THE MYSTERY OF GOD'S LOVE
I find it hard to imagine what life would be like without faith
in God. I have heard of people who maintain the belief that they are quite
content with the idea that all there is to life is what appears on the surface.
Life to them means being born, growing up, searching for some drop of happiness
within an ocean of sorrow, and death is nothing more than falling asleep, never
to awaken. They insist that there is no God and some even protest that there is
no need for One. Jesus states, "Much will be required of the person
entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted
with more" (Lk 12:48). Christian living is a response to God's goodness,
not His wrath.
More devotion and dedication to a family is expected from its
members than from outsiders. Those in the family share a common life, a common
affection, and a common home. The old saying is that blood is thicker than
water. Friends may indeed be very loving but it is quite right to expect even
greater love among members of one's own family. Children, especially, should
respond in great love to their parents from whom they have received the gift of
life. Well, maybe not during the teenage years!
God is our Father. We are His children. He has given us
everything - our lives, our faith, our hope, and our love with all its mystery.
It is quite right that He expects us to respond in love to Him and to reach out
in love to our brothers and sisters. I was reflecting on the Gospel words about
much being given and much being required, and more will be asked to whom more
has been entrusted. Whatever we do in our lives, whether it is done for our
family, work, ministry or play, we need to give it our all and strive toward it
diligently and daily. We truly need to listen to God and what He wants us to do
and then go with it all the way. Everything we do for our family, our neighbor
and ourselves, we should do in loving service as Jesus taught us.
In the Responsorial Psalm we acclaim, "You will draw water
joyfully in the springs of salvation" (Is 12:3). God indeed is our Savior!
He will call us to our reward saying, "Well done, My good and faithful
servant...Come, share your Master's joy" (Mt 25:21). And won't we be glad
that we were faithful in playing the hand God dealt to us!