In today’s Gospel, we are reminded to “Love God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and your neighbor as yourself.” Because of my own humanness, this is impossible to achieve. However, my love and affection for God has certainly grown more intense as time goes by. That’s because I’ve witnessed, firsthand, God’s faithfulness to me in my times of struggle. I’ve also come to understand that when I offer acts of kindness towards others, I feel His compassion, mercy and love working in my life. 

Growing up, my Mom was always “belting out songs” for everything. She used to sing, “to know, know, know Him, is to love, love, love Him!” That song, ringing out in my head, expresses the basics of why God created me. To know Him, to love Him, to serve Him. The more I know and recognize God in my life, the more I love Him. Doing good things for others, is my way of glorifying God.

Here we are in November already! The days are shorter and the darkness lasts longer. It takes more gathering up of energy to go outside and enjoy nature. Colder… more layers of clothing… the trees emptying of leaves… more tired… a strong desire to “hunker down” as winter approaches. We are all in a seasonal transition. I notice the change in the teens I work with. Many are run down, sleepy, unmotivated.

Yet, the cold and darkness are necessary so that I can appreciate the warmth of His light. I am reminded of how I need to be a carrier of His light. I need to reach out to those who are unable to experience the kinds of blessings that I do. Even in the darkness, I am being called to love God by loving others and sharing His light with them. Listen to Him call…