The Love of God the Father
I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
(Matthew 11:25–27)
In this passage of the Gospel, Jesus reveals the path to living in communion with God, the Father. With the simplicity and trust of little children, we are called to recognize God’s loving presence in our lives, give thanks for all He has given us, and surrender ourselves to His holy will. Jesus also reminds us that true knowledge of the Father is not gained merely through human wisdom, but through a personal relationship with Him. So many times, we have prayed the Our Father, but do we truly think of God as our Father? Do we really know God? To love someone, we must first know him or her. In the case of God, we should reflect on His attributes and ponder them deeply.
- God is omnipotent, all-powerful, yet at times we doubt His power when we pray for the conversion of a family member or the healing of a loved one. We do not allow God to be God.
- God is omnipresent; He is everywhere, especially within us. If we truly reflected on this attribute, we would never feel alone. Yet often we think of Him as a God who created the world and then abandoned it.
- God is omniscient; He knows our thoughts, our struggles, our suffering, and our fears. Before Him we cannot pretend. We must present ourselves as we truly are.
- God is good and benevolent; He always seeks our good. Nevertheless, we often think of Him as a policeman watching us constantly, ready to punish us.
- God is beautiful; Since the concept of beauty has become so distorted in today’s world, it is difficult for us to imagine the true beauty of God.
- God is merciful and just. We tend to think these words are opposites, but in reality, they go together; one could not exist without the other. God is merciful whenever a person asks for forgiveness and repents; however, when there is no contrition or repentance, then the justice of God comes into play. Otherwise, God would become either permissive or tyrannical.
- God is truthful; there can be no deceit in Him. Yet, how difficult it is for us to believe in the truth of His Word.
- God is faithful; He fulfills, and will continue to fulfill, each one of His promises.
- God is holy. In Him there is no darkness, no stain of sin. Because of this, He desires that we, His children, seek holiness, so that we may become more like Him.
Let us meditate on God, the Father’s, attributes and bring them into our prayer life, so that we may come to know and love Him more deeply.
As we grow in the knowledge of who God truly is, our hearts will begin to trust Him more completely. We will discover that we are not alone, forgotten, or unloved, but rather cherished children of a loving Father who walks with us every day. May we open our hearts to His presence, allow His love to transform us, and live with the confidence that everything we place in His hands is held with infinite wisdom, mercy, and love.
Mother María Elena Martínez is a nun, born in Mexico City, where she still resides today. She has had a consecrated life for more than 30 years. She is currently a member of a community called María Madre del Amor which is dedicated to evangelization through Emmaus retreats in parishes and prisons and Sicar retreats for young people.
