With You Always

June 7, 2009

Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

“This is why you must now know, and fix in your heart, that the LORD is God in the heavens above and on earth below, and that there is no other. You must keep his statutes and commandments which I enjoin on you today, that you and your children after you may prosper, and that you may have long life on the land which the LORD, your God, is giving you forever.” Deuteronomy 4:39-40

For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption, through which we cry, "Abba, Father!" The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him. Romans 8:15-17

“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” Matthew 28: 19-20

Piety

Lord, you never stop loving us as your precious children, no matter what we do – no matter what we do not do. Even when we forget you, surround us with your protecting love. You are the light and the thoughts in our mind. You are the sights brought in to our eyes. You are the life in our body, the Word on our lips and the song in our heart. Make our faith in you grow constant. Amen. (Adapted from the World Prayer – “I Am With You Always.”)

Study

God certainly has the market cornered on ideas that are hard to understand like the unrequited forgiveness we contemplated yesterday. What in the world did we ever do to deserve such limitless love? Being borne into this world was reason enough for God to love and forgive us always.

Today, we get two more of these deep ideas that defy common sense. First is an inheritance forever. By its very nature, an inheritance is transitory. The property was passed to us from a deceased relative. When we die, it will pass on again. But not with what God has given to us. We will possess that love for ever. There is no end.

The second idea is this concept of God being with us always. Jesus has just commanded his disciples to go make disciples of all nations. Yet now he says when we go, he will stay with us always. What? How can the Lord be in two places at once? Or three? Or twelve?

We must progress beyond mere logic and rationality and explore a relationship based solely and completely on love. This is not a quid pro quo alliance like we might have with Safeway or Costco or Sears.

According to the song “Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee,” God is “Always giving and forgiving, ever blessing, ever blessed.” When we mere mortals are asked to join this happy chorus, we can expect to have difficulty comprehending God’s truth in the same way we have difficulty explaining the rise of the morning star or the depths of the oceans. God’s will is whatever is happening in the present moment whether we understand or not.

Action

God works overtime to be with us always because he has the unified assistance of the Trinity and the sacraments. However, God created a system/universe/world in which we also are an extension of his reach and frequency. Where will you carry God in the coming week?