Posted on by Charly

You Are Loved!

I recall being pregnant with my second child and wondering how I could ever love another child as much as I loved my first. I didn’t think I had any space left to fit another child in my heart. It was already so full. Then she was born and suddenly my heart swelled. I had just as much love for this little one as I did for my first.

This blissful feeling is so overwhelming when a new baby is placed in your arms. It’s not difficult to imagine loving this little human and protecting it from harm. You can easily imagine putting your life at risk to keep this precious new life safe. This love and safety that is automatic towards this new little human is the closest feeling I can come up with to describe Gods’ love for each of us. Of course He doesn’t question if He has enough love for more humans, He tells us to go forth and multiply. He knows He has more than enough love for all of us. It is us, humans, who don’t always have enough room for Him.

When I think of someone who loves me I immediately picture my own mom and dad. It truly didn’t matter what I did they always loved me. I pray everyone has at least one person that comes to mind when they think about who loves them. There is something that is strengthened inside of us when we know we are loved unconditionally. This kind of love gives us courage and a feeling of security.

Sadly there are many people who don’t feel loved. They don’t feel that there is someone that will love them no matter what. We live in a dysfunctional world where love is twisted, confused, and manipulated. Even if no human person comes to mind, or if you question weather those who are supposed to love you truly do there is always God. He never takes His love away. No matter what you have done or are going through He always loves you!

He loves you in exactly the way you need. A way that we can’t even understand completely because it is so unchanging. He doesn’t love you only when you do good. He loves you always and because of this He desires your happiness. He gives us rules to bring us happiness. He knows what is best because He knows each of us so completely. He doesn’t want you to be alone, to be scared, or to feel unloved. He wants to walk with you on this journey and at the end of this existence He wants you to be with Him for eternity.

He loves each one of us so much that He has a plan for good for each one of us. Even if we choose to stray from His plan we can always choose to come back to it. He is so good that He will continuously help us find our way back to Him. He is the ultimate guide to happiness because of His true love for each of us.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son…” John 3:16 NAB

Photo: pixabay.com

Posted on by Charly · 1 Comment

Love Your Enemies

Love: to will the good of others. It is easy to love those who love us, who are kind to us, who help us, or do things for us. We aren’t asked to do only what is easy though we are told to love our enemies.

Who are our enemies?

People who are out to physically harm us? Yes. However loving them doesn’t mean allowing them to hurt us. It means wanting justice for them. Loving them means wanting them to be healed of their cruelty and set free from it. We are to move past our anger and desire what is best for that person. This is not to say we need to continue a relationship with them. We do need to look out for our safety and protect ourselves from harm.

For the average person the “enemy” might be people in our lives that irritate us. We are called not to just be kind but to love them. They maybe people we have to interact with on a daily basis; co-workers, neighbors, family members. They may make our blood boil and our emotions erupt with anger but we are called to love them. Actually it doesn’t end there. The passage goes on to say “… and do good for them.”

So not only do we have to want good for them we are told to do good for them. It is easy to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless when you don’t know them. What if I knew their political views and their sins before I scooped a warm heap of hot dish onto their plate? What if I knew how they treated their children before I handed over handmade blankets to their shivering bodies? It clearly doesn’t matter we are called to love and act.

It seems to me this is what the command love your enemies is getting at, there are no if, ands, or buts. God calls us to: “Love your enemies and do good for them.” Luke 6:35

Photo from pixabay.com Bible verse from New American Bible Standard Edition 1970

Posted on by Charly

Is My Heart Drowsy?

Image result for sleepy heart(Sleepy heart by drawception.com)

Advent is fast approaching.  It is a time to reflect and prepare for the coming of Christ.  We were reminded last weekend that He is our king.  How do we sufficiently prepare for the king of the universe? It sounds quite overwhelming.  I’m sure it’s something like preparing our homes for the Christmas holiday but in a way that bears our true self not just the neat and tidy version.  This coming Sunday we will hear “Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life…” Luke 21:34

Carousing and drunkenness do not seem to be issues I struggle with.  Usually when reading this passage of scripture I just skim it over and arrogantly think,  “I don’t become drowsy from those things, so I’m okay.”   I am not a naturally anxious person, even so the anxieties of everyday life can take over my mind. Thank God for this month of Advent to remind me to take a step back and slow down.  Not a time to worry about the perfect gifts to get, the perfect photos for the Christmas card, what we will all wear for Christmas dinner, or the most beautiful Christmas decorations, but a time to pray through each of these “anxieties”.  My trust needs to be in the Lord.

One word caught me off guard as I read this passage.  The word “heart”.  I am somewhat relieved it does not say do not let your eyes become drowsy because I often feel like closing them and catching a nap!  My heart though, what does it mean for it to get drowsy?  I’m sure it isn’t in the sense of it’s beating, as we can not control that.  It could mean in the sense of getting tired of loving.  There are people who are difficult to love.  I need to remind myself that the lord himself loves every human and although I may become irritated or frustrated by them my heart should desire their good.  It is time to prepare my heart for the coming of our king by not allowing it to get drowsy.  So while my focus may seem to be on preparing my home, my children’s gifts, and the annual Christmas letter I need to beware of the state of my heart!

Things to do to protect your heart from drowsiness:

Pray and read the Bible, strengthen your relationship with Jesus.

Receive the sacraments.

See everyone you come in contact with as a child of God.

Seek wisdom and knowledge from people whose faith is strong.

Give time, talent, and treasure.

Share Jesus with others!