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Ubi Caritas et Amor…
Posted September 17, 2007 , By Joshua LeBlanc
The first line of the ancient latin hymn "Ubi Caritas" goes like this "Ubi Caritas et Amor, Deus Tibi est." For those of you who don’t read latin, this line of most often translated as "Where charity and love is, God is found." Since the beginning of his pontificate, Pope Benedict XVI has focused on the love of God and what love means.
The Gospel from this past weekend, the 24th Sunday in Ordinary time, focused on the love of God and what that means for us as His children. God’s love for us is unconditional. He doesn’t love us only in those times when we love him, yet he doesn’t force his love on us. The love of the Father is always there for us to receive it. It is we who turn away from God, not he who turns away from us.
There is a thin line between love and indifference. Many in our modern society confuse the both. A few years ago I heard a priest give a homily in which he assured all in the congregation of God’s love, and for them that meant that no one had to fear the pains of Hell, for God’s love would prevent any of us from going there. He continued that an all loving God does not send us to Hell. In a way, Father’s homily was true. God doesn’t send us to Hell, we freely choose Hell by turning our backs to him. If I turn my back to the Sun, does the Sun become evil because I feel the cold of winter upon my face? It is I who have chosen to face the dreary winter instead of the warmth of the Sun. It is I who have chosen evil.
The love of God has to be given greater meaning than the mere superficial. God’s love is so profound that he willingly gives us all of the things that we need to love and serve him. He did so for Adam in the garden in a very direct way — by telling him not to eat of the tree. We know that the consequence of Adam’s actions is what we today call original sin. Turning away from God has always resulted in bad consequences for humanity. You see, in the garden God did not tell Adam "Adam, its OK. I love you so there shall be no consequences for your actions." No, God’s love remained but in a very true way. How many times do we hear that when a parent loves a child, the result is discipline so that child will be formed well? As the evangelist Matthew writes "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!"
As we think about the Love of the Father, let us remember that love is giving those whom are its object what they really need and deserve as long as we turn to him with a sincere and contrite heart. While God never forces his love on us, He is always willing to give us the things we need to make us grow in holiness. No God doesn’t will any of us to Go to Hell, but he does allow it because in his great love, he respects the choices we make - even if that choice is eternal separation from Him.
Topics: Commentary |
