St. Anthony the Abbot Catholic Church

In Peter Jackson's 2001 movie, The Fellowship of the Ring,   we get a glimpse of an unusual love story. Aragorn, the heir to the throne of the great Kingdom of Gondor, is anxious and fearful about his responsibility to defend Middle Earth against the evil menace of Sauron. In the midst of his melancholy and doubt, Arwen, the beautiful Elf-Princess, finds him and comforts him.  They have known each other for a long time, and it is clear that they are in love. But Arwen is an Elf, and elves are immortal. So if she were to marry Aragorn, a mere human, she would have to give up her immortality.

That has made them hesitate to pledge themselves to each other, even though their love is deep. As she tries to encourage Aragorn, Arwen realizes that only the power of true love can give him the strength he needs to fulfill his mission. She reaffirms her love for him, but she sees that it is not enough just to tell him that she loves him. She has to show it. In that moment, she overcomes all of their previous hesitations and decides that she will give herself completely to him, sacrificing her immortality out of love, and she says in a passionate whisper: "I choose a mortal life."

In the movies, we always recognize that true love is costly - it's about giving oneself more than indulging oneself. Somehow, that's what makes it beautiful. This is what Jesus meant when He told His parable about the grain of wheat. If it falls into the ground, gets buried, and dies, it ends up becoming a new plant and producing hundreds of new grains of wheat.

This idea of true love is not pie-in-the-sky; it's practical. For example, it gives us a way to see our relationships from God's perspective. From a merely human perspective, we tend to look at our relationships in terms of what we get out of them. This person is enjoyable to be around. This person rubs me the wrong way. This person is always asking favors. But when we understand that the path to true wisdom and lasting joy is Christ-like love, self-forgetful, self-giving love, those considerations begin to take a back seat. When we are self-centered, we tend to be passive and reactive. But when we are Christ-centered, we tend to be proactive. We see relationships in terms of what we can give to them, and that's much more dynamic and energizing.  

Imagine starting the week by making a list of things you want to do for people. It would change the whole tone of our week; we would be lighting lights instead of dodging shadows. This week:

• Think of one small thing you can do to ease the burdens of your spouse.
• Think of one small thing you can do to make your boss's or coworker's job just a little bit
• Think of one small thing you can do to bring some encouragement and joy into your parents’ lives.
• Think of a friend or relative who is suffering and think of one small thing you can do to help support them.

Is it really so simple? Yes. This is what self-giving looks like in real life. It is within all of our reach, if we are willing to step out of our comfort zones. Jesus did it for us on the wood of the cross. Today, this week, let's promise to do it for Him on the pavement of our daily lives. But if it refuses to die, to sacrifice, to give of itself, it remains just a single grain of wheat.