Love as Resistance | Monday Invocation
“Living intentionally with love in your heart, with no exceptions, and no "yes, buts", is the most Christ-like, Jesus-like, and Christian thing you can do…”
Rev. Regan Saoirse
Resistance is not only something that we do on a public scale. It’s also the values that shape how we show up every day and what we refuse to accept as “normal,” how we care for one another, and how we stay grounded when the world feels heavy. So what counts as resistance in everyday life? And how can it be rooted in our faith?
This month, we are exploring various practices of resistance that can help shape the kind of change that we want to see in the world. Today, QCF EDI Council Member, Rev. Regan Saoirse, leads into this final section of this series with Love as Resistance.
Viktor Frankl posited that love, in all its forms, could be experienced in the search for meaning. As a Holocaust survivor and psychologist, Frankl argued the most important thing in life is not seeking out pleasure, but seeking meaning and purpose in life. Within that search, there are creative, experiential - where love is -, and attitudinal ways to find meaning. What he discovered is that while a person can have all pleasures and human dignities taken away, no one can touch a person's attitude, no matter the circumstance. It's difficult to argue with a Holocaust survivor on this one.
What if Love is not only an experience, but also an attitude? Like an attitude of gratitude or hope, we can choose love. What is more true to being Christian than to "Love One Another?"
And what Frankl suggests in the face of genocidal fascism is that our attitude does not need to be swayed, for no one controls your attitude but you. Now, what about depression, anxiety, perimenopause? There have been studies showing intentional practices of gratitude can improve levels of depression. And I can personally attest to mindfulness practices helping my own life through depression. It does not work for all. Consider giving it a try, because for me, it has been life-changing.
What does it take to be intentionally ‘love-ful’ as a Christian? I believe it is the combination of our belief in a just God whose heart longs for humans to make peace on earth, with intentionally practicing love toward all people and creation. We are human, of course, love is difficult, and it is not always easy to love our enemies. By practicing prayer, studying scripture on love, and chatting with others on the QCF Community Platform, we help resist hate, bigotry, microaggressions, and full-fledged fascism. Use love as a strength to boost your confidence and reassure yourself that your values remain true.
Love is Resistance. Living intentionally with love in your heart, with no exceptions, and no "yes, buts", is the most Christ-like, Jesus-like, and Christian thing you can do, and it will scare fascism with their limits and restrictions on love. That may be the biggest lie of deceptive death-dealing empires - that love can be dictated, controlled, or contained, for love is free! And, may God bless our Love as Resistance!
