Love Is Simple to Say and Hard to Accept
Good morning, everyone. Today is the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, so we have the Gloria, the Creed, and of course this beautiful statue before us.
Our reader gets up and says it plainly: “God is love.” That raises a question. Why would we not accept God’s love? Are we so foolish?
The reason is this. What nobody tells you is that love is scary. Love is risky. Love is painful. That is why.
Why Love Hurts
God is love, yes, and God’s love is everlasting. God loves us not because we are worthy but because God is love. So why does it still feel so painful?
Think about it. When you love someone, why don’t you just tell them? Because they might reject you. They might push you away. And when you love someone, another person might grow jealous, and that is painful too. When you are scorned or rejected, it does not feel good. That is why, no matter how often we want to say “God is love,” it remains hard.
The Sacred Heart Is an Offering
Look at this statue. This sacred heart statue has arms like this, as if to say “stay away.” I don’t know where we got this one. Most of them are different. They’re inviting. They say “I give you my heart.” That gesture is a call.
A Call to Trust
Today is not simply a day to accept God’s love. Of course we want to accept it. But today we are called to learn to trust it.
The power that created the universe did not come from success or strength. It came from love. And love continues to give even when we suffer, because we trust that doing what is good and right and beautiful will always be ours in the end. That will be our victory.
Perseverance and trust. That is what the Sacred Heart of Jesus calls us to today.
Amen.
