soaking in prayer, listening to Spirit – it has never been a matter of one or the other.
Today contemplatives may be taking action by joining with others in a protest march. They may be writing letters to those in power, raising their voices on social media, making phone calls to officials. Contemplatives in action may be found on the streets and in the free clinics, in the prisons and the soup kitchens, caring for children and wild creatures and others with no voice, advocating for peace – wherever the need is for action of any sort, the call is there to be present.
The beautiful and good things of this world need us. The injustices of this world need us too.
And so with continuing thanks to Richard Wilbur, I will attest that yes:
Love calls us to the things of this world.
May I – may we! – listen to Love’s call, and so pay attention to the things of this world.
Janeen R. Adil is a spiritual director, writer, and teacher; within the United Church of Christ, she is Commissioned Minister of Christian Spirituality. She lives in eastern PA, in a farmhouse built by English/Welsh Quakers over 200 years ago. Her direction profile can be found at Spiritual Directors International, sdicompanions.org.
