The 18th Saturday in Ordinary Time
(Deuteronomy 6: 4-13, Matthew 17: 14-20)
“Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone” (Deut. 6:4). In these few words we find a summary of our faith. If we listen to the Word of the Lord with the ears of our hearts, we will find the anchor of our souls. If we look to the heavens with the eyes of faith, we will see the handiwork of the God of our salvation. He who revealed himself to our ancestors in the flames of a burning bush chose to walk among us as our brother in the flesh. The creator of the universe is the only living and true God and there is no other. He made us and we belong to him, in Christ he redeemed us and by Christ’s blood purchased us as his own possessions. God is love and his love for the human race is everlasting. Hearing the cries of his people, Israel, he led them out of the land of slavery. Hearing the agonized groans of his beloved Son, he brought all of us to salvation.
The prophet Jeremiah spoke of God’s enduring love. “I have loved you with an everlasting love. I have drawn you to myself with loving affection” (Jer. 31:3). It is important to keep reminding ourselves that the creator of the universe, the one and only God loves us. Not only does he love us, but he also draws us to Himself with bonds of love. Those are the words we need to hear over and over again, especially when we feel dirty, rejected, and unworthy of love. Then, having heard them, we need to surrender ourselves to God’s loving embrace. He is God and there is no other. His love is everlasting. Anything to the contrary is a lie.
True joy consists in being possessed by the One true God and in possessing Him with our whole heart, our whole soul, and our whole being. The words taken from the book of Deuteronomy are quite explicit. “Whoever has ears, must listen to the Spirit and respond to what he has to say” (Rev. 2:29). “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession” (1 Pet. 2:9). “Come closer and closer to God, and he will come even closer to you” (Jam. 4:8). As God draws us into his loving embrace, he speaks to our hearts. “You are precious to me. I take great delight in you and I love you” (Is. 43:4). How are we to respond to God’s boundless expressions of love for us? (CF. Ps. 116:12) Love Him. Love calls out to love. We are to love Him with all our hearts. Love calls out to love. We are to love him with all our souls. Love calls out to love. We are to love him with all our strength. Love calls out to love. We are to love him with an all-consuming love and so be united to his love.
Following God and serving Him is always out of gratefulness and humility for all He has done for us. In a word, it’s all about love. “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart” Deut. 6:5).
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