Devotions Archive Archive: 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 Search Archive Print This Article Not far from the Kingdom of God Friday, March 28, 2014 Hosea 14:1-2 Thus saith the Lord: Return O Israel, to the Lord your God. You have collapsed through your guilt. Under anger lies a deeper ground described in a sardonic acronym: GIFT. Guilt, inferiority, fear and trauma lie just below most anger in our emotional topography. Jewish prophets struggled for words to convince listeners to finally take responsibility for their own problems rather than blaming everyone else, including God. They had a hard time. No one much wanted to listen to such simple, painful truth. Summarizing these prophetic efforts, Jesus recalled commandments from Deuteronomy and Leviticus: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and mind and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself. When we fail in these loves we collapse through our guilt. Always have, always will. God's patience with us knows no end. Our selfishness, greed and fear are finite, but God's patience is infinite. The way of grace is always just a step away. Give and you will be given unto. Ron Rolheiser begins his new book Sacred Fire with words from St. Teresa of Avila: "When one reaches the highest degree of human maturity, one has only one question left: How can I be helpful?" There's nothing else to ask. God's love is everywhere and fills up every bucket that hasn't been turned upside down. When my bucket's always full and brimming over, what else is there to do but give? Lord, grace never stops falling, your honey from heaven. My galoshes become five-buckle boots, and those become waders, and then in an instant I'm drowned in your honey. But this kind of death makes life sweet and new. O taste and see that you are good. "; Add      Edit    Delete