clearly and completely in love
"Mary brought a pound of costly perfume made from genuine aromatic nard, with which she anointed Jesus' feet. Then she dried His feet with her hair." —John 12:3
The Lord gives us the command and the privilege to love Him with all our hearts, minds, souls, and strength (Lk 10:27). David prayed: "For You my flesh pines and my soul thirsts," and "My soul clings fast to You," and "Your kindness is a greater good than life" (Ps 63:2, 9, 4). Another psalmist prayed to the Lord: "When I am with You, the earth delights me not" (Ps 73:25). Pope St. John Paul II has spoken of having an encounter with the living God (Church in America, 7ff) and of praying "until the heart truly 'falls in love' " with God (Entering the New Millennium, 33).
In effect, the Lord wants us to have a relationship with Him as did Mary of Bethany. The Lord wants us to throw ourselves at His feet without counting the cost (see Jn 12:3). The Lord wants our love for Him to be so manifest that it is written all over our lives in our speech, work, relationships, decisions, sufferings, etc. Our lifestyles should proclaim our passion for Jesus so comprehensively and boldly that anyone observing us for a few minutes would have to come to the conclusion that we are preoccupied with loving Jesus.
This Holy Week, pray to be like Mary of Bethany in her obvious love for Jesus.
Prayer: Father, may I take personally Jesus' death on the cross.
Promise: "I believe that I shall see the bounty of the Lord in the land of the living." —Ps 27:13
Praise: George gave up his well-paying job to answer a call to the priesthood.
Reference: (To help you in Accepting Jesus as Lord, Savior and God, order, view or download our leaflet or order, listen to, or download our CD 43-1 or DVD 43 on our website.)
Rescript: †Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, September 24, 2020
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