Giving to the One who Gives Everything

On Friday I texted my sibling group chat to see what we were getting our mom for Mother’s Day and then for her birthday a week later.  Of course, they had all decided on their own gifts, abandoning the idea of all going in on a gift together.  This left me trying to come up with what to get and required some last minute shopping Friday after work.  What do you get for the person who gave life to you?  What can you give to the person who has raised you, supported you, and given you everything?  You and I both know there’s no gift or material item that compares to what a mother gives and has given.  This led me to reflect on who Jesus is and all He has given us.  What do we give to the one who has given His life for us?  What can we give to the one who guides us, leads us, and walks with us each day?  Love.  The answer is our love.

God doesn’t need us.  He doesn’t need anything from us either.  The amazing thing is that while He doesn’t need anything from us, He wants us to love Him and have a personal relationship with Him.  He created us for a purpose.  As we heard in this weekend’s Gospel, “It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain…” (John 15:16).  We all have a mission and purpose for our lives.  While our paths may all be different, we are all called to love and serve God and share His love with others.  God has chosen each one of us; not because He needs us, but because He wants us.  How awesome is that?!?  The all-knowing, all-powerful God who created heaven and earth and everything in between gives us everything and all He really wants from us is our love.

When we choose to fully love God with all our hearts, minds, and souls, we are inviting Him to remain within us and transform our lives.  When we allow God to transform our lives, others will notice and may come to know Him and His love for them.  And this is what God wants; to be known and loved by each and every single one of us.  May you never forget that God, who has given you everything, will never need anything from you but will always want you to love Him.