How Can I Love God?

In Sunday school when I was growing up we memorized questions from the

Catholic catechism, and when asked the questions we all nodded our heads yes or

no for the appropriate reply. Question: “Do you love God with your whole mind,

your whole body, and your whole soul?” We all shouted, “Yes!”, as we nodded our

heads.

Fast forward decades during which time that question came up intermittently and I

realized with trepidation that I could no longer say “Yes” and nod my head. More

and more it bothered me that I could not love something or someone that I did

not know.

So I ask myself: Who is God? And, how can I love Him?

The answer to that question is what we talk about now in my small women’s spiritual group

every Friday as we celebrate the Mass together.

Back to the catechism: “ I am made in the image and likeness of God.”

So, if I am made in the image and likeness of God, then all of my family and

friends are also made in the image and likeness of God. I love all my family and

friends, and so therefore, since we are all God-like, then I must love God.  Can you imagine

that it has taken me almost a lifetime to put that together in

my head?

There is one powerful image, my own personal Pentecost, that convinces me of

God’s love and how it is inevitable that I love Him.

A while ago I saw a photograph in color of earth taken from outer space and it

occurred to me that none of the planets which I know of has any life nor is as

beautiful as earth. Why this one planet whirling around in space? I choose to

believe that a Source we call God made this planet of ours with astounding beauty

and an infinite variety of life.

It’s hard for me to speak of the divine, but I see his/her handiwork in the gorgeous

roses in my back yard, my prolific lemon tree, and the lush green grass in my front

yard. If I put water in my bird bath, the birds come and splash and drink. It’s right

there in front of me. Yet I need to be reminded to even look – often. That’s what

my spiritual group of friends does for me. They keep me on the path to God.