In this is love:
not that we have loved God, but that he loved us
and sent his Son as expiation for our sins. (1 Jn 4:10)
Love. That is a word that is so misused these days.
When some people say love, they mean lust. When some people say love, they mean controlling others. When some people say love, they mean possessing others.
That is what we often mean when we say that we love God. We don’t really mean love. We mean that we want to possess Him or control Him. We remind Him that we are special and we “deserve” things from Him.
That’s not love. That’s using Him.
Ah, but, when God says love, He means it. Love is a pure, wholesome, holy gift given freely. There are never strings attached to God’s love. There are never conditions. There are never times when God “takes back” or withholds His love.
God loves us completely and forever. He gave His Son for us and His Son gave His life for us. What more proof do we need than that.
There are times that we do not believe that. Because of things that have happened to us, we may think that we are unlovable. There may even have been people and/or circumstances that reinforce that feeling that we cannot be loved.
Do not believe that when others make you think that of yourself. Remember, instead, that God loved us into existence and God waits for us to return to Him at the end of our days. Celebrate that this day.
FAITH ACTION: Pray for those who have a hard time loving themselves, that God may be able to let them know how special they are in His eyes.
Today, kindly pray, as well, for Bishop Donald J. Hying who, at the Mass of Installation at 2:00 p.m. at Holy Angels Cathedral, will officially take possession of the Diocese of Gary as our Fourth Bishop. God bless you, Bishop Hying!