Deacon Tom Writes,
“We are God’s Beloved”
In one of his first encyclicals, Spes Salvi, In Hope We Are Saved, Pope Benedict wrote, “It is not
science that redeems man: man is redeemed by love. This applies even in terms
of this present world. When a man experiences a great love in his life, it is a
moment of “redemption” which gives new meaning to his life. However, soon he will
also realize that the love he has received cannot, by itself, resolve the
questions of his life. All love remains fragile. It can be destroyed by death. The
human being needs unconditional love. He needs the certainty which makes him
say: “neither death, nor life, nor
angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,
nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to
separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom 8:38- 39)
At the heart of this Pope Benedicts
encyclical is the fact that the deepest longing of the human spirit is to be
loved completely, without judgment or qualifications, conditions or
limitations. We all desperately want to be “beloved”, unconditionally. We want
to be absorbed in a love that protects, nourishes, encourages, forgives,
nurtures, enlivens, animates. When we don’t experience this type of love, we
become fearful and withdrawn. Our lives become shallow and resentful. We become
self-absorbed and self-centered.
One of the many gifts Christ’s death and
resurrection secured for us is the reality that because of his selfless love,
we too are beloved by the Father. This elevated status frees us from fear and
gives us the hope, the certainty that there is nothing that will ever separate
us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.
This is a good way to begin this New Year, to
hold on to this profound truth thought throughout the new year: we are beloved, each of us by God
whose love is overwhelming. Our God is with us always, by our side, always, in
good times and when we are in despair. God gives us that same love he gave his
own Son, Jesus; revealing himself so that we may continue to grow in his Love;
encouraging us to love one another; speaking in the depth of our hearts that we
too are loved with an everlasting love, an unconditional love that awaits our
falling into it.
Enjoy the day!
Deacon Tom
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