Article Tools
- Text Size
- Add a comment (0)
- Print-Friendly
- Email this article
A mother gazes into her baby's eyes, and he responds with a smile and cooing sounds of happiness. A man asks a woman to marry him, and she throws her arms around him, kisses him, and says "yes," her eyes filling with tears. An elderly woman in a nursing home is visited by two close friends, and her vital statistics show immediate and unexpected improvement. Each of these examples illustrates a universal truth: When we know we are loved, it shows. Or to put it another way: Love begets love.
This truth applies just as much—and perhaps even more strongly—to our relationship with God as it does to our human relationships. And that’s exactly the way God intended it to be. His love is meant to beget love in us. Knowing that he loved us before we even knew him is meant to warm our hearts and make us want to spend time loving him in return and sharing his love with the people around us. Experiencing his mercy should humble us, fill us with gratitude, and move us to be merciful toward those around us.
St. Augustine is a perfect example of this truth. For years, he had sought the meaning of his life through academic study. But it was never enough. While he tried to satisfy his mind with learning, his heart still yearned for a love…
The full article is available to subscribers only
Access all articles, daily meditations and readings, as well as special resources, by becoming a subscriber. View subscription options.
Special Offer: Two week free web-only trial subscription. Sign up now.
Existing Print & Web-Only Subscribers: Login for full access.
