"For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice"

Saturday of the Third Week of Lent
Readings may be found here at the USCCB
​How hard it is for us to remember that the only true power in the universe is love. There are so many illusory forms of power in the world around us: fame, wealth, political, technical and military might. All these tempt us to imagine ourselves the masters of the world, others, and ourselves. We walk the world as if we were gods. The worst part of this temptation is the truth that when some would be gods others must be slaves. So much human suffering through the ages has been caused by the greed, envy, and egotism of those who would dominate, manipulate, and exploit. The Holy Scriptures are clear in exposing the lie and bringing us to the truth that offers healing and liberation. We are not gods, we do not and cannot control our fate or that of any other. The path to the fullness of life is found in forgetting the self, trusting in the True God, and heeding His call to unselfish love.
In the readings today, Hosea and Jesus both point to the sad reality that human beings sometimes even turn religious practice into another way to imagine that we are in control - to use ritual or custom as if we might bind God to our purposes. Today we are warned away from such foolishness and to recognize that authentic relationship with God demands trust, surrender, and the free embrace of that power of God which is love. The Good News is that the only truly Powerful One, the Creator of the Universe is Love Itself. We can be infants in the arms of a loving parent, helpless and protected, vulnerable and trusting. God bless you and keep you.

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