No Greater Love

"Listen, then, to the voice of Christ! In your lives, Christ is drawing near and saying to you: "Follow me". Do not close yourselves off from his love. Do not turn away. Heed his message. Each of you has received a call from him. He knows each of you by name. Let yourselves be guided by Christ as you seek that which can help you to achieve your full potential. Open the doors of your heart and your life to Jesus, "the true hero, humble and wise, the prophet of truth and love, the companion and friend of young people." (Message of the Second Vatican Council to Young People)

As the celebration of St. Valentine draws near, let us contemplate Love Itself, the Word Incarnate, Jesus Christ. By the grace of God, as I come to know Him more deeply, the more deeply do I understand the abyss of His love and mercy towards mankind. Although I am incapable of fully understanding the totality of God's love, or else I would perish of joy, He allows me to simply taste His goodness. Once you've truly tasted His goodness, how could there be anyone or anything else you could desire more? I assure you, there is no greater joy than being in His heart and remaining there.

A while ago, I remember watching a video on Mother Miriam where she speaks about the Eucharist. As she pours out her heart in love for the Blessed Sacrament, she is in awe that "this God who no man could look upon and live" chooses to transubstantiate into Bread to nourish His children. He feeds us with His precious Body and Blood and unites us to Himself; "I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and You loved them, just as You loved Me" (John 17:23). It's truly unfathomable. There is simply no greater gift than God Himself, making human-beings capable of receiving and communing with Him. How pure His meekness, and how completely self-less and in the most humblest of ways. This is how He chooses to come to us. This is how He shows His love.

Our Lord spoke to Saint Faustina these precious words and now speaks to you, "do not omit Holy Communion unless you know well that your fall was serious; apart from this, no doubt must stop you from uniting yourself with Me in the mystery of My Love. Your minor faults will disappear in My Love like a piece of straw thrown into a great furnace. Know that you grieve Me much when you fail to receive Me in Holy Communion."

Let us contemplate now the mystery of His Love in the way He chose to die. Let us always have the Passion of Our Lord present before our eyes. May we never forget how He suffered for love of mankind. Our Lord lovingly told Saint Faustina, "there are few souls who contemplate My Passion with true feeling; I give great graces to souls who meditate devoutly on My Passion."

The institution of the Holy Eucharist during the Last Supper, despite Him knowing full well that all His disciples would abandon Him except St. John who because of Our Lady remained at the foot of the Cross, displays His deepest desire to be united with souls. Jesus knew what blasphemes, sacrileges, outrages, indifference, coldness, insults and offenses would be committed against Him in the Holy Eucharist, yet this did not stop Him. The agony He underwent in the Garden of Gethsamane, where His anguish caused Him to sweat blood; where He asked His Father that if there were another way to save souls that this cup might pass from Him, but would embrace the Father's Will and drink the chalice to the dregs. The bloody scourging, where He now no longer had the semblance of a man. The crowning of thorns, where His creatures mocked him, spit upon Him and then crowned His sacred head with piercing thorns. The carrying of the Cross where His raw shoulder bore the weight of sin; scourged, sleepless, starved, exhausted, exasperated, the epitome of agony. The crucifixion where His sacred body was exposed for all the world to see; His bloodied and tender flesh upon a wooden cross and His hands and feet nailed. His dire quench receiving only vinegar and gall. All the while His Beloved Mother remaining at His pierced feet.

We cannot remain indifferent to His love. Jim Cavaziel who played Jesus Christ in "The Passion of Christ" explains in an interview that you have a choice to be on the fence. Every soul has a choice whether they desire to love Him or remain lukewarm. "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other. So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth." (Revelation 3:15-16) Our Lord has expressed His disgust for lukewarm souls and has told Saint Faustina "My soul suffered the most dreadful loathing in the Garden of Olives because of lukewarm souls". Truly, God did not descend to human form and live in poverty for 33 years and then die the most ignominious death for angels, but for men. Let us offer our whole lives in thanksgiving for His. Let us implore Our Blessed Mother, that she will intercede for us with her Son. May we be found ready with lighted lamps when the Bridegroom comes.

"What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him?

For You have made him a little lower than the angels, And You have crowned him with glory and honor.

You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet,

All sheep and oxen— Even the beasts of the field, The birds of the air, And the fish of the sea That pass through the paths of the seas."

Psalm 8:4-8

St. Faustina, pray for us.

Notes:

Divine Mercy in My Soul