Benediction Reflection 1

To Look is To Love

“To look is to love” - it might sound a bit strange to say that. But that is what we are doing tonight. We use the word ‘adoration’ to describe this act of gazing lovingly at our Lord made present to us in the sacramental host.

And as I thought about this several weeks ago, I realised, this is actually a very commonplace and instinctive human action.

I think of the closing credits scene in the bizarrely successful Christmas movie, ‘Love Actually’ in which the film director took real footage of people greeting their loved ones at the International Arrivals gate of Heathrow Airport.

What you can observe in that scene is the love light up a waiting person’s face as soon as they see their loved one come into view. There is a look of love well before they physically touch one another.

The experiences of parenting have taught me all kinds of weird and wonderful things, many of which are very transferable to the spiritual life.

Recently, I had to quietly retrieve something from the room of one of my sleeping boys, and as I gently opened the door and tiptoed in, I took a moment to just stop and gaze at my dear little boy sleeping angelically, and within me welled up unbidden a surge of paternal affection. Just looking at him was an act of love.

That loving gaze as I looked at my sleeping child, is something like what we do as we likewise gaze lovingly at our Lord on the altar.

To look is to love.

St Augustine would remind us at this point that our passions are fickle, and that we can also gaze idolatrously or lasciviously at false, lesser loves.

The Anglican reformers had a similar concern about the disproportionate regular gazing upon the sacrament by laypeople without the regular opportunity to actively commune.

As with all matters of the spiritual life, caution and self-examination are never out of place, and aiming for balance and proportion in all things is wise and healthy.

Cautions aside, there is something instinctive that calls to deep spiritual impulses about sensing God’s presence in the sacrament and in sacred spaces such as a church or chapel.

Recently at a chaplaincy gathering, someone shared a story where they encountered an aged care resident just sitting in their chapel space.

They knew this resident suffered from memory loss and confusion. They had a service commencing shortly and wanted to hurry on and get ready but paused to check with the resident if they were OK and if they knew where they were.

The resident replied, ‘I don’t really know who I am anymore, or where I am most of the time. But I know that I’m meant to be here. I know that when I’m here, I’m with my Jesus.’

And, of course, we know that Jesus is with us wherever we might be. But there was something special about being in the chapel that heightened that dear resident’s sense of the presence of ‘my Jesus.’

Just so with us this evening. We have this moment set apart in this sacred space to be with Jesus who is visible to us in the sacramental host.

After I conclude this reflection we’ll have 5 minutes for silent adoration and personal prayer without any further introduction.

We are here now where we are meant to be. We are here with ‘our Jesus.’

Speak to him, look upon him lovingly. Share your fears, share your joys; let love for our Lord swell up inside of you.

Let your looking be loving.

Amen.