Unconditional
Who would have thought that my Heavenly Father would decide to give me a gift this Father’s Day! Such is His love! I have been circling the airport this past month, so to speak. I have been faithful to prayer and to writing each morning and waiting. I have been waiting for the excitement to bubble, to feel the familiar prompt of Holy Spirit, “Here, this one, this reflection is one I want you to share.” So today being able to share the following with you is a gift and just as the prompting to share is a gift so too was the waiting. God is teaching me to be true to His inspirations and not force my own. Happy Father’s Day to all the fathers out there!
“As you go, make this proclamation,’The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.’ Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give. (Matthew 9)
God proves His love for us that in while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5)
I don’t know how many times I have heard Fr. Mark’s sermon on Father’s Day in the 11 years that he has served as the spiritual father to St. Bernard Parish, but given that his time with us comes to an end on June 30th, this will have been the last one most likely. Often times in our own families it takes the maturity that comes with the passing of time to fully appreciate the fathers in our lives (biological, spiritual, Heavenly). This has certainly been the case for myself with Fr. Mark. As the days close in on his departure, I can look back and better appreciate the fruit his spiritual fatherhood in my life. There have been struggles and joys just as with our own families, but I can see the wisdom of my Heavenly Father at work through Fr. Mark to walk me further along this journey of Catholocism. This Father’s Day he shared some beauriful wisdom that speaks strongly to two of the readings we had this weekend. Fr. Mark has a unique gift of being welcomed into the hearts and lives of the young adults. This is often represented in his sermons as he reflects on time spent in the midst of families with young children. Fr. Mark was hanging out with one family and watching the dad practice T-ball with the young son. The young boy was really giving it his all and trying hard to impress his dad. Isn’t that so often the case? Well the young dad in a moment of inspiration shared with Fr. Mark his worry that his son puts too much pressure on himself to “succeed” in order to gain approval, “What can I do to make sure that he doesn’t focus too strongly on my approval?” Father Mark looked at this young man and replied, “Love hime first.'“ You see, God loves us first and unconditionally. God loves us before we do a single thing that brings Him joy. God loves us if we don’t ever try to do a single thing that brings us joy. God loves us first, last, and always. We are called in our earthly relationships to model unconditional love, to give what we have received. “Without cost you have received, without cost you are to give.’ We are loved by a Heavenly Father who gave His Son before we did anything worth that sacrifice of love. “God proves His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” When we reflect on this, when we ask Holy Spirit to allow this truth to make a heart connection, the depth of this love bubbles up and awakens in us anew the awe of God. This Father’s Day I honor the unconditional love that God has demonstrated for each of us. I honor the facets of that love that are reflected in our earthly fathers, present within our families and present within our church communities. I call upon each of us today to spend time with each of our father’s in one way or another. In our time with our Heavenly Father may we ask Him, “Where in my life are you calling me to give without receiving?” Amen.
