The Delight in the Love of God

by Fr. John Parks  |  09/22/2024  |  Weekly Reflection

Recently, my sister told me a story about her 6-year-old daughter – my niece – who had a friend of hers over. Now, the friend she had over has nine brothers and no sisters. So, at one point she was delighted when they were able to lay out in the bedroom all of my niece’s princess dresses and take careful time beholding and appreciating each one (not something often done when you are the only girl in a family with 9 brothers).

The reason they did that is because they delight in the beauty of the dresses. It brings them joy just to look at them.

In the Gospels, we hear about the baptism of Jesus. The Bible says that the sky was torn open, the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus and the Father declares, “this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.” The Father is pleased with the son. He loves him and delights in him.

For all of us, there can be a temptation to have a “performance-based” image of God i.e. God loves me, cares for me, is good to me to the degree that I perform for him. In this worldview, if I do something displeasing to God, he withdraws his love or his care and is aloof to me. This image of God can be exhausting, always trying to “measure up” to the love of God, to be “good enough” or “interesting enough” to be worthy of his love.

But what Jesus came to reveal is that God is love. His love is a gift freely given in abundance for his children whom he loves. We don’t earn it, or buy it—we receive it and live from that place of freedom. When the Father looks at you, it’s not like an IRS agent looking at his books making sure you “measure up” it is more like my niece and her friend beholding the beauty of princess dresses. They just delight in and love them. That is how God sees you. Do you believe it? Or do you feel constant pressure that you are not quite good enough?

Jesus came that we might have life and have it abundantly. If you are in a “performance-based” mentality concerning the love of God, ask Jesus, “do you love me?” and “what do you see Jesus when you look at me?” The answer may be the most delightful thing you have ever heard.