Discovering Fire

In reading an article about Sargent Shriver, who has recently passed away at the age of 95, I ran across a quote I had never read before, but I can't stop thinking about it. (In 1961, Shriver created the Peace Corps, and he led a life of service in other areas. In 1972 he was a "last-minute" vice-presidential candidate. In his first speech as McGovern's running mate, he closed his remarks with the following quote by Teilhard de Chardin.)

"Someday, after mastering the winds, the waves, the tides, and gravity,
we shall harness for God all the energies of love, and then,
for a second time in the history of the world, man will have discovered fire."

After doing brief research regarding Teilhard de Chardin (1881-1955), I have found him to be quite an interesting figure: a Frenchman who was a philosopher and Jesuit priest and who had trained as a paleontologist and geologist. He had ideas regarding the cosmos which put him at odds with the Church. I'm sure my Catholic friends can shed more light on the Church's feelings about him, but, putting that aside, I am drawn to the sentiment expressed in the above quote. Isn't it remarkable?

As we struggle to find ways to turn the renewable resources of nature into affordable, usable energy to power our planet, it often seems the energy of love is forgotten. Amazingly, environmental issues have created some serious divisions within the Church. I'm not talking about the specifics of carbon taxes and whether or not global warming is real, I'm talking about the very simple notion of taking care of planet Earth. Surely there can be no real objection to being good stewards of the environment? Stewardship is a central theme in the New Testament.

Yet, the clash continues. We're divided, in an ongoing effort to label each other, into "tree-huggers" and folks who think "fuel efficiency" is a four-letter word. "Liberals" and "Conservatives." Well, you get the idea, and evironmental matters are not even at the heart of what I'm getting at. I'm talking about the troubles we continue to have in finding common ground. I KNOW there are things on which all "sides" can agree on every social issue. If emotions can ever be laid aside long enough, progress can be made.

And as I've rambled on this morning, I arrive at my point: love is not an emotion. If it is to be unconditional, (as the love of Christ in us must be) it can never be based on emotions because such things as anger and fear will destroy love which is so flimsy. Love is, instead, a powerful force. When we grasp that idea; when we wrap our hearts and minds around the notion that nothing can overcome a force so great as love, then we are transformed. We have discovered fire a second time!