We’ve come to the end of the Easter Season, but it’s almost as though the Church hasn’t had enough of celebrating the whole mystery and beauty of our redemption. So it’s like we are saying, “Whoa…one more celebration!” That’s the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity this weekend. But even this is not enough, for there comes another biggie next weekend: Corpus Christi! I’ll tell you, Holy Mother Church knows how to party hearty!!
We so often hear it said that we as Christians are to love God, neighbor, and self as much as we can. Well I can understand loving neighbor and self. There are very definite feelings associated with that, and those feelings are directed at concrete, visible, touchable people. WE know when we are loving ourselves and others, and we know when we’re not.
But loving God? How does one love a Being who is not visible, not touchable, and ultimately unknowable?
I would like to suggest that our love for God is indeed measurable and knowable. We love God by believing and trusting his steadfast kindness and love for us.
It’s believing and trusting that God is not out to “get you.” It’s believing and trusting that no sin of ours is greater than God’s love for us. I mean…it’s true….you sin and I sin, sometimes royally…but the blessings of God still flow into our lives. This is the whole point of what Jesus is trying to tell Nicodemus in Sunday’s Gospel. We love God by believing in and trust in his love for us!
Yahweh tried to get Moses to believe the same thing, saying: “The LORD, the LORD, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity.” Well, do you believe that?
Paul tells the Corinthians that if they support one another and care for one another, they will experience the presence of the God of love and peace. Your own life experience probably shows you the truth of that statement. When you are most loving to others, that’s when you feel most the loving arms of God around you.
So…….be God’s smile for someone today!
Fr. Herb, C.S.C.
