Love of God has never been easy for me. During formation and my early priesthood, I often felt like an imposter. I kept thinking I should be feeling more or doing more. People talked about being on fire and I would have settled for a slow burn. In addition to that, I was supposed to be formed in the tradition of Francis de Sales who wrote the book on loving God. His other classic is actually called the Treatise on the Love of God. When asked if I had a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, I would often think, “Well, I have a working relationship with Jesus Christ.”
I have been trained to bring all things to prayer. So I did just that. I would often pray, “God, I don’t know how to love You. I don’t know what it means.” Response - Silence. I was also trained to be persistent. I prayed with frustration, “Lord, I find it natural to love the people You send into my life, but I do not know how to love You. I love people, I don’t know how to love You.” Only once have I heard something back in prayer with this clarity, “Joe, they are not two different things.”
Last Sunday’s Gospel from Matthew has a similar insight when we hear, “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for Me” (Matt. 25:40). I think Matthew’s Gospel has the best response to my question, “Lord, how do I love you?” The Lord responds back with clarity, “love your neighbor.”
The Constitutions for the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales have a similar insight. Loving God and loving neighbor are not separate. Our founder, Blessed Louis Brisson, is quoted saying:
“We must start with this principle of our holy Founder, St. Francis de Sales, namely that there is always in our neighbor something of God, and consequently, something lovable. If you do not see your neighbor in a good light, it is because your look is fascinated with your own excellence, which impedes you from seeing the reality around you…namely, God in your neighbor.”
My new spiritual practice is to ask God and the people in my life the same question, “How can I love you today?” Then, I listen.
May God be Praised!
Fr. Joe Newman, OSFS
Provincial
Toledo- Detroit Province
