One thing we are guaranteed of in this life time is that we will experience both joy and sorrow. Jesus certainly experienced the fullness of joy and sorrow while he was on earth. Both joy and sorrow afford pathways into a fullness of heart. Yet, it seems to me that sorrow offers a unique pathway into beauty beyond what the human heart can experience with joy alone. Looking at the cross we witness sorrow precipitating joy – our ultimate joy. Without the sorrow and suffering of the cross we would not have the joy that follows – a promise of everlasting life with our Triune God. After all, if God wanted human redemption and healing done differently he would have done it differently. Obviously, Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection was the best, and most perfect plan.
The Love of the Cross
Looking at today’s readings we are reminded that we are united with Christ on the cross. The pain he suffered is our pain. His pain on the cross is the pain he carried for us out of his perfect love. He carried this pain so that we could live. Being united with Christ on the cross means that we are united with both his sorrow and his joy. As Paul said to the Romans: “If, then, we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him.”
If we do indeed live with Christ (and we do) what does that mean? Can we even begin to understand what this means? Well, our humanity has built in limitations. I do not believe we can understand the fullness of what it means to experience God’s pure and perfect love revealed in the Passion. However, living with Christ does indeed promise a fullness of love that will be more than enough for us to live the life our heart desires.
We can live in perfect love – the pure, selfless, humble, sacrificing love revealed on the cross. The kind of love that poured forth from his Sacred Heart. This is the kind of love our great saints experienced. However there is a catch – we can only accomplish this through Christ. Because after all, he is the One we came into being through. We are all part of his sacred body. We live in the milieu of the body of Christ. To paint this picture I will share with you my story of the little fish.
The Little Fish & The Holy Trinity
Imagine a little fish in the ocean, floating around and bathing in the waters. The little fish breathes in this life giving water effortlessly. Water fills every part of this little fish and yet, the little fish is unaware of the water. Not only is the fish unaware of the life giving water, it has no clue that it would die outside of it. Without the water there is no life for the little fish.
Now let’s pause for a bit and think about the Holy Trinity. Father God is the one who created the water, the little fish, and the entire ocean. He perfectly orchestrated everything so that the little fish could live. Once Father God created the little fish it came into being through the Son. Then gazing at their creation together, the Father and the Son share an infinite divine love that envelops their little fish. Much like two parents gazing at their sleeping child, a special love lives between them. This divine love is the Holy Spirit.
The same is true for us. Except we are created in the image of our Triune God. God the Father created every human being in his love. Then he willed all of us into life through his Son, that is, we came into being through the Son. Together, God the Father and God the Son adore and love each of us. They continually gaze upon us with a divine love that immerses us – the Holy Spirit.
1 John 5:11 – “God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”
We are like the little fish swimming in the God’s loving water, experiencing both joy and sorrow. The love of the cross, the living water, fills our cells and keeps us alive. We breathe in this water every moment of our life and it fills every part of us – every cell is filled with the true love of Christ. This water holds each and every person on our planet and it gives life to all. Without this sacred water we cannot live, that is, without God’s perfect love we will die. God not only wants each of us to experience this perfect love, he wants all of his little fish to live and return home to him.
“And this is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day.”
We will indeed return home to God when we surrender to our one true love – Jesus Christ. He will lead us home. And as Jesus told us, God’s Kingdom is within. Jesus lives inside our human heart. We will find all the love we could ever desire when we reach out to him there, especially when we seek him there during our sorrows.
Global Light For Christ (GLFC)
We are a group of Christ lovers who seek to support our fellow brothers and sisters on their journey into wholeness through prayer and petition. I invite you to share your prayer requests below and to pray for one another. Be blessed my brothers and sisters in Christ!
God bless all of you. See you next week Friday – Carolyn
If you would like to learn more about my work and my ministry I invite you to visit my website: CarolynBerghuis.com.
God the Father – hold us in your Fatherly love.
Sacred Heart of Jesus – heal us with your divine love.
God the Holy Spirit – immerse us in divine love.
