Human Love Reflects God's Love

"Jesus answers, 'Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick: I have come to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance." Luke 5:31-32

God's love for us is everlasting; it existed before we were born and will exist after we have died. It is an eternal love in which we are embraced. Living a spiritual life calls us to a claim that eternal love for ourselves so that we can live our temporal loves - for parents, brothers, sisters, teachers, friends, spouses, and all people who become part of our lives - as reflections and refractions of God's eternal love. No fathers or mothers can love their children perfectly. No husband or wives can love each other with unlimited love. There is no human love that is not broken somewhere ... No love is the prefect love our hearts desire, sometimes human love is so imperfect that we can hardly recognize it as love.

When our broken love is the only love we can have, we are easily thrown into despair, but when can live our broken love as a partial reflection of God's perfect, unconditional love, we can forgive one another and enjoy together the love we have to offer ... We must trust that the source of all love is God's unlimited love, and that this love is not far away from us but is the gift of God's Spirit dwelling within us.

"O God, help me not to demand of others the perfect love they cannot give."

Henri Nouwen

"Friends united in prayer know no separation."
- Francis de Sales -