Radical Catholicism | Back to the Basics

He Loves You….and Me

The young man was thrilled, overjoyed; the woman he was dating for a few months; the one who was the “right one” for him told him that she loved him more than words could say. Oh, how joyous he felt! To be loved by the one who meant so much to him was indeed beyond words of elation. His heart beat with joy and he excitedly thought to himself, “She loves me. She loves me. She loves me!”

The adolescent girl was contemplating about her relations with her parents. Why were they so strict and uncompromising on certain issues? “Why did they frequently restrict my freedom?” she thought to herself. Yet as she continued to reflect on her relationship with her parents, she was confronted with the thought that “they love me.” She noted in her mind the many instances when she disappointed her parents; the times they scolded her (justifiably) for her actions or for her failure to do some agreed upon action. Yet no matter what she did or did not do, her parents loved her. Wow, she thought, “Her parents gave her love in all circumstances.” She then realized that her parents loved her to such an extent that they took the time and interest to restrict her freedom when they thought it was in her best interest. They cared about her! They loved her! The thought of her parents’ love for her filled her with security and inner warmth. She was loved!

Love is indeed the driver of all good things, whether it is the love between a man and woman or the love of parents for their children. Without human love, the world would be a sterile wasteland. Yet there exists another love which exceeds all human love and is the most important love….that is the love that God has for you and me. God’s love for each one of us is total and is the basis for all love. God, our creator, loves us unconditionally!

God knows each of us by name and loves us as individuals. He is always available to help us in difficult situations, providing advice when we need it, encouraging us when we are in need of a boost, scolding us when we should be scolded. He cares about us. He even sent His Son into the world of humanity, taking upon himself our human frailty so He could provide us with the example of true love. Amazingly He allowed His Son to be vilified by us and then unmercifully and horrifically killed ….all because He loved us, each one of us individually, not as a group but as distinct persons.

God, the creator of the universe, loves you and me! Think about it….God loves you and me. Wow!

Do we love God in return for His total love of us?

Shaken And Stirred

It hit him as hard as a punch delivered by a profession boxer! As he read the letter, the news contained in the letter made his knees buckle and knocked him back into his chair. A sense of solitary emptiness settled in his stomach. Unexpected and certainly unwanted was the news that a long time business associate had died suddenly from a “massive heart attack.” Several minutes would pass before he could compose himself and rise from his chair. The death of the friend was staggering news to him; here one day, he was gone the next. Life is so fragile and its end can be as stunning as it is final.

After recovering from the initial shock of the news of his friend’s death, he wondered why he was so staggered and upset over the news of the friend’s demise. The news of the deaths of other friends and even relatives did not affect him as intensely as this news. Why? In fact, he and his friend met only two to three times a year, although regularly for almost 40 years. Their meetings were like a ritual; they were regular occurrences that he assumed would continue forever. What could interfere with their meetings? Nothing! But death defeats everything; it indeed marks the end of the relationship. Reading of his friend’s death in a letter tended to make a very personal issue seem cold and impersonal. That hurts! Though their relationship was about business issues, he trusted his friend; his competence and his word were never questioned. He was as solid a person as one could know. It hurts to lose him. Losing a trusted friend sent shivers up his back; you see, trusted friends are hard to come by.

As shaken as he was by the friend’s sudden death, it also stirred him to action. Life is very fragile and is so unpredictable that death, this death in particular, shook him to the core, reminding him that his time is limited and may also be running out. The thought kept forcing itself into his consciousness, “Your time is short, no matter your age, make certain that you settle all your affairs, do not delay your plans, love your family and make certain they know you love them.” Most importantly of all, put things right with God.  Immediately! And keep them right.

Then the thought hit him! What if he was the one who died suddenly and the news of his death would confront and unnerve his friends? There would be no time for him to seek God’s forgiveness and help in confronting death. The lesson screamed loud and clear, “Seek God now, asking for His forgiveness for one’s sins and help when death arrives for me.”

Be shaken and stirred before it is too late.