Tag: love of God

Believe that you are loved

Sometimes we feel that there is not enough love in our lives. We think that our spouse, our confrere, our fellow human being, could love us more. God could love us even more. Our desire for love is so deep and comprehensive that it is hardly possible to satisfy it completely. We should not feel guilty about this longing. That is simply how we are made. Why is that? Because God created us that way. He created us out of love and out of an abundance of love. Out of pure love. We want to feel that at all times, to live out of that love. When a little bit of that love is missing, we feel it too.

Years ago, my novice master told me something I have never forgotten. Even if someone loves you, you still have to believe that he or she loves you. Even if he gives you all the signs of his love, a letter, a kiss, a gift, even a sacrifice—if you don’t believe that he loves you, it would be in vain. That is a leap we have to take: to believe it. And to accept it. Sometimes we live in disharmony with other people, believing that they do not wish us well, perhaps even wishing us harm. And perhaps we are right in this perception. But there is always a certain amount of love. Parents, for example, loved us even if they were unable to express their love for us adequately and fully. And perhaps years later, even after their death, we can recognize this and finally accept it.

God loved the world so much that he sent his only Son (John 3:16). And we did not accept him. And we did not believe him. We did not believe in God’s love, even though we saw it. Was his love for us still real? Of course it was! It took many people to believe and accept it. Mary, the Mother of God, gave us an example how to believe in God’s love. God has made all of us for himself, and our heart is restless until it rests in him. (St Augustine) In the end, the love with which God surrounds and embraces us will be fully revealed. For love was there from the beginning, and so it will be there at the end.

Lord, I am grateful for your love. Let me believe in your love. Let me see the traces of love in my neighbor as well. Let us never see only the dark side. Give me humility to accept that I am loved, and let me put aside grumbling and resistance.

The Morning Kiss

Recently I was a guest in a family. I witnessed a little conversation between the husband and his wife. It was in the morning. He was about to leave for work, she was still sitting at the breakfast table. She said, “You haven’t given me a kiss yet”. She said this without resentment. She was just reminding him. He kissed her immediately. It was nothing special, nothing extraordinary, not even worth mentioning. And yet: I realized how important this ritual was for them. This kind of ritual is important for each of us. To tell someone in the morning, I love you. To show it and tell him. And to receive the same gesture; to hear: I love you.

God has given us the gift and the ability of intimacy. It is a grace to be able to express our love to the other. The same is true for our relationship with God. How could our relationship with God, who has given us this gift, be different? We can express our love for Him in similar ways: a little morning prayer, a little “hello” to God, the kiss on the icon. Everyone has his or her own way.

When the soul receives a kiss from the Godhead, it stands in complete perfection and bliss. (Meister Eckhart, DW I,172-4.6)

Intimacy needs signs and gestures. The daily kiss does not have to be overly authentic. I can’t fully express what my innermost is every day. The ritual is important, the fact that I just do it. It has an effect. Its regularity as an effect. It is to remind me, God loves me. He loved me yesterday, He loves me today, and He will love me tomorrow. I want to hear that from Him every day. I need it. And I think he wants to hear it from me, too. We should not miss our “morning kiss” with Him. I should do it even if I don’t feel like it. Feelings change. His love remains.

He may kiss me with kisses of his mouth! Yes, your love is more beautiful than wine. (Song of Songs 1:2)

Lord, you asked Peter: Do you love me? You wanted to hear from his love. He answered, Yes, I love you; you know that I love you. I pray with his words: “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Show me your love and tenderness, every day.