Thirsting for Divine Love
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It can be very difficult to understand and accept the will of God in our lives. How could Mary have accepted what she was being asked to do if not for her great humility and faith - and the appearance of the Angel Gabriel? How could Joseph possibly have believed Mary’s explanation for her pregnancy if not for the angelic message received in a dream? But most of us don’t have the benefit of such miraculous appearances, whether in dreams or daylight!
But every once in a while, we are blessed with little signs of God’s presence. God chooses these moments for each of us, although He may wait until our hearts are ready to receive His gift. Although Jesus reminds us not to seek after signs, I think He knows our human hearts well enough to understand our need to sometimes see those little miracles that build up our hope and faith.
It’s easy to miss those miraculous moments. An atheistic friend of mine once told me about going to a Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve with her mother. She was deeply moved by the concert of Christmas hymns before the Mass. As she listened, tears streamed down her face. Yet, she was not ready to recognize the source of her overwhelming emotion. She credited the moment to music’s power, not God’s. I hoped that this glimpse of God’s glory had opened her heart to believe, but her eyes remained firmly closed to His existence and His love for her.
This Christmas, take special notice of all the little miracles that are taking place around you. See the miracle in the manger: a little Child who seems so much like us, but is so miraculously God-with-us. Hear the miracle in the Christmas songs, see the miracle in the eyes of a newborn baby, touch the miracle in the melting cold of a snowflake on your fingertip. Don’t let these moments pass by unseen. God is sending a message to you alone; you are His Beloved.
“As a bridegroom rejoices in his bride so shall your God rejoice in you.” Is 62:5
Born and raised in a faithful Catholic family, I wandered far from my faith for nearly two decades. Through the infinite mercy of Christ and His Church, I found my way back home to the Catholic Church in the early 90s, and began a path of rediscovery of the beauty and truth of the Catholic faith, eventually earning a Bachelor's degree in Christian Tradition. A stay-at-home Mom for many years, my Church ministries grew to include teaching Catechism and First Eucharist classes, writing and facilitating retreats for healing after abortion, and becoming active in pro-life work with our local 40 Days for Life campaign in the Tri-Cities, Washington as an organizer, participant, speaker, and writer. My desire to share the greatest gift of my life, Jesus Christ in the Eucharist and His Divine Mercy, has found expression in my writing. My articles have been published locally in the Tri-City Herald's Spiritual Life and editorial columns; in the Carmelite Digest; Celebrate Life magazine; and recently in the National Catholic Register.
Links to these articles and more can be found on my blog at http://www.catholicethics.blogspot.com/. My Catholic Ethics page is on Facebook at:https://www.facebook.com/CatholicEthics.
