Reflection for Tuesday, March 4, 2003: 8th week in Ordinary Time.
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Authors
Kestermeier, Chas, S.J.
Issue Date
2003-03-04
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Essay
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en_US
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Abstract
Love is, among other things, a union of two individuals in such a manner that the two actually do become one (or at least move steadily in that direction.) One of the aspects of living such love out is that each of the lovers must empty himself or herself and surrender completely to the other, or else the other can never fill them. This cycle of exchange turns "mine" and "thine," "me" and "you" into "ours" and "us."||God began his love for us with his eager calling us forth from nothingness, by his great desire to gift us with his very selfhood, and then continued by emptying himself of his Son and even the Spirit whom the Son lavishes on us. God has surrendered himself to us utterly, in a way and to an extent that it is hard for even faith to grasp or accept.|As for our part in this exchange, Jesus calls us in today's Gospel to abandon our limited and earthly ties in our attempt to turn absolutely everything over to the Father, even things that are very good, but because of the nature of God's love for us we receive father, mother, and all the rest back at least a hundredfold. Then we no longer merely hold what we possess as individuals but we constantly receive them anew in our exchange of love with God and hold all as brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, in common. This open-ended possession will be fully evident only in the fullness of the Kingdom, but for now we can at least glimpse a hint of this love and begin to live it in freedom.
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University Ministry, Creighton University.
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These reflections may not be sold or used commercially without permission. Personal or parish use is permitted.
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Lectionary Number: 348