In looking back at apparitions, we note that in one, down in Argentina, the Virgin Mary said that two-thirds of the world has been “contaminated.” The implication was sinfulness and lack of love.
How can that be, you might wonder, when the word “love” is bandied about more than ever?
It is a word too often with no meaning. When it is said with no sincerity, it is a lie and thus just a four-letter word. It is not true love. It is said but not felt.
Also what comes to mind: “The most important love is love of God.”
A word of knowledge: “All true love flows from that.”
And so a crucial question: How much and how often do we love God — do we take time to simply let our highest emotions flow into His? Even this day, we are reminded of the right level of love when we recall how Mary said to the angel during the Annunciation, “Let it be done to me according to Your Word.” His Word is His Will.
Living for what He wants — for His Plan — and for His every cause, is acting in true love and sweeps the soul — having scoured it — into Heaven.
Note how the very beginning of Jesus’ life on earth began with Mary’s words of surrender to God Almighty, and His life ended on that exact same note (“Nevertheless, let Your Will be done, not mine”).
It is the genius of the Holy Spirit that the Feast of the Annunciation occurs in close proximity to the Crucifixion.
On Good Friday, a tremendously powerful prayer during the Three Hours can be reading or recitation of the Psalms.
Praising God releases Grace and gives the Lord Creator what is His due. Meditate on that word almighty. Spend the day with that.
Perhaps in this we have an explanation, in our time, for why there is so much darkness.
The love we express often is not rooted in the primary love of the Lord — Who should be exalted all day every day, Whose Presence we must always acknowledge, and Who deserves infinite love not only because He is endless, tireless, unfathomable Goodness, but in simple gratitude for the fact that He made us (for eternity) to start with. He didn’t have to create you. He didn’t have to create us!
In exchange, how could anyone not love Him above all else and above — far above — anyone? How could we not think of Him far more than any human?
When the heart connects to Him with love, it is purifying the soul and sending healing around the world and all the cosmos like a circle of light. Loving God is the first step toward loving everyone and we should heed at this time of the year both for purification and recognition of our sins (the times we have not heeded the Commandment of love).
We live at a time of great rancor — and great confusion as a result.
God Almighty.
When we love God, we tap into the Power behind the entire universe.
To think that God can keep track of every single living organism on this planet and every grain of sand and then to consider that there are more stars and even more galaxies than there are grains of sand, and that God is equally aware of every molecule and atom in those heavenly bodies is something too glorious and great for the human mind.
It is why we must perceive Him with the heart, which can comprehend.
When we love God, we are protected; the enemy cannot harm us. He can harass. He can cause sufferings. But these become redemptive sufferings when offered up, accruing to our sanctification. “Let Your Will be done, not mine.” Nothing benefits the soul more than simply taking the time to love God.
It is in that Love that miracles take place.
As it says in the Mass reading last Friday, “One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him, ‘Which is the first of all the commandments?’ Jesus replied, ‘The first is this: Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.'”
Read that every day — every morning — and especially during Holy Week. With all your strength.
From the heart.
Then you will know truth which sets you free.
There is nothing in life that could be as important today, on Good Friday, on Easter, or on any other day.