November,
2009 – God’s Unconditional Love
November,
2009 – God’s Unconditional Love
The
Lord loves you unconditionally. Do you
really believe that? Yes, that is the
challenge! Yet if you really believe that, your sacramental life can take on a whole
new meaning. You realize that your sins are forgiven before they are
committed. The whole purpose of Christ
on earth is to free us from sin. This
insight has tremendous application in our life with the sacraments.
Take
for example the Sacrament of Penance, known now more as the Sacrament of
Reconciliation. Since reconciliation is
primarily a divine action, in which Christ has reconciled us to the
Father. We are created, loved and
redeemed. So what is the point of going
to confession, since we have already been forgiven? The point of confession would be to celebrate
the fact of what is already there, namely, the Lord’s unconditional love. Love can exist in a relationship without the
kiss, but the kiss makes effective what is already there.
Perhaps the experience of confession can be a
healing experience where you work your confessor to grow in healing.
Another
example can be found in the experience of a friend who was in the hospital who
asked a priest if he could go to confession.
He saw confession as an act of forgiveness. Through the middle ages, confession was seen
as atonement, to appease an angry god. Today it is seen more as a cause of
experiencing unconditional love.
So
there is no need today for discouragement, by reminding yourself of this over
and over. Healing takes time. The Lord walks with you and develops you with
unconditional love. You are created,
loved and redeemed by the Lord. May you
grow in the awareness of this truth.
Peace
and joy always,
Father
Vince
Fr. Vince O'Brien, S.J. is the
Chaplain for SDC. He can be
contacted at: Manresa Hall, 261
City Line Avenue, Merion Station, PA 19066 or (610) 660-1406.
To read Father Vince's Spiritual
Reflections from previous months, click on the month below:
Father Vince's Spiritual Reflections for October, 2009
Father Vince's Spiritual Reflections for September, 2009
Father Vince's Spiritual Reflections for August, 2009
Father Vince's Spiritual Reflections for July, 2009
Father Vince's Spiritual Reflections for June, 2009
Father Vince's Spiritual Reflections for May, 2009
Father Vince's Spiritual Reflections for April, 2009
Father Vince's Spiritual Reflections for March, 2009
Father Vince's Spiritual Reflections for February, 2009
Father Vince's Spiritual Reflections for January, 2009
Father Vince's Spiritual Reflections for December, 2008