Happy Valentine's Day 2014-It Comes Back to Jesus

A day to celebrate love. Perhaps only the poets and artists capture it best. Or perhaps Jesus captured it best. Self-sacrificing, unconditional love- deep, pure, without conditions.  When I give talks I usually tell people that many of the saints (St. Augustine, St. Therese of Lisieux) said that God loves each soul as if there were no other. It's very personal. People often seem shocked when I say that, but its true. Though it's a mystery as so much is when you are in relationship with the Divine, God loves us personally, individually, knows "each hair on our head."
And we are to love Jesus, to love The Trinity, in return, with all our being.
As Pope Francis recently said, "it is not enough to say one loves Jesus, it must be shown in love for those he loved (loves). 'Ask yourself, if going to Mass helps you to reach out to the suffering, or am I indifferent or am I gossiping.'"...................The Pope said going to Mass should be a life changing event. And of course it should be , if we truly believe what we say at Mass and what we believe is taking place at Mass.
At Mass I feel totally calm, at peace, enthralled with the ancient ritual and the feeling of being so close to God in worship in that sacred, consecrated place. I wish everyone felt as I do, because then it would be life changing and people would want to come for that feeling of fulfillment, enrichment and peace and to give glory to God and to be closer to the One who deserves our commitment, prayers and unconditional love.
NJA