God Loved Us First

In his first letter, St. John tells us bluntly:  "Beloved, we love God because he first loved us" (1 Jn 4:19)  Blessed Mother Teresa echoes John: Jesus wants me to tell you again...how much love he has for each one of you--beyond all you can imagine.  I worry some of you have not really met Jesus--one to one--you and Jesus alone. We may spend time in chapel--but have you seen with the eyes of your soul how he looks at you with love?  Do you really know the living Jesus--not from books but from being with him in hour heart?  Have you heard the loving words he speaks to you?  Ask for the grace; he is longing to give it.  Until you can hear Jesus in the silence of your own heart, you will not  be able to hear him saying, "I thirst" in the hearts of the poor.  Never give up this daily intimate contact with Jesus as the real living person--not just the idea.  How can we last even one day without hearing Jesus say, "I love you--'impossible. (Magnificat, January, p. 113)
Both quotations attempt to explain God's tremendous love for us; words fall short, even our dearest relationships which mirror God's love, come no where near replicating it.  Some of the great saints, like Teresa of Avila, Catherine of Siena, Francis and John of the Cross have experienced it perhaps as purely as humans can, but even their attempts to describe it fall short.  May we not be discouraged because of our indifference or our inability (yet) to immerse ourselves totally in it, but instead, be confident that the thirst for it will eventually lead us there.
Bro. Rene