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Spirituality for Today August 20, 2014

The Mystery of Divine Love by Father John Catoir

The revelation that God is love began long before Jesuswas born. God sent his prophets to bring us this amazing truth.

One of them, named Zephaniah, lived around 650 B.C.

Prehistoric humans worshiped the stars, the moon and the

sun, all of which are inanimate objects incapable of love. We

know this is through archeological findings, monuments like

Stonehenge in Wiltshire, England.Zephaniah preached against these pagan beliefs, and

proclaimed that the one, true God of glory was a loving God. At

the end of his book in the Hebrew Bible, Zephaniah wrote a

beautiful hymn of joy, (Cf. Chapter 3:17, Jerusalem Bible). He

speaks poetically about Gods love: God will exult with joy

over you he will renew you by his love, He will dance with

shouts of joy for you, as on a day of festival.

It was this passage that gave me the courage to entitle one

of my books, God Delights in You, (Alba House, NY). When

you love someone, isnt it true that you are happy to be with him

or her? Imagine God feeling that way about you. Its true!

Jesus, by his death on the Cross, taught us about the

fullness of this mystery: Greater love thanthis no man has than

to lay down his life for his friends, (John 15:13)

The Lord said, God so loved the world that he gave up his

beloved Son that the world might be saved. He described his

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own mission in these words: I have come that my joy may be in

you and your joy may be complete,(Jn. 15:11).

God wants us to share his joy with us. Trusting his love is

the vocation every believer; and the highest level of faith. TheLord also asks us to give our love in return. Hopefully a deep

yearning will rise within you, and one day you will say: "My

soul longs for you, O God," (Psalm 42:2).

Cast away any doubts you may have about the chances of

your heartfelt prayers reaching God. He is aware of every

gesture, every whisper; every tear. In fact your very desire toreach him is already his gift to you.

He could easily blind you with his light, but then you

would be taken against your will, like a moth drawn to a flame.

Such a scenario would not be true love. God wants you to come

to him freely, in full faith. On that day you will be free from the

prison of self.

Pope Benedict XVI made this interesting connection

between an egotistical life, that is, a life that does not

conscientiously abide in God, and a life of faith that deliberately

does so: "Authentic self-discovery is not only a journey, but an

ongoing exodus out of the closed, inward looking self.

Godslove empowers us to be free and joyful, on good

days and bad. We have to will it. The door is there but we mustopen it. Consequently, supernatural joy is primarily in the will,

not the feelings. Of course there will be days of deep

satisfaction, but not until we see God face to face will we

experience the perfect joy of heaven.

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In the meantime, suffer the silence of God: Take courage,

do not doubt or be afraid. Behold God will save you. However,

there will be times when you must suffer his silence,M.

Eckhart.