Given to Jesus out of Love

Jesus says to us in John 6:37, “[e]verything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me.”  That statement is overwhelming! First of all, God the Father, the Creator of the Universe, the Almighty One, All Goodness, Eternal Love and Mercy, chooses me and you. We are His gift to His Son, Jesus, the Savior of the world. Why you or me? What have we done to merit being chosen by the Father and entrusted to His Son Jesus? Nothing! Pure Love at work!  Secondly, because the Father has given us to Jesus, we are able to come to Him.   And, thirdly, no one who comes to Jesus will be rejected by Jesus!  Wow! Coming to Jesus means coming to salvation, eternal salvation. It means coming to the Source of all goodness, all kindness, all compassion, all mercy, all-giving, all serving, to Peace itself.  When we come to Jesus we are  coming to the Source of wholeness, wellness, and fullness of life.  “I have come that you might have life and have it to the full.”  Coming to Jesus means coming to the Person who alone can fill my /your emptiness, calm our fears, make right in you and me what is “wrong,” make strong in you and me that which has been weakened by sin! It is Jesus who lowers pride in us and transforms it into humility, changes “water” in us into “wine” poured out for others, makes whole in us that which is broken.  And, in turn, He uses us to do the same for and with others!

And so, we open today’s liturgy with the prayer: Let my mouth be filled with your praise, that I may sing aloud; my lips…shout for joy, when I sing to you, alleluia. (cf. Psalm 71 (70): 8, 23)