REFLECTION BY FR COLLINS AKHIGBE, OP
SCRIPTURAL PASSAGES
1ST READING WISDOM 11:22-12:2. PSALM 145. 2ND READING 2 THES 1:11-2:2. GOSPEL LK 19:1-10.
THEME: GOD LOVES ALL
“Indeed, before you the whole universe is like a grain from a balance, or a drop of morning dew come down upon the earth. But you have mercy on all, because you can do all things; and you overlook sins for the sake of repentance. For you love all things that are and loathe nothing that you have made” (Wisdom 11:22-24). In this first reading we are told that God loves all and is merciful to all he created. This good news is confirmed in the Gospel reading with the love of Jesus for a public sinner. The Lord also demonstrated that God is merciful to all that he created. The Lord loves everyone of us no matter how sinful we are. The reason is because God is love. God is goodness. God is mercy. God is perfect. In the second reading the apostle Paul is praying that God may make us worthy of his call and may fulfil every good resolve and work of faith by his power, so that the name of the Lord may be glorified in us (2 Thes 1:11-12). The Psalmist presents to us how we are to respond to the love and mercy of God. I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever. I will bless you day after day, and praise your name forever and ever (Psalm 145:1-2). The Psalmist also speaks about the kindness and mercy of God to all he created. We are to respond by thanking God for everything. We should respond by praising God for loving everything he created. We should respond by loving God above all things. In this reflection we shall highlight why God loves all he created and how to respond to the love of God.
WHY GOD LOVES ALL
First, God is God. He is not man. He is the owner and Creator of the universe. He loves all he created because we are his own (Gen 1:2-28).
Second, God cannot but love all he created because he is love (1 Jn 4:8). The scripture tells us where there is love there is God because God is love (1 Jn 4:16).
Third, God loves all he created because God is perfect (Mt 5:48). As a perfect being it is proper to his nature to love all that exists.
Fourth, God loves everything he created because he is all knowing. He knows that we are dust (Gen 2:7). He knows what we are weak and vulnerable. He knows what we are made of. This is why God is patient and merciful towards all that he created.
Fifth, the Lord God loves all that he created because we cannot survive without his love. We cannot survive for one full day if God should withdraw his love from us.
Sixth, God loves all that he created that it might be an exemplar for us. This is why the Master told us, love one another as I have loved you (Jn 13:34). The love of God is our guide and model. We are to mirror Christ by loving like Christ.
Seventh, the Lord God loves all that he created because it is for our own Salvation and our wellbeing. The Lord loves us that we might love him in return. The scripture tells us that we love because God first loved us (1 John 4:19).
How to respond to the love of God
First, we too should love the one who first loved us. Love begets love. This is the natural course of things but unfortunately sometimes we do not love God as we ought.
Second, we should be faithful toward the one who loves us with an everlasting love (Jer 31:3). The love of God for us is not conditional. This is a great cause for rejoicing. We should therefore be ever faithful to the one who created us out of love.
Third, we should repent of our sins and embrace conversion in gratitude for the goodness of God. It is highly unfair to turn against the one who sustains us in the universe (Mt 6:27). It is highly unjust to return hatred for love. It is malicious and a betrayal to crucify Jesus Christ again because of sin.
Fourth, we should promote the kingdom of God by living a life of virtue and holiness. In other words, we should bear witness to the love of God for us. We should tell the whole world about the love of God for us. This is what is expected from a grateful heart.
Fifth, we should live a life of obedience to the commandments of God. The Lord told us, if you love me you keep my commandments (Jn 14:15). Obedience to the will of God is very important in appreciating the love of God.
Sixth, we should love the neighbors the Lord has given to us. We cannot claim to love God and hate our neighbors. If anyone says, I love God, but hates his brother, he is a liar, for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen (1 Jn 4:20).
Seventh, we should worship God in truth and in Spirit because of his love for us. The scripture tells us that God is Spirit and those who worship him must worship him in Spirit and in truth (Jn 4:24).
Eighth, we should forgive those who have offended us because of the love and mercy of God. The scripture tells us, if the Lord should mark our guilt who will survive (Psalm 130:3).
Ninth, we should respond to the love of God with gratitude and thanksgiving. When we go through trials and difficulties we should always remember that God loves us unconditionally. The scripture tells us that nothing can separate us from the love of God (Rom 8:35-37). In all situations we should give thanks to God for this is the will of God for us (1 Thes 5:18).
Tenth, we should be patient with the weaknesses of our neighbors. We should always bear in mind that God is patient with us. We too should be patient with others.
These are some of the ways we can respond to the love of God.
PRAYERS
Lord, help us to love you above all things. Lord, give us your kind of love. Lord, deliver us from selfishness and greed. Lord, help us to be patient with those who are vulnerable and weak. Lord, help us to forgive those who have offended us. Lord, please, sustain us till the very end. Amen. Wishing you an awesome Sunday.
With lots of prayers and love.
