Through the Eyes of God the Father part 4

Looking at the drops of real blood coming through Jesus’ forehead like perspiration you wanted to say, “Let’s forget this. No, Son you don’t have to go through this. Stop it right now.” You wanted to wipe his face, hug him, pat him on the back and say, “It’s OK. We don’t have to do this.” But as your only Son begged for help you remained silent. You did not rescue him. It was your agony too. Father and Son both suffering in that garden because of my sins. Because you loved me more than I deserve to be loved. Because you knew it was the only was for sins to be forgiven and eternal happiness to be available to all.
God I cannot fathom that much love. I can only respond in silent awe, humility and gratitude.
End.

Through the Eyes of God the Father part 3

As the supper neared the end Jesus asked his three good friends to go with him to the olive garden. You knew then that soon you’d be able to comfort your Son whose own heart was beginning to feel very heavy. Jesus told the three to pray while he moved to a more solitary place. That’s when you heard your Son’s struggle. He talked with you for hours. He finally realized the physical pain his human body would have to endure. He knew the torture he’d have to go through and the rejection by his own people. Foreseeing all of that of course he’d go to his Father. His real Father. He’d go to the One who could actually do something about it. He’d go to the One who truly loved him, who was a part of him. Your Son went to you God and asked for mercy. He begged over and over again. “Please don’t make me have to do this. If you say I have to then, of course, I will. Please tell me it isn’t necessary, Father.” You, the Perfect Dad, look at Jesus, the Perfect Son. You know what will happen. You know how much pain your own child will have to endure. It must have been agony for you God! Understanding this had to happen was not as painful in the planning stage.
…to be continued

Turn to God, others, and self

During Lent we might want to reflect on Teshuva (Hebrew for repentance, from shuvah, “to turn”). Each of us is given the chance, again and again to turn toward God and Lent is a good time to look at our lives and make decisions about how we might once again turn toward God, toward self and turn toward others. We can take some time for reflection and thought about each of these elements and how we might turn. “How will I turn toward myself during Lent?” I wouldn't normally think about that question. “How will I turn toward others?” “Who are the others and how can I turn toward them?” In thinking about the “other”, we think of people who may irritate us, or a boss or co-worker who is difficult to get along with. What can we do to turn toward them?

"We should have only one ambition: that people see that we, despite our limits, are people who really love the Lord, who are in love with him and who do not create an abyss between that which we say and that which we really are," Cardinal Ce told the pope and Vatican officials early in a retreat. To me that means we live our lives as people of integrity.