God’s Love
“God loves you.” Sound familiar? Very simply, this seemingly may have been the only thing you learned in Catholic grade school, but my question to you is, did you really learn it? Did this reality truly sink in?
As Catholics we frequently assume this truth that “God loves us,” is already known by everyone. Let us consider this. If a person knows they are loved, truly and deeply, for who they are, and encouraged to become fully who they are meant to be, how does this affect them? Would they turn out ungrateful, judgmental, and angry? Surely not! This type of perfect love would transform the heart of any receiver to be gracious, compassionate, and confident. Now, what if that person had intentionally created you to be loved and to love? Even through rejection, persecution, and denial, this person sacrificed themselves and died, just for a chance to spend eternity in love with you?
What is the proper response to someone who loves you such as this? The logical response?
A whole-hearted, life-long return to that person, and praise for their unconditional love for you! Now let us further consider someone who loves in return the one who loves them. Someone in love, who loves deeply and knows they are loved truly. Being in love changes everything, from what we allow to fill our minds, to the way we share about the one we love.
Sincerely ask yourself, does your heart long for this kind of perfect love and to give this whole-hearted response?
You are loved. GOD, Himself loves YOU with this self-sacrificing, perfect love. You are made FOR this love. You are called to give this whole-hearted, life long response to God. With God’s Grace (His Own Divine Life) in us, each of us is able to make this response well, and inspire others to receive this love that they too were created for.
Where can we begin? The Church offers so many ways we can build our relationship with the Lord, through the sacraments (tangible encounters with the living God), prayer (dialogue with God), community (we are made for community), etc. How will you deepen your faith so as to make a more full response to Love, who has sacrificed everything to be with You?