26 VI Sacramental Signs and the Celebration of Rest The ideal is to discover God in all things Pope Francis quotes the spiritual writer, Ali alKhawas, who reminds us that there is a mystical meaning to found in a leaf, in a mountain trail, in a dewdrop, in a poor person’s face (233). When we take time for contemplation we are more able to feel the grace of God, both within and in the world around us. We are also reminded in this section of the teaching of St John of the Cross about the way in which the mystic experiences the intimate connection between God and all beings, and thus feels that all things are God (234). As birdsong provides delight, and rivers refresh, so is God, the Beloved, to us. In the same way, the sacramental materials of water, oil, fire and colours are taken up in all their symbolic power and incorporated into our act of praise (235). As Christians we are not to reject the material world, because it is united with the Lord Jesus, who himself took a body for the world’s salvation (235). For us, the Eucharist is a profound expression of the closeness of God and God’s unity with humans and all of nature. God is intimately present here in a universal or cosmic way. Heaven and earth are joined in this act, providing a powerful motivation for our work to save the environment of the earth. When we rest on a Sunday, our participation in the Eucharist has special importance (237): rest can help us to be renewed and more sensitive to others and their rights and needs, which motivates us to greater concern for nature and the poor (237). VII The Trinity and the Relationship Between Creatures Everything is interconnected The Trinity is the community of love from which creation flows. When we contemplate the beauty of nature, we also praise the Trinity (238), and when we practise self-giving love in our daily lives, we live within the Trinity and bear within ourselves the same love shared there. The world is, therefore, a web of relationships (240) in which we humans are all moving towards God. The more we enter into relationships, the more we live in communion with God. God calls us to generous commitment...his love constantly impels us to find new ways forward (245)
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