Love ~ Remaining and Reminding

Once I Knew of Him.

Now I Know Him.

I want to know Him more.

He knew me before anyone.

He knows me better than anyone.

He wants me to know Him more.

First, I learned to speak of Love.

Then, I could feel Love.

Now, I know the Greatest Love.

He loves us as the Father loves Him.

Remain in His love to know His joy.

Complete Love. Complete Joy.

He says, Love one another.

Give more Love and receive more Love.

Allow it to take over your heart.

Speak of His Love that others may know of Him.

Act in His Love that others may know Him.

Be reminded of His Love at all times.

I've been chasing the greatest Love.

I've been chasing sunsets.

I've been exploring old pathways that become new again.

Love is...

At the foot of the altar... In the back pew... In a favorite reading chair... In the car...

Near the water...

On a mountain... In the hospital... At the gym...

In the smiles...

In the tears... With a crowd... All alone... The greatest Love is waiting...

We can know of great people in our life journey, but we must get to know them before sharing secrets, trusting, relying, befriending, loving them.

I can know you like ice cream, and so do I, but that's not enough for us to become best friends. I can listen to a great singing voice, but that's not enough for me to devote my life to the artist. I can read a great book, but it doesn't mean I know and love the author personally.

When we take time and give space to knowing someone, it connects our hearts. We can draw closer and closer and grow to love them. That closeness and love will not be sustained if we stop looking so closely, if they become just part of the scenery. We may be happy to have them around, but do they only feel seen when we need their help?

It's easy to fall into that kind of help-me-with-my-need relationship with the Lord. Going to Mass helps us know of His Word, but it doesn't necessarily mean we know Him. We have to take our Bible off the shelf, dust it off, and sit with His Word, opening our hearts and asking Him to teach and guide and heal us. In all of our relationships, we have to dust each other off, sit with each other, look, listen, and open our hearts and minds to know and love one another.

Our loves, our friends, and especially our Lord wait for us, wanting us, hoping we will reach out, turn back, touch, engage, and share our heart and mind.

The Tabernacle is more than decor for the Church. His presence in the Eucharist is more than a part of the Mass. Knowing Him takes commitment, just like any relationship; except this is the most important relationship in our lives. We have to receive, reciprocate, and remain in His Love for a deep and truly personal relationship with Him. In our very distracting world, we need frequent reminders to stay close to Him.

We will hear Jesus tell us the same in the Gospel of John 14:23-29, this Sixth Sunday of Easter:

I have told you this while I am with you. The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.

There are so many powerful liturgical celebrations coming upon us. Keep them in sight! The Sunday list, alone, provides amazing opportunities to connect with God and deepen our relationship with Him ~ The Ascension of the Lord, Pentecost, The Most Holy Trinity, The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, and The Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul. Plus, we have several memorials of other saints and the Blessed Virgin Mary sprinkled into the weekday Masses. If we take time to continue that glorious Easter Alleluia feeling, we will be on fire with the Spirit!

Follow the Daily Readings here. Take time with them each morning and listen to them proclaimed in Daily Mass if you are able. It is guaranteed to be life-changing.

Place reminders all around you to remain in His Love, so that your Joy might be complete. Then, rearrange them once in a while to keep them as fresh reminders. Don't let your Bible, Rosary, and Crucifix become dusty decor and another overlooked part of the scenery. Move your Bible to a different spot each month where you can rediscover it again and again. Sacred Scripture of old becomes new again every time we gaze upon it and pray with it. On my recent move, I kept my same furniture, rugs, and wall decor. But it looks fresh and new in my new home. My family and friends who have visited ask me if all of those things are new. They say it all looks different and fresh.

Everything old is new again when we get to know God, not just know of God. Introduce a new prayer card, a new prayer space, a new prayer practice into your day, and notice how your relationship with Him begins to feel new again!