"Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me."
There are times in my life when I feel like the people of Babel. I seek the comfort of my home where my thoughts of faith are safely surrounded by the arms of my family. I can speak my language and everyone here accepts me no matter how strange it might seem to others. Yet, our Lord asks me to go out and share His love with others. Why is it that I feel I'm speaking a foreign language even in my church. All I can do is read these verses and be re reminded that even that foreignness was created in HIS design.
Writing this I am reminded of the time I went to my confessor and said,"while studying the catechism of the catholic church I read I must love GOD even more than My husband." I asked my priest How? could I do this. I told him that I was putting it in our Lord's hands and for that moment I was working on the love being equal for my husband and Him. The crazy thing was that as soon as I did that, HE asked me to give All my love to HIM alone. My heart was flooded with love and emotions and all the intimate things that I had always given only to my husband. At that very moment I also felt that through HIM solely I was being taught to share His love that was more perfect than anything I could give.
How wonderful the lessons we are given when we learn to give EVERYTHING over to HIM!
Helen, check out the book He and I the conversations between the Lord and
ReplyDeleteGabrielle Bossis. I got a copy from the public library system. You may be surprised by a very tender Jesus who asks for tenderness.
Also I might have another suggestion later but better give me an email address as it is a bit more private. srroberta@nunocist.org