Brian’s Reflection: Thursday, August 18, 2011

O my Lord,
 if I worship you
 from fear of hell,
burn me in hell.


If I worship you
 from hope of Paradise,
bar me from its gates.


But if I worship you
 for yourself alone,
grant me then the beauty of your Face.



Rabi'a 717-801


Rewards. Oh we human beings: we want “our just due”, what we deserve”. It’s related, of course, to the path which leads to our claiming our full humanity and our own particular unique personhood - where “I” and “Love” are One ….. or at least striving towards it.

For Rabi’a, the Face of God is Love – and we must love the Face of God for what it is and for no other reason. Otherwise, we will fail of our destiny. We don’t love to “get something” (Paradise). We don’t love because we are afraid. We don’t love to “be good”.

We love because it is who we are, and who we long to be. The true reward of Love is Love itself. It’s all we need.

Brian+