When we love someone, we want to please them. We want to make them
happy. We want to do what they want. We are willing to be sacrificial.
As we are gradually coming to the end of this century, it is good for us
to take an honest stock of ourselves ... to examine our lives forthrightly as to how our relationship
with God is and to face the reality that God loves us so much and simply asks that we love Him in return.
Love is based on KNOWLEDGE. The better we get to know others, the good
that is in them, the more we will love and appreciate them.
Our love for God is based on our knowledge of Him. The better we get to
know Him ... He Who is All-Good ... the more we will love Him.
How do we get to know God?
Prayer and meditation on the life of Jesus, as read in the Scriptures, is
the best way. The Bible is the Word of God. It is unmistakingly TRUE.
To read and ponder about how Jesus lived, handled His problems, loved,
sacrificed, and died, is the best means to get to know God. Jesus is God Incarnate, in Flesh and
Bone. We humans are helped greatly in learning when we have something “tangible” with which to work.
Jesus is the Incarnate Tangibility that we need.
Sometimes when we pray deeply from our hearts, God infuses some knowledge
about Himself in us. This is why prayer is so essential to the life of a Christian.
Various writings of Saints also help us to know God’s love for us. For
example, Jesus revealed so much of His Love and Mercy to Sr. Faustina. When we read what He told her,
we are moved at the knowledge of how great our God is!
Frankly, in this day and age, I think we need as much help as we can get
to know God. We have so many distractions. Our jobs, television, family obligations occupy so
much of our time and attention.
But the Church has a wealth of treasures to aid us. To make use of those
with prayer is the way. And though knowledge of God leads us to love Him, we might ask ourselves:
“How do I know if I love God?” The answer lies in the words of Jesus. “If you love Me, keep
My Commandments!”
Oh, yes! Those Commandments! Aren’t they outdated? Isn’t our modern
society above those? No, Ted Turner, and cohorts, indeed not!
Despite the advanced technology of our age, human nature has not changed.
We human beings must still acknowledge that we must wage war against Pride, Covetousness,
Lust, Anger, Gluttony, Envy, and Sloth. The Ten Commandments still apply. God gave them to us as
road signs to happiness.
Break them and we can be sure we will not be happy.
So we know we love God, if we are conscientiously avoiding grave sin. If
we are trying to avoid venial sin, we know we are loving Him even more. And we love Him best, when
we seek His Will in everything and try to do it.
God bless you! Let’s get together next week!