St Francis of Assisi The religion of Christ is love,” said St Teresa of Calcutta.
Lord, we forget sometimes that love of You is the essence of our religion. It is the first and greatest of all commands… ‘To love the Lord our God with all our heart and soul mind and strength.’ This is why we are created, why You give us the gift of life and today. As St Therese said “Lord, to love You I only have today.” The present moment.
We forget sometimes that the love which inspired You to give us the gift of the Eucharist, that every Mass said on the planet, is Your love, becoming present, Your way of remaining with us. There is no greater love. Baptism is the same, it was and is Your love for us, Your wish to write our names in Heaven, to instil in us the Holy Spirit, to guide our lives and keep us out of trouble. Equally Confirmation, it is the Holy Spirit poured out further, to fill our hearts, to become the Sweet Interior Guest, to steer us rightly through difficult paths and choices, to give us right reason, common sense, and lots more. The same applies to weddings in Church, to anointing, to Confession and holy orders, all are gifts of love of God, means by which God pours into the world His own love.
At crucial times, dying, deciding, beginning married life, beginning ministry, when seeking healing for sin and guilt, our prayers should be inspired by a Spirit of love for God and others. Every dawn, every sunrise, every gift of a new day, is also Your gift and for a reason. There is something for each of us to do. A little mission, a service, a work, which only we can do. No one need be unemployed for You are the Grandest Employer and You give everyone a purpose, a gift. To St Joseph it was carpentry and care of the Lord, to Our Lady it was a seemingly ordinary life in Nazareth, cooking, caring as other mothers. To St Peter it was fishing until called further.
St Francis of Assisi said when dying “I have done what was mine to do, may Christ show you what you must do.” This is the great question. Lord, what do you want me to do? What is my life’s work, my calling, my unique vocation? To be married? To be single? You know best. Here I am Lord, I come to do Your will.
For love of You today I will spend time thinking about this and asking You. Please, show me. Make clear my path, tell me what to do, where to go, what is my purpose.