The Wonder of Divine Love

(740 words, 4 minutes read time.)

On the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, I reflected…

Any of us, especially in the early stages of spiritual growth, can fall into subtle judgments or biases about others.

We may judge someone based on their age, nationality, language, social status, occupation, income, or countless other outward features.

The list goes on, often in ways we hardly notice.

?

The thief who lay upon the cross,

next to Jesus.

How many onlookers frowned and scoffed,

“What a waste of his life!”

“Glad my son never became like that!”

“Ugh! Glad he never robbed me!”

“He’s dangerous; it’s good they are doing this!”

“I always wondered about him!”

?

And what came from the thief’s mouth?

No recoil at suffering for his sins.

No excuses.

No self-defense.

He only asked for God’s mercy.

“Remember me,” he faithfully said to Jesus, speaking of His entering Paradise.

?

What did Jesus see?

GOD’S LOVE saw in him a contrite heart, and it only takes the slightest opening for Him to rush in and claim a soul for Himself.

The eyes of God see willing hearts through one lens—compassion.

He looks beyond exteriors and accidentals.

He sees the soul created in His Image.

LOVE SEES LOVE.

?

Jesus reaches out to the thief,

holds his face in His hands,

and kisses his forehead.

“My son! My beloved!”

“How long I have waited to celebrate with you!”

“HOME! My home is yours!”

He embraces him and fills his whole being with joy!

His love for the thief

is His love for the prodigal son

is His love for Mary Magdalene

is His love for Paul

is His love for YOU!

?

Some people are afraid of their judgment after death.

They are afraid of “not measuring up.”

Even if they have lived a faithful life,

they can still fear.

A faithful priest friend once received in prayer God saying to him,

“It’s okay! I love you and accept you as you are!”

Over and over again!

“I love you!”

“I accept you as you are!”

“I love you!”

“I love you!”

“I love you!”

As his fear melted away.

It helped bring him greater peace and trust in his life and for his future death.

He had lived faithfully, but the Lord needed to bring healing to old insecurities.

He lived longing to meet God face-to-face because he no longer feared death. He knew what to expect.

We truly need to live as faithfully as we can (and still entrust our loved ones who have fallen away to the Good Lord).

Yet I am reminded of the Jansenist-minded nun about whom St. Thérèse reflected after her death. St. Thérèse contrasted the sister’s confidence in God’s justice with her own childlike confidence in God’s merciful love. 

St. Thérèse also teaches us to make reparation (by loving) for those who do not love Him through her Oblation to Merciful Love. She has a bold teaching on striving to go straight to Heaven.

Perhaps our fears of not measuring up can be healed, day by day, by trying to live her Little Way—offering both the smallest and biggest things for love.

And by trusting that God will take care of us.

If something were to happen, He will rescue us in His love, because as we grow in this practice, we learn to let Him into our messes, our hurts, and our falls.

We become agile at opening our hearts to Him and letting Him carry us.

There is a WORLD of difference between a lover of Jesus (and those still learning) and a distrustful, scared, Jansenist-minded, judgmental, floundering soul.

In fact, one of the saints taught that souls are lost not because they sinned too greatly, but because they LACKED TRUST!

Love and trust go together in following the Gospel life of loving Jesus.

So start today, in little steps!

Be like the thief, gently moved to contrition and trusting enough to ask for Paradise. And ask this grace, too, for loved ones whose final moments are known only to God.

Jesus died for each one of us.

He wants to bring us to salvation and Heaven more than we could ever imagine!

Jesus sent those graces to the thief—

and He will send them to you, too!

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I trust You!

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I thank You!

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I love You!