An important way for us to walk in freedom is to remember the true nature of love. So long as we only think about love as a good or strong feeling, we are prisoners of love – not free to love. The stronger your feelings are, the more you pay attention to them, the more you allow your decisions and choices to be based upon how you feel – the less free you are to love truly. Feelings aren’t bad in and of themselves – most of them are connected to our instincts. However, feelings can put pressure on us to respond without thinking or in spite of what we may think. When you’re hungry and you love hamburgers, there’s a pretty good chance you’ll eat a hamburger if it is available. If you are prevented from eating a hamburger by someone, you might consider them to be an enemy.
Monday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
“Do not receive the grace of God in vain.” This is a hard but necessary saying from Saint Paul. On the one hand, grace is given to us in abundance – there is no limit to God’s forgiveness, His mercy and His love. We will never get to the point where God gives up on us. Human beings might give up on us – family, friends, society, etc. – but God will never give up on us. On the other hand, God gives us grace for a specific purpose: to elicit our free and loving response. God does not give us a clean slate just so that we can feel better about ourselves.
Tuesday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time
Paul’s meditation on Jesus can be a powerful support to our own act of faith. So long as we look at ourselves, at our own weaknesses, at how small we are and how afraid we are of difficult things, we are tempted to discouragement. We know Jesus is looking at us, saying, “Come, follow me.” And we want to, but we know our own track record: part of me wants to follow you Lord, and another part of me is afraid I’ll have to leave behind things or people I love but are too worldly. Another part of me is tired and wants to take a nap or waste time on trivial pursuits. Another part of me feels guilty for sins that I’ve committed and I’m not sure I won’t commit again. Another part of me isn’t sure I can trust you completely. In short, I say yes to you Lord, but I also say no. On good days, my yes is stronger – on bad days my no is stronger.