A mother's love

After God's, a mother's love is the most unconditional love.

Restored

When God forgives, He forgives all the way. There are no half-measures for God.
It is something so difficult for us to understand because our life is often conditioned by "ifs" and "buts". It is just so hard for us to believe that someone will forgive, full stop.
But deep within the heart of each one of us, it is something we long for. There is something in us that is both skeptical yet hopeful.
Life is full of highs and lows. Even the best of us have their bad days. We need something, we need Someone who will assure us that despite all these, life is worth living. There is always hope for us to be restored.

Our Father

This is a rephrase of something Cassian, an early church father, wrote: In the Our Father Jesus gives us a model of prayer and a way of life.

That which makes you suffer

That which makes you suffer can make you grow.
In last Thursday's Gospel Jesus clearly says that whoever wishes to follow Him must take up one's cross. Yes, not any cross but "the" cross that is ours.
One thing I know about the cross is that it makes us suffer. It doesn't give us a fuzzy, cozy, comfy feeling; so we'd rather say, "no, thanks."
Another thing I know about the cross is, we don't choose it. Otherwise, we could so easily change plans.
There are normal everyday crosses of life which are the little disturbances and inconveniences.
There are also the big crosses that sign a certain call to conversion. They don't come often. In fact, they come when we least expect them.
But in whatever form the cross comes, as a follower of Jesus, I am not to run away. it is my way, the only way to grow.
As St. Paul said, "the cross is the wisdom of God."