Where Love Is, God Is

to know Love

Many years ago I saw a short, animated film that at the time was somewhat popular to show during days of prayer, especially those for young adults. Released in 1977, Martin the Cobbler was a stop-action 'Claymation' production – (viewed via film projector!) – based on a short story by Leo Tolstoy called Where Love is, There God is Also. Tolstoy’s short story revolved around two New Testament teachings, one from the 1st Letter of John which states that God is Love, hence where love is, God is, and the other from Matthew 25 which contains a challenging passage in which Jesus teaches that “whatever you do for the least of your brothers and sisters, you do for me.” (paraphrase) The delightful film is true to theTolstoy original, delivering a powerful message about the way we are to love, based on the teaching of Jesus. Though written in 1885, the short story (and subsequently, the film) contains an essential message for today since contrary to the teachings of Jesus, our culture vigorously encourages self-centeredness and materialism, attitudes which lead to anxiety, despair, and emptiness, especially since those who ‘adhere to’ these things generally do not have a relationship with God. But for those who believe, choosing to live the gospel message while developing their relationship with God, the opposite is true: there is peace, joy, and fullness of heart because they choose to enter into the mercy of Jesus and therefore know Love. 

---

Look in the street...for I am coming

Briefly, Martin the Cobbler is about an elderly man who is enveloped by a deepening despair due to the deaths of his wife and only child many years before. One day, a ‘holy man’ left a New Testament for Martin to restore the cover, and later while reading a page he thought, “If the Lord were to come, I would welcome Him.” He fell asleep and heard the Lord’s voice: “Look out in the street tomorrow, because I am coming.” The next day Martin had three different encounters with people in the street, offering each one great kindness, but at the end of the day as he picked up the book again, he wondered why the Lord had not come. Just then, a bright light appeared and a Voice said, “Do you not know me?” Then Martin saw each of the people he had interacted with, all of whom said, “It is I.” Martin’s heart had been transformed through each encounter; having welcomed Jesus whom he now recognized, Martin was filled with joy and new life. 

---

the true measure of hospitality

This little story illuminates the attitude Jesus taught His followers to adopt and the Gospel writers knew to convey. In the Gospels there are numerous stories in which people invited Jesus into their homes offering generous hospitality, and of these, many were ‘sinners and tax collectors’ like Zacchaeus who offered as much as he could. At other times, Jesus would have to teach the true measure of hospitality, such as when he went to the home of his friends Martha and Mary. Martha thought she was hospitable, but she was so busy getting her house together that she became filled with stress and resentment toward Mary rather than welcoming Jesus with her whole heart. There were also those such as the rich Pharisee who invited Jesus to dine, but never offered Him water to wash His feet, then turned to criticize a woman who anointed His feet with oil.* In all of these encounters, Jesus taught what true hospitality is, and also what hospitality is about. 

---

nourishment in spirit

Hospitality is the offering of an environment of welcome in which the guest is put at ease and is given full attention by the host; the welcome of hospitality offers nourishment sometimes in body, but always in spirit. Hospitality is not concerned with impressing the guest, but rather, it is a gesture from the heart that is sincere regardless of how elaborate or simple it is. Hospitality is about encounter and presence: we enjoy what we share simply because we are present to one another. It is a disposition of heart that is visible regardless of whether one has invited another into their home or whether they have met ‘on the street.’ Those with hospitable hearts recognize Christ in the other person, and revering that reality, open their heart to let Him in. To see Jesus in another person, we cannot be centered on ourselves; and yet when we offer love to another, the wonder of it is that we also we find Jesus within our own heart. This is the entire message of the Good News of Jesus: if we want to find Jesus, live in His love.

---

to allow Jesus' love to transform our hearts

One last note: The striking thing about the character of Martin is that in reality he was always open to the Lord; he had simply lost his ‘sight’ because he was blinded by grief. In each of his encounters Martin did that which was most loving and merciful. Thus, his heart had always been good; he just needed to rediscover the love he already possessed. This Tolstoy story, based on the gospel, offers the message of hope that it is never too late to allow Jesus’ mercy and love to transform or revitalize our hearts. It also teaches us to see Jesus in everyone we meet, especially those who are poor (materially or spiritually), the marginalized, and those who we may need to forgive. Finally, it reveals that love and mercy will thaw even the most broken, wounded, and ‘lost’ hearts, especially our own.

---

Jesus comes to us each day

May we look out ‘in the street’ to see how and in whom Jesus comes to us each day! May we ask the Lord to give us the eyes to see, the ears to hear, and the heart to be hospitable! And may we accept the invitations the Lord provides, knowing that in our response to others we are responding to Him! Let us meet in the merciful, welcoming heart of Jesus! Peace!

                                       ©Michele L. Catanese

* While all the Gospels record instances in which Jesus taught about hospitality, it seems Luke recorded many parables and situations in which this was a main theme of the passage (and we can read just about all of the parables with an eye for welcome and hospitality.) The encounter Jesus has with the Pharisee and the sinful woman is found in Luke 7:36-50. Jesus with Martha and Mary appears in Luke 10:38-42, but it should not come as a surprise that the passage right before this is the parable of the Good Samaritan, which among other things, is about hospitality. The Samaritan has a merciful heart and makes sure the victim of crime is taken somewhere to receive the healing hospitality he needs. (Luke 10:29-37) Luke placed these two passages in that order purposefully. Jesus’ encounter with Zacchaeus is found in Luke 19: 1-10. I must also mention that the parable offered by Jesus, referred to as the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-37), is about more than a lack of mercy and hospitality; I point it out because Jesus described the rich man as never really seeing Lazarus at all. Hospitality and mercy are about seeing so that we can act with love.
Note: I recommend reading the short story by Leo Tolstoy called Where Love Is, There God Is Also. But for those curious about the 1977 stop action film and who want to hear LeoTolstoy's daughter Anna narrate, Martin the Cobbler is found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5XApXn_ojg  Just be aware that the film quality is grainy and the sound is unsteady, but it is still delightful.

Images:
1. My photo of stained glass; Sacred Heart of Jesus; in the cathedral, St. Josaphat, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
2. Painting; The Kargopol Yard, Russian Winter, by Alexander Alexandrovsky. "This place is a Russian town Kargopol which near to Arkhangelsk. It is located on the Onega river shore."
https://www.saatchiart.com/art/Painting-The-Kargopol-yard-Russian-winter-landscape/770803/4394822/view
3. Icon; St. Martha of Bethany by Fr. William Hart McNichols. This icon can be found at https://fineartamerica.com/featured/st-martha-of-bethany-william-hart-mcnichols.html
4. My photo; enjoying tea, (taken in Hobbiton, in New Zealand; for those who understand Hobbits, this was actually 'Second Breakfast.').
5. My photo; small town in the Alps of Switzerland. 
6. My photo; street in the older section of Stockholm, Sweden.

Note: In compliance with GDPR rules, I wish to make it clear that I do not gather any information on any of my readers at any time.

---