LOVE IS THE ONLY WAY TO PARTICIPATE
God made us in love, for love. That is the reason for our existence, our
purpose for living, and our goal in dying to eternal life.
What is the
greatest act of love? It is in love that God, our Father is revealed. The First
Letter of John reminds us that God's love is revealed through His Son, Who in
turn loves His "friends" who believe. Love is the only way to
participate in all this. Love reveals those who know God and those who do not.
What does that love look like? How can you "know?" It is a
sacrificial love. Jesus Christ says, "No one has greater love than this,
to lay down one's life for one's friends" (Jn. 15:13).
Jesus defines
friendship as the mutual bond of trust and affection between two people. It is
the willingness to give oneself totally to another. God made us in love, for
love. That is the reason for our existence, our purpose for living, and our
goal in dying to eternal life. God is love and everything He does flows from
His love for us.
We all need a
little more love! There are many conflicts, fights, and feuds throughout our
sphere. Just think about our world today, even within our churches and homes.
We don't have to agree with one another and we don't even have to like one
another, but we are called to and must love one another if we want to remain in
God's love. How can we love those whom we see as our enemies; those who are
opposed to the fundamental truths we hold dear?
During the trying
times of the Reformation, Saint Francis de Sales, a Doctor of the Church, wrote
this advice in his "Treatise on the Love of God":
"When we see a
neighbor who is created to the image and likeness of God...should we not bless
him a thousand and a thousand times? And why? For the love of him? No verily:
for we know not whether he be worthy of love or hatred in himself; but
wherefore then? For the love of God, Who has made him to His own image and
likeness, and consequently capable of participating in His goodness, in grace
and in glory. For the love of God, I say, from Whom he is, Whose he is, by Whom
he is, in Whom he is, for Whom he is, and Whom he resembles in a most
particular manner."
Today is Mother's
Day! In a rather direct sense, our mothers are among the most significant
people we will ever encounter in our lives. God created these beautiful women
to be His gentle, loving creatures. So let us honor them today with this
Mother's Day Prayer written by Gaynell Bordes Cronin, "I love you, Mom. I
love your aliveness, your joy in living, your understanding, your giving. And
what I love best of all is that you love me. God of all Mothers, thank you for
my mom" (From the book Friend Jesus: Prayers for Children)!
May we be fruitful
and abound in the love of God, our Father!