St John Paul II has a diary entry that just says: “The form of the world is passing away”. It is taken from the first letter of St Paul to the Corinthians: “For the form of this world is passing away” (1 Cor 7:31). We find a similar line in the first letter of St John: “And the world passes away” (1 John 2:17).
St Paul wrote those words in the context of dealing with the world, with regards to worldly concerns, perhaps even of worldly love – that too is passing away, shall pass away, while the love of God in us and through us for one another, that love “never ends” (1 Cor 13:4-8).
Meanwhile, St John wrote the above words in the context of sin and of the heart attached to sin. However, at the end of that line (1 John 2:17), there is something incredible written: “but he who does the will of God abides for ever”. He, she will not pass away.
What is the will of God who is love (1 Joh 4:8)? To love Him and one another (cf John 13:34, Mark 12:28-34, Matt 22:34-40), as our Lord, Jesus Christ, says.
St Paul and St John, however, said nothing new, but echoed what Jesus Himself said: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away” (Matt 24:35). His words are the words of eternal life, as St Peter confessed: “Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” (John 6:68).
We do God’s will if we keep His words (cf John 15:14-15); if we keep His words, He abides in us, and we abide in Him, His love – that never ends – abides in us, and if His love abides in us, and we abide in His love, we shall outlive the stars.
Image credit: Ivan Aivazovsky, The Billowing Sea, 1889
Nihil Sine Deo 