Enveloped in love

Photo by Josh Willink from Pexels

Let us remain in His Love, for that is where He keeps a rendezvous.

(Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity)

One night, as I walked through the parking lot to enter the grocery store, I noticed this young man getting his little girl out of the car. She was about 1 year. Rather than walking into the store, he stood and held her. I was a bit of a distance from them and smiled at her, turned away and walked off. He yelled at me that she said hello so I turned around and came over. We talked long enough for me to gather that they had just flown into town together. I sensed that he hadn’t held her for a while.

 He was so infused with love for her he just wanted to hold her. Even after I went into the store, he was still standing by his car holding her. I don’t think he wanted to let go of her to put her into the cart. The two of them together were completely and fully enveloped in love, a love so thick it seemed impenetrable.

 And I realized that’s what God is trying to give to us every moment of every day. He is at the origin of every breath and sustains us in it, and wants us to live every breath enveloped in His love so completely it penetrates us to the very essence of our being.

 We remain like Adam and Eve hiding in the woods, afraid of the unknown. What will happen if I face my weaknesses? What will God want of me? Unable to understand that all He wants is to more fully and completely give us His Life.  AND that this is the end for which we were made.

 What would I give to live in that Love every moment? Everything! Yet I go through my days with my ways, and wonder why life doesn’t change. 😊 People disappoint the expectations I have placed on them; I continually disappoint people with the expectations they have placed upon me. I rationalize spiritual compromises because I think it is ok, instead of engaging prudent inaction that would permit space for God to act. Albert Einstein is quoted as having said ““The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.”, and that is precisely the paradigm shift God is waiting to lead us through.  With 1440 minutes in every day, am I willing to set aside 30 of those minutes to let God have His way with me? That seems like a long time to sit, to be inactive. And if I am disciplined enough to show up for work on time every day, why can’t I show up for God once a day?

 Because we need to desire it. Desire is everything in life, especially the spiritual life. And we can’t manufacture it ourselves, we need to ask God even for the desire to pray, for the desire to desire Him. Then we need to be disposed to receiving His gifts.

 Don’t forget the power of Mother Mary’s intercession. Mary held Jesus in her arms, from birth until death. With Jesus in your heart, how could she resist holding you too?

 At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask what I shall give you.” And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. And thy servant is in the midst of thy people whom thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered or counted for multitude. Give thy servant therefore an understanding mind to govern thy people, that I may discern between good and evil; for who is able to govern this thy great people?” It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you. (1Kings 3:5, 7-12)

 Please pray the Lord provide similarly for our Pope, clergy and worldwide Church.

 Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam 😊