All of God's Creation

In today’s first reading, Sirach 42: 15-25, Sirach is filled with awe at God’s creation:  “At God’s word were his works brought into being; they do his will as he has ordained for them.” As I meditated on the phrase , I thought of humankind. Of all of God’s creation, we are the ones to whom God gave freedom. We can choose to do the will of God or to follow our own will. As I grappled with the reality that I often choose my own will over God’s and then thought of the disasters in the world because of our ability to make choices contrary to God’ will, the Lord broke into my musings and said to me through His Spirit within me:

My will is that you have free will. I delight in that creation of you. Yes, I know that you choose your will over mine many times. In that, you learn to be obedient to my will. The suffering that follows your refusal to love sacrificially, to live the life of a disciple, teaches you to follow your Master. I built that dynamic within you. Grace will ultimately triumph over nature. I made it that way. Am I sad to see you, or anyone else,  choose your will over mine? Yes, but I love you unconditionally and will not take away your freedom. It is in learning to  choose  rightly that you will become truly free.  I cherish that dynamic in my creation of humankind.

Jesus, you delight in each member of Isis, in those perpetuating human trafficking, drug trafficking, slave labor, abortion and so many other corrupt practices?  I delight in every  person I created.  Each is my son/daughter. I gave each free will, as I did you. Each who chooses as Isis does or any other person making poor or sinful choices saddens me, especially if they choose to go their own way as Judas did. I don’t delight in anyone making choices that lead to perdition but I delight in the person I created, even when their potential of becoming the person I intended them to become is thwarted. So, too, when the person I intended you to become is thwarted when you choose pride over humility, selfishness over generosity, deceit over truth, prejudice over openness, nastiness over kindness, I am saddened but my love for you remains unconditional. I always delight in you. And ultimately grace will triumph over evil in you!