DIVINE LOVE CHANGES EVERYTHING

God calls us all to lives of faith, obedience and service. We who have welcomed Christ into our lives are called to “come follow me”. We are called to help make known the Gospel message throughout a hurting world. This can happen in various ways. Archbishop Richard Smith, President of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, states that most people “are called by Christ to the lay apostolate.” He reminds us that lay people are still called to spread the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  This is true whether you are a Catholic or evangelical Christian. That vital Gospel message has the power to transform humanity.  

Some people are called (or sent) to leadership through the sacrament of Holy Orders or consecrated life, or other areas of ministry. Regardless of the role people play ― all of us are all called to serve and follow Christ. 

Every human being is unique and created by God for a purpose. Discovering that purpose and where we fit in the world begins with our Baptism into the Body of Christ, the Church, and is nurtured through the family. It is incumbent upon parents to raise their children in an atmosphere of love that has its roots in Jesus Christ. Within such a family environment children can learn to know and trust God, through his Son.

The Catholic Organization for Life and Family (COLF) in Canada has published a superb pamphlet entitled, “Families, did you know? Love is calling your children.”  It states what Christians already know in our heart of hearts:  Parents are responsible to nurture a sense of vocations that God planted into the souls of their children. 

How do they do this? Well, the pamphlet lays out some suggestions to help achieve this realization of vocations in children:  1. Prayer. Families must regularly go to Christ in prayer. In doing this they introduce their children to the reality of Christ – and also sanctify their family unit. As COLF so eloquently reminds us, Christ “waits for us through prayer, in His Word, His forgiveness and in the Eucharist.” 2. God’s Word. Spending time reading and meditating upon God’s Word – as a family and individually – teaches children and teens that God speaks to people.  The Scriptures challenge, comfort and reassure them that God is with them and is in control. 3. Forgiveness and reconciliation are critically important not only for a healthy spiritual life but also for our relationships with people.  Accepting and giving forgiveness are so important that our Lord mentioned it on a number of occasions (Matthew 6.14, 18.22-35, Mark 11.25, Luke 17.3-4). He even placed it in His model prayer: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

The last principle that COLF mentioned to help identify God’s leading toward vocations is the Eucharist. In the Eucharist we find the sacrament of sacraments; in the Eucharist we find the center and heart of Church life; in the Eucharist we receive Christ himself. In the Eucharist we find divine love. 

Divine love calls the faithful to holiness and the mission to spread the Gospel message in a multiplicity of vocations.  It is through vocations we find ways to return our love to God.  He first loved us when we were still dead in our sins. This is the substance of God’s divine love expressed through the ultimate sacrifice of His Son at Calvary for our sakes. 

Part of our Christian calling is to live in the world but not like the world or its evil. Our faith sets us apart from the world, or it should.  For some of us who were at one time part of the world and its evil, the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ was the best news. At a personal level, the thought that God might forgive me was almost too much to hope for or contemplate.  And yet that is the message of the Cross.  There is no sin too evil to be forgiven.  Through repentance, confession, and faith in Christ, the penalty for my sins was paid by Christ on the cross.  A reprobate like me was forgiven! A new life in Christ was possible. Who can truly fathom the mystery of so great a love?

The power of Christian witness and the power of love can change and transform people. Never discount or overlook this important truth. Divine love changes everything.

Mark