A Spirituality of Abundant Love

by Mary Beth Ingham, CSJ 

In the spiritual vision of Fr. Médaille and the first Sisters of St. Joseph, we find references to God’s abundant love at every turn. Abundant love is expressed from the Trinitarian model of community, through the Incarnational exemplar of total self-gift, to the fullest realization of the “total double union”:  

of ourselves and the dear neighbor with God of ourselves with all others, whoever they may be of all others, among themselves and with us,but all in Jesus and in God his Father. (Eucharistic Letter) 

What does it mean for us to live out of this relational and generous vision of God’s abundant love? It means that we allow ourselves to be filled daily with the experience of God’s infinite love and delight, in us and in each person. It means that we allow ourselves to be seized and transformed by that love. It means that we accept the divine invitation to enter into the Trinitarian dynamic of persons in loving relationship, that we accept the invitation to enter into the Incarnational dynamic of presence and gift to our wounded and troubled world. It means that we join together with zeal and compassion, working in any and every situation, to help bring about God’s design of peace and justice in our society. 

In times of suffering, war, economic and social hardship, it seems much easier to opt for a “scarcity” model, rather than an “abundant” model of thinking and living. The “scarcity” model is based on the individual, seeing every situation as a zero-sum game: if you get what you need, I won’t get what I need. There is not enough to go around, so I need to hoard, to store up, to protect myself. This is the model that places me and my needs at the center, viewing all others with suspicion, as a threat to my own security.

The “abundance” model of thinking and living that we find in Fr. Médaille’s writings offers an alternative lens. Every situation, every moment, every detail of my life is a doorway, an opportunity to enter into God’s love and to experience the abundance of divine life. Here is a relational way of viewing the world: gifts are here to be shared, generosity multiplies resources. God’s love is at work in the world. There is enough for all, provided we do not secure our own needs first, but look to the needs of others. Divine abundance stands behind us, divine delight walks with us, divine encouragement works through us. 

We can only see the world through this spiritual lens of abundance when we have experienced God’s abundant love for us, in our own lives and in the lives of those we love and serve. We can only act out of a spirituality of abundance when we are confident that “the One who has begun this good work in us will bring it to completion.”(Ph. 1:6)

The call to abundance is a dynamic call to enter into relationship with the God whose name is Triune Love, Self-gift and Transformative Presence. The desire of God is that “all may be one.” (Jn. 17:21) We are fortunate, indeed, to be invited to enter into the dynamic abundance of God’s Trinitarian life, a life of love that continually pours itself out in abundant and generous self-gift and service to the dear neighbor.

(Eucharistic letter)

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