SAINT BERNARDINE OF SIENA, PRIEST (OPTIONAL MEMORIAL)

Father, they are your gift to me. 

Do you recall the last time someone gave you a gift and the anticipation, the eagerness you felt before you received it? Maybe you experienced joy or tender affection, for both the giver and the gift itself.

Well, you are God’s gift to Jesus. And Jesus has received you with joy and affection. You have a place of honor with him as he sits at the right hand of the Father in heaven.

For most of us, that’s a little hard to imagine. Too easily, our focus locks on to what we have to do to earn a place with Jesus. And having zoomed in on that, we tend to see our shortcomings and failure to deserve that place. But remember that on the night before he died, Jesus prayed for all “those who will believe” (John 17:20). He was praying for you. He knew that he was going to suffer death to ensure that he would never have to lose you. That’s how much he treasures you.

We often think about how we belong to Christ because of our faith, and of course that’s true. But then we think about how weak our faith must be and, as a result, how our belonging to Christ must be weak as well. But you belong to Christ because God has given you to him as a gift. And God doesn’t make mistakes; he doesn’t give gag gifts.

If you ever doubt this truth, remember the apostles. Peter denied Jesus three times, and the others ran away and hid when Jesus was arrested and executed. They experienced plenty of faults, failings, and lack of understanding, just as we do. Still, Jesus “loved them to the end” (John 13:1). Still, he came back to them and said, “Peace be with you” (20:19).

Jesus loves you too. He knows how weak you are. He knows how easily you fall to temptation. But he still treasures you as God’s gift to him, and he still wants to have you by his side (John 17:24). So when you see a fault, repent quickly. Remind yourself that falling short of God’s intentions doesn’t define you. It’s what God says about you that defines you. And he says that you are a gift that he delights to give his Son.

“Thank you, Jesus, for accepting me as God’s gift to you. Help me to remember who I am today.”

Acts 22:30; 23:6-11
Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-11
John 17:20-26

WORD AMONG US