After receiving my professional certification in senior adult Ministry in 2003 from the Johnson Institute, I was asked if I would like to speak to my parish on what senior adult ministry was. I very much wanted to speak about what I had learned about this ministry, but I had received so much information, different courses, that I was not sure of what I wanted to say.
In prayer I mentioned to the Lord that” I want to evangelize, to speak out like Billy Graham, To let the world know that you exist. I want to share this love I feel you have for me, and for all mankind.
So I asked The Lord” what should I speak about”.
This occurred around the same time that my parish in Tucson was disposing of some of their library. We parishioners were invited to look through the books and take what we wanted. There were quite a few books to choose from. I wasn’t in the mood to rummage, so as I sometimes do I asked the Lord “ Please let me know if there are any books in this pile that I need? I picked out two books. The first book was titled [the greatest thing in the world by Henry Drummond] It was a small old book, but It looked interesting. I glanced through and realized it was all about love.
The second book I picked up was called [the makers diet= by Ruben Jordan.] This book was about health, it also interested me. Little did I know at the time, how these two books would affect my life in a positive way?
When I returned home I decided to find out whom this person Henry Drummond was who wrote this book -The greatest thing in the world?
So I goggled his life story.
Henry Drummond was a Scotsman, born in 1851. He was educated at Edinburg University. He was a man who wore many hats. A poet, a minister, a scientist, a genealogist, a philosopher, and a lecturer, but what he portrayed most in his life, was his love for the Lord.
His book = the greatest thing in the world expands on St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians. Chap 13” the greatest of these is love.”
This letter of St. Paul’s is a classic. It is used at many weddings, and also funerals.
As I began reading Henry Drummond’s book, I found myself repeating the word yes, yes, over and over. I thought, what could I possibly add to what this man has written about love, and it’s place in life. He had it all summed up.
This book spoke right to my heart. It greatly affected me.
Henry Drummond states”“ Love is the supreme good, the summum bonum ,and that is why in St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians he places love above all the other gifts from the Lord.
St. Paul says, ” Now I will show you the way which surpasses all the others.
If I speak with human tongues, and angelic as well, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong, a clanging symbol.
He goes on to say” If I have the gift of prophecy, and, with full knowledge comprehend all mysteries
If I have faith great enough to move mountains, but have not love I am nothing”. He continues “If I give everything I have to feed the poor and hand over my body to be burned, but have not love I gain nothing”.
St Paul goes on to define what love is. “ Love is patient, love is kind. Love is not jealous; it does not put on airs. It is not snobbish. Love is never rude, it is not self-seeking. It is not prone to anger; neither does it brood over injuries. Love does not rejoice in what is wrong, but rejoices with the truth. There is no limit to love’s forbearance, to it’s trust, it’s hope, it’s power to endure Love never fails.
Henry Drummond Tells us “The spectrum of love has nine ingredients.
He lists them. 1-Patience- Love suffered long. 2-Kindness- and is kind. 3-Generosity- Love envied not 4-Humility- Love vaunted not itself, is not puffed up. 5-Courtesy. – Doth not behave itself unseemly. 6- Unselfishness- Seeketh not her own. 7- Good Temper- Is not easily provoked. 8- Guilelessness- thinketh no evil. 9- Sincerity- Rejoiced not in iniquity, but rejoiced in the truth”.
According to Henry Drummond “These make up the summum bonum. the supreme gift, the stature of the perfect man.”
St Paul begins with” Love is patient.
Henry Drummond like St Paul places patience as number one in the spectrum of love.
Let’s take the many definitions of the word patience, and how our lives are affected by this word.
In the thesaurus= Patience is explained as having many meanings. = Diligence, fortitude, toleration, forbearance, calmness, restraint.
Love is patient it waits. It is unbelievable how this one word has so much action. Love is active. Mother Theresa says “ Let nothing perturb you, nothing frighten you, all things pass. God does not change. Patience achieves everything.”
Henry Drummond lists =kindness as the second virtue in the spectrum of love.
“Christ spent his days being kind, doing kind deeds, helping others. Happiness usually is largely depended on our kindness toward others.”
Christ spent his time making people happy. When we are kind. People are happy. Love Browning says” Is energy of life.” French quacker Stephen Grellet says” I shall pass through this world but once- any good thing therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now. Let me not defer it or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.”
Reflection= Regret verses love. Whatever we do in life affects us, good or bad.
I have found caring for others over the years, that many of us spend a great deal of time and energy, regretting our past mistakes, misdeeds, or wrong choices.
When we love= regret seems to diminish.
