I pray for the gift of an intimate knowledge of all which God does in his love for me. Filled with gratitude, I want to be empowered to respond just as totally in my love and service of him.
There are 4 different focal points for my prayer.
1. God's Gifts to Me.
God creates me out of love which desires nothing more than a return of love on my part.
So much does he love me that even though I take myself away from him, he continues
to be my Saviour and Redeemer. All my natural abilities and gifts, along with the gifts
of Baptism and Holy Communion and the special graces lavished upon me, are only so
many signs of how much God our Lord shares His life with me. My consolation: who
I am by the grace of God! If I were to respond as a reasonable person, what could I
give in return to such a love? Moved by love, I may want to express my own love
response in the following words:
Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my entire will - all that I have and call my own. You have given it all to me. To you, Lord I return it. Everything is yours; do with it what you will. Give me only your love and your grace. That is enough for me. |
2. God's Gift of Himself to Me.
God not only gives gifts to me, but he literally gives Himself to me. His is not only the
word in whom all things are created, but also the word who becomes flesh and dwells
with us. He gives Himself to me so that His Body and Blood become the food and
drink of my life. He pours upon me His Spirit so that I can cry out "Abba". God loves
me so much that I literally become a dwelling place or a temple of God - growing in an
ever deepening realisation of the image and likeness of God which remains the glory of
the creation of man woman. If I were to make only a reasonable response, what could I
do? Moved by love, I may find that I can respond best in words like TAKE AND
RECEIVE.
3. God's Labour for Me.
God loves me so much that he enters into every struggle of life. Like a potter with clay,
like a mother in childbirth, or like a mighty force blowing life into dead bones, God
labours to share his life and his love. His labours take him even to death on a cross in
order to bring forth the life of Resurrection. Once more I question myself how I can
make a response. Let me look again to the question of TAKE AND RECEIVE.
4. God as Giver and Gift.
God's love shines down upon me like the light rays from the sun. His love is poured forth
lavishly like a fountain spilling forth its waters into an unending stream. Just as I see
the sun in its rays and the fountain in its waters, so God pours forth Himself in all the
gifts which He showers upon me. His delight and his joy is to be with the sons of men
- to be with me. He cannot do enough to speak out His love for me - ever calling me to
a fuller and better life. What can I respond to such a generous Giver? Let me consider
once again the expression of TAKE AND RECEIVE.