Day 7 of Lent: God's Surprising Love

"God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  Words of Saint Paul expressing the love of God for all humans.  God was willing to experience the sufferings, sin, and imperfection of humans in order to understand what it must be like to be human.

God created a beautiful world which remains good but humans cause the planet to suffer in many ways.  Humans impose their will upon others and damage the creation so that the planet suffers and the inhabitants of the planet suffer as well.

In the interdependence of life, we cannot escape the consequences of our own or others actions.  We can take steps toward healing and wholeness through commitment to self-examination, forgiveness, and spiritual growth.  We need God's transforming grace to establish communities of spiritual friends and guides as we attempt to follow the light of God in our lives.

Jesus told three parables about God seeking humans and wanting to bring them to himself.  The parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost sons portray God's unconditional love for humankind.  In each someone seeks the lost thing so long that when they find what they are looking for, the reaction is great rejoicing and celebration.  God is the shepherd who leaves 99 sheep behind in order to find one lost sheep.  God is the woman who sweeps her house and searches until she finds her one lost coin.  God is the father who looks down the road each day hoping to see the figure of his son walking toward him.  God is the hound of heaven who will not give up until those lost come to find him.

We need to remind ourselves again and again that:

God loves me completely, regardless of what I have done or thought.
God forgives my mistakes and helps me begin again.
God is helping me find the best path in life.
God is liberating me from limitations, addictions, and alienation.

Prayer:
God of love, awaken us to your holy adventure in our daily lives.  Help us to pause and notice your presence in all things.  Help us to discover holy moments in which our smallest actions may be the answer to graceful encounters that feed and sustain our spirits.  Let us breathe in your love for us.  Amen.