Contemplating Love

                “My Lord, my God, my heart longs for You – a deep yearning that leaves me exhaling in a sigh of hope for being with You. Today I ponder the depth of Your love. What a precious gift You give the world – love. It’s an abstract concept that doesn’t have a physical substance that can be seen or touched; it can only be experienced. But once experienced, love’s infinite power changes not only that person, but all those around that person as well. It has a ripple effect like a droplet of water in a still pond. It radiates outward, ring by ring, touching each one as it goes. Even those bystanders watching its effect can be transformed and future generations who hear of its effect have the opportunity to be transformed.

                “I think of how love can make us do things we never thought we were capable of doing. I think of the sinful woman who entered the place where Jesus was invited to dinner. She must have been so afraid to walk into that room and to be in front of Jesus, yet she did and she washed his feet with her tears, dried them with her hair and anointed them with expensive perfumed oils while people scoffed at her and thought she was crazy. She loved You so much that nothing else mattered to her except to show You her immense love. All the people there saw this great “crazy” act of love and had the opportunity to be transformed. Over 2000 years later, the ripple effect continues from that moment. I am deeply touched by her example of love and generosity.

                “Love for You God is what inspired Your dear Mother to say yes at the annunciation, even though it meant scandal as she was betrothed to Joseph. Her love for You God gave her the courage to nudge You into Your public ministry at the Wedding of Cana. It would have been easier to ignore the lack of wine but she knew it was time to begin Your plan of salvation. Love gave her the courage and fortitude to walk with You to Calvary and to kneel at the foot of Your cross accepting Your divine will. That is the awesome power of love that can make us do supernatural things. Her great love for You and for us also keeps Your blessed Mother praying for all humanity as her children, even as the world tries to turn away from You and many people continue to mock You, to ignore You, or to deny You exist.

                “Consider the love that coursed through the veins of the martyred saints; those incredible brave souls who were able to sacrifice their lives, some in horrific ways, out of their great love for You. Love gave them supernatural strength to withstand tortures no human should ever have to endure. The awesome power of love filled these beautiful souls and empowered them to do what most would say is impossible. Consider also priests: love for You drives them to live a life of total service that doesn’t make sense to the average person. The life of a priest is completely infused with love which drives them to live a consecrated life to save the souls of Your beloved people in a selfless fashion.

                “It was love that inspired You to create us in the first place. Love for us also inspired You to send us Your only son, to be incarnate in the world as Jesus to live with us and to teach us about love. The great love between You God the Father and God the Son as well as Your immense love for all humanity resulted in the ultimate sacrifice on the cross. Love rose above all reason and gave You as Jesus the courage and strength to make it through that agonizing night in the Garden, to be arrested, persecuted, ridiculed, mocked, scourged and crucified. Love conquered all as Your divine plan of salvation was carried out. You rose from the dead and gave us the way to continue in love with You for all eternity.

 “I don’t understand love but I can’t live without it. I can only experience it and share it with all those around me in a perpetual ripple effect. I am awed that something so hard to describe is so very vital to our existence, like the air we breathe. Without it, just like air, we cannot survive. With love, we can live with You for all eternity. This is what we were created for – to love and to be loved. This is what my heart longs for. This is what leaves me exhaling in a sigh of hope.”