Psalm 139:1-3, 7-10, 13-14 October 3, 2014 26th Week in Ordinary Time You formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb. (Psalm 139:13) What makes babies so delightful? Science suggests that a baby’s large, round eyes and chubby cheeks trigger an instinctual reaction in its parents. Almost automatically, we smile. We feel a drive to care for and protect the child, to hold him or her close and shower love on this innocent little person that God has entrusted to us. Toy makers use this knowledge to their advantage: for example, eighty-six-year-old Mickey Mouse has gotten “younger” through the years as his head and eyes were drawn bigger and his ears rounder to make him look more appealing. Of course, this isn’t the whole story. We savor each stage of our children’s growth. We still beam with pride as our daughters become mothers, navigate morning sickness, and fall in love with their own children. We marvel as our sons tackle the challenges of fatherhood. Simply because they are our children, we feel an unbreakable bond, even when relations between us are strained. If earthly parents can feel so connected to their children, imagine how much God delights in you—even when you aren’t particularly delighting in him! Think of Job in today’s first reading. After enduring disaster upon disaster, he has taken up his case against God. As Job sees it, God owes him an explanation for the way he has treated him, and he will not rest until God answers for himself. But God, ever the loving Father, patiently works to set Job straight. He loves this son of his no matter what, and he will not rest until Job is at peace. Just as he was for Job, God is there for you. He is watching over you, showering you with love, and pouring out grace as you face the challenges of your life. Even if you can’t see him right now, a time will come, as it came for Job, when you will be able to look back and see that your heavenly Father has never left your side. You are his child, and he can’t help but smile every time he sees you. So try to relax in his gaze today and feel his delight in you. “Lord, help me grasp your love for me. Father, I believe that you delight in me. By your Spirit, deepen my faith today.” Job 38:1, 12-21; 40:3-5; Luke 10:13-16.
Posted on: Fri, 03 Oct 2014 09:01:50 +0000