PASS ON THE LOVE

Continuing my reflection on this prayer of Saint Therese of Liseaux: "Today may there be peace within. May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others. May you use the gifts that you have received and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content and give thanks in all situations. Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of us."

One of the gifts we have received as children of God is the ability to love and be loved. God’s love lives in us simply because we are children of God. It is part of who we are. Thus, when we summon up that love, however we express that love, miracles happen, an infinite possibility of miracles. 

However, if you are like me, there are many times in our lives, perhaps more often that we can imagine let alone admit to, that we feel unloved or not loved as much as we think we should be. It’s human nature. We all get down in the dumps for various and sundry reasons, some real and some foolish. Often when we get to that place, we moan to ourselves that “No one loves me” and cry in our proverbial beer. Even worse, many cry with a real glass in our hands believing that the buzz we get from the alcohol will actually make us somehow feel loved. It won’t.

But we are loved, totally and unconditionally, by our God. Yes, deep down we know that; but somehow knowing of God’s love just doesn’t do it. Yes, God loves me, we say to ourselves, trying to convince ourselves that we should feel lifted up, that we should rise from our doldrums and put a smile on our face and get on with life, happy once again. Only we can’t.

We need the touch of a human being, feel the love from another human being. That is not to denigrate God’s love for us. It is simply the truth. That is also not to say that in times when we feel most lost, most alone, even, it seems, most unloved, that God’s love will not give us the peace of mind and heart that we need at that time even when no one else is around. We’ve all been there, to that place, as well. We’ve felt that love, God’s love.

Yes, it is difficult to love others when we feel unloved. That’s one of the points I think St. Therese is making. No matter how unloved we feel or even believe we are, we are not. We are loved and are capable of loving others, even working miracles, even from the depths of our loneliness. Jesus, alone on the cross, feeling unloved, loved to the end, knowing he was loved and so could love and forgive in spite of it all.

For us, peace within comes from knowing we are loved, that we are lovable no matter how we feel and that we can and must pass on that love to others.