Monday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time (July 16, 2018): Discovering a life full of love.

We can summarize the words of Jesus in today’s Gospel reading this way: “When you give up everything, including your desire to get your needs met through other people instead of relying on Me, that’s when you discover the good life, the truly good life. That’s when you find real love.”

He’s saying to you: “What’s killing your heart? Who’s hurting you? Instead of clinging to your own efforts to find renewal and restoration, turn to Me. Instead of trying to bring your own healing or solutions into that situation, turn to Me.”

He says, “What are you seeking from someone else? Find it first in Me, and then you will enjoy what others are able to give you, even if it’s not enough. Seek everything you need from Me first, not others, and then you will feel satisfied regardless of whether or not they give you what’s been missing.”

And: “Why are you trying to avoid suffering? Even I suffered. Follow Me. Embrace your cross. Walk with Me, and I will help you carry it, and I will redeem it. Together we will reach a new life that’s full of the love you need.”

No one but Jesus can give us everything we need. In times of unhappiness, if we can’t see Jesus, it’s because we’re looking at the wrong person. We’re more interested in getting another person’s love than we are in receiving Jesus’ love. We’re more interested in complaining about those who don’t satisfy us than we are in rejoicing about what Jesus is doing for us. We’re more interested in being affirmed by others than we are in God’s affirmation.

Do you have low self-esteem? Then you have not yet discovered how good you truly are, because you’re seeking the approval of others. Their disapproval (from the past and/or present) is so deafening that you cannot hear Jesus telling you how very pleased he is with you.

Go to him first for everything. He is standing before you, his arms open to receive you. He’s eager to embrace you. He yearns to tell you that you’re a precious masterpiece created lovingly by the Good Father! Anyone who has convinced you that you are tainted junk was not speaking the truth. Only Jesus knows just how good you really are. Only Jesus can show you the gem that you are — and you truly are a precious gem!

The more we want something from others and fail to get it sufficiently, the more we hurt. If we ask Jesus to restore peace in our lives by making others love us better, he says, “Do not suppose that my mission is to spread that kind of peace. I want to divide you from whoever is blocking your view of My love and deafening your ears to My words. That is when you will discover true peace.”

Thank You, Father, because everything I need can be found in You. I’m rich in You, I lack nothing. Help me to accept Your embrace every day so Your mercy will heal me, save me and deliver me. Amen.