The white flakes fell around us as we walked our way through the valley under the steep mountains. We stopped under the tall pines that lined the road, and he turned to face me. The words came from his lips, words I had waited to hear, longed to cling to for months.
His uncertainty about us had driven me to tears and so many prayers. In the depths of my aching soul, God had shown me that he and I were meant to be together, but he was slower to see the truth.
Gazing into his sensitive brown eyes, the stifled emotion came up; it was time. I could love him freely.
Walking back to campus, hand in hand, everyone could see what they had inferred for weeks. We were in love.
Months and years passed, and the love continued to flow freely. It deepened. It continues to deepen. It is a joy to see him grow more into the man he is meant to be, a husband to me and the father of my children. And I know I would never have succeeded in my calling as a wife and mother, had he not been loving me so fully.
His love for me, my love for him, show me the meaning of the Lord’s words in Hosea.
"I will heal their defection, says the LORD,
I will love them freely;
for my wrath is turned away from them.
I will be like the dew for Israel:
he shall blossom like the lily" (Hosea 14:4-5).
Faithful, freely given love is a healing love. It is like the dew each morning, watering the earth. It waters the soul. It causes the beloved to blossom, to show forth who they are and the grandeur of God.
Our Lord is a patient lover. He waits for us to come to Him. He just wants us to turn our gaze upon Him and let Him love us freely. When we do this, we will blossom and become just who He intended us to be.
Re-read today's Gospel to hear Jesus' words on love.
Susanna Spencer is the Theological Editor for Blessed is She who studied theology and philosophy in her earlier life. She happily cares for her three adorable little girls, toddler boy, and her dear husband in Saint Paul when not writing and editing. She loves beautiful liturgies, cooking delicious meals, baking amazing sweets, reading good books, raising her children, casually following baseball, and talking to her philosopher husband. She is a contributing author to our children's devotional prayer book called Rise Up and Theological Editor of the Catechism Studies, the Mystery Studies, and the Works of Mercy study. You can find out more about her here.
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