From The Divine Dance by Richard Rohr
My Reflection from Today’s Reading
Richard Rohr writes about the perfect freedom of God. He describes human personhood not as a static notion, but as something entirely dynamic and relational, shared between the divine persons and all human persons by reason and gift of creation.
He writes that human personhood is always in the process of being loved and passing along love.
We are loved into being.
He even compares the Trinity to an atom—something alive, moving, and held together through relationship.
I had to stop and sit with that.
The Freedom of God Looks Like Love
When I hear the word freedom, I often think of independence—being able to stand on my own, needing no one.
But Rohr presents something different.
God’s freedom is not about being separate.
It is about being fully given.
Within the Trinity—Father, Son, and Spirit—there is no grasping, no holding back, no fear. There is only a constant flow of love being shared.
That is perfect freedom:
nothing to prove,
nothing to protect,
only love moving freely.
Personhood Is Still Becoming
For much of my life, I have thought of myself as a defined person—a set of traits, beliefs, and experiences that make me who I am.
But Rohr reminds me:
Personhood is not something fixed.
It is something alive and unfolding.
I am not a finished product.
I am a person who is:
- being shaped by love
- growing through relationships
- changing as I receive and give
That means I am still becoming.
And so is everyone else.
Loved Into Being
This may be the line that touched me most:
We are loved into being.
That changes how I see everything.
It means I did not create myself.
I did not earn my place in this world.
My very existence is the result of love.
And my life finds meaning not in proving my worth,
but in receiving that love and passing it along.
The Trinity and the Atom
Rohr’s comparison of the Trinity to an atom may sound unusual at first, but the more I think about it, the more it makes sense.
An atom is not still.
It is a system of constant movement:
- energy flowing
- parts interacting
- relationships holding it together
Nothing exists in isolation.
Everything exists in relationship.
That is how Rohr invites us to see God—
not as static, but as a living relationship of love in motion.
And here is the deeper truth:
We are made in that same pattern.
Living in the Flow of Love
If God is relational,
and creation reflects that relationship,
then my life is not meant to be lived alone or closed off.
I am part of the flow.
My life becomes whole when I:
- receive love
- give love
- remain open
When I resist that flow, I feel disconnected.
When I enter it, I feel alive.
Lessons Learned (Front Porch Reflections)
Sitting with this today, here is what I am learning:
- True freedom is not independence—it is the freedom to love fully.
- I am not a fixed person—I am always becoming.
- My life began in love, not in achievement.
- I do not have to prove my worth—I am already loved into being.
- Relationship is not optional—it is essential to who I am.
- Growth happens as I receive love and pass it along.
A Front Porch Reflection
Out here on the porch, as the day slows down, this thought settles in gently:
Maybe I have spent too much time trying to define myself—
trying to figure out exactly who I am and how I measure up.
But maybe the deeper truth is simpler than that.
Maybe I am someone who is still being formed—
still being loved—
still learning to love in return.
Maybe I don’t have to have it all figured out.
Maybe I just need to stay open.
A Closing Prayer
God of Living Relationship,
thank You that I am not alone and not self-made.
Thank You that I am loved into being.
Teach me to receive that love with an open heart
and to share it freely with others.
Keep me growing,
keep me connected,
and keep me moving in the flow of Your Spirit.
Amen.
A Blessing
May you rest in the truth that you are already loved.
May you embrace the freedom to give and receive without fear.
May you live as one who is still becoming.
And may your life be held together
by the quiet, steady, and beautiful flow
of love.
The Curious Pilgrim 
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