Into the Desert

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Today journey with Jesus through his days in the desert, exploring his contemplation of suffering, sacrifice, and the transformative power of love. Jesus shares his ultimate teaching: that love is the only requirement in this life, and the only foundation that will endure.

• Jesus teaches that he loved and knew us before we were born, and wrote his name on our hearts
• Love forms the basis of our families, communities, religious practices, society, and even empires
• Towers not built on love will fall, families not built on love will crumble
• Jesus waits for us with open arms of love

Feel free to send any questions you might have about grieving to my email.

As you listen, consider sending me your thoughts and questions on grief, both spiritual and practical, so we can walk this path together.

Listen every Friday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music for spiritual direction, art, and workshops shared through Santa Clara University, https://events.scu.edu/markey-center/event/332001-spiritual-accompaniment
You can reach us at: [e-mail].
SPIRITUAL DIRECTION WHILE GRIEVING IS AVAILABLE

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and  https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/candee-lucas

Music and sound effects today by:   via Pixabay

Episode Transcript

(00:30):
So today's theme is darknessinto light.
As we prepare for what isarguably the hardest week in the
Christian calendar, we take ourgrief with us, we take the

(00:56):
contemplation of what lost liveshave meant to us and we descend
one last time into the desertto be with Jesus as he suffers
his future.
By the end of the 40 days, healmost certainly knows his fate,

(01:23):
has accepted it, has questionedit, has meditated upon it,
prayed upon it, spoken to hisfather about the sacrifice he
must make and come to terms withit because of the overwhelming

(01:46):
love in his heart for the menand women he has lived with all
his life.
He sees the widow andunderstands clearly her
brokenheartedness.
He sees the orphan and knowshow boundless love can never

(02:18):
replace his loss.
He sees the soldiers who havefallen for causes good and true
and for causes trivial.
He sees the families that havebeen torn by losses, from famine

(02:47):
and disease, through misfortune, neglect and violence.
He has looked, surely, into thedark hearts of men and
understands what that heart iscapable of.

(03:10):
But he has also looked into thehearts of grieving women and
knows the power of healing lovesourced there.
He has seen the rain and therainbows, the clouds, the storms

(03:39):
and the birds that come after.
He knows truly what a peacefulheart can mean, what a peaceful
heart can bring to those aroundit.
He knows the unbounding powerand healing of perfect love, for

(04:05):
that is the only kind he iscapable of.
That is the only kind he iscapable of.
He has led us here to sit withhim in these last days of
contemplation so that he mightshare one last prayer with us.

(04:27):
As we contemplate his holy week, he turns to us sitting in a
circle and says I loved youbefore you were born.
I knew you before you were born.
I wrote my name upon yourhearts.

(05:13):
It's still there.
My father, my God, loves, lovesyou most.
I was sent here simply toillustrate that love to you, so
that none of you will ever haveto make the sacrifice I am
prepared to do.
You are only required of onething in this life.

(05:38):
That is love.
It is the basis of yourfamilies, your communities, your
religious keepings, your songs,your prayers, your society,

(06:00):
your cities, your towns and evenyour empires.
What these days in thewilderness have shown me is that
towers not built on love willcertainly fall.
Families not built on love willcertainly crumble.

(06:27):
Communities not built on lovewill separate and abandon one
another in the wilderness andscatter to the forewinds.
So my lesson is this Let everyact and word and deed you commit

(07:14):
be based on love.
That has been my guidingprinciple, the basis of all I
have taught you-- the raisond'etre, if you will.
F or there is none but loveand, in the end, there is

(07:43):
nothing but returning to me,where I will wait for you with
open arms of love.
That concludes another episodeof solace.

(08:31):
A new one drops every Friday.
Please subscribe to us on ApplePodcasts, spotify, amazon.
I'm Candee Lucas, your host,chaplain and spiritual director.
Please contact us if you havequestions or seek spiritual

(08:52):
direction.
Our contact information is inthe show notes.
Be gentle with yourselves.
Travel with God.
Vaya con Dios.