The First Step

I was reading the Gospel for Friday, and meditating on the words of Jn 1:29-34.  John the Baptist saw Jesus coming towards him, and said: “Look, there is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.  This is the one I spoke of …”

I perceived how Jesus must have felt at that moment.  I had thoughts about my feelings when He comes to my life.  And, as is often the case, words could not describe what I felt.  And then I read the commentary in The Better Part (Meditation 241).  And it spoke the words I could not verbalize:

Jesus:  How much I love to do this.  I never force my way into anyone’s life, but I come towards everyone.  I want to attract their attention because I want their friendship and happiness.  I am always taking the first step.  Isn’t that what happened with you and me?  Don’t you remember? I caught your attention.  Even before that, I had been coming towards you in many ways.  It’s like when you are in love, and you go out of your way to run into the person you love, just to get a glimpse of them, just hoping that they will stop and talk to you.  I love you like that.  I even come right up to your heart and knock, hoping you will let me in.  I always have more to give you, more to teach you, more for us to do.  My love never runs out of words, attention, encouragement, projects – my love never runs out, period.  Keep welcoming me; keep looking out for me.  I am still coming towards you, and I will never stop coming towards you.

Christ in My Life   You are the Savior of all people.  You are the light of the world.  You are the Lamb of God.  I don’t want these words to become meaningless phrases in my heart.  Keep my faith fresh, Lord.  Just because I sometimes get tired or fall into routine, that doesn’t mean that you have changed.  You are still God; still the Lord; still the Teacher.  Open my eyes to see all the wonders of your love…

I think of all the people in my life: family, friends, colleagues, acquaintances … You have a mission or each one of them.  You are calling each one of them to be saints.  And I can either help them discover and fulfill that mission or hinder them.  I want to help them.  I want to encourage them in whatever way I can to hear and heed your call in their life.  With the zeal of your heart, set my heart on fire …

Thank you for coming into my life, Lord.  Before you came, I was like an unlit candle.  Jesus, never let me be separated from you.  O Lord, what would I do without my faith in you?  How vulnerable I would be to the lies and destructive seductions all around me!  Keep me faithful to your will, Lord, and make me an instrument of your peace …

(all underlines are ones I made in my copy of the book)