“Always” | Reflection by Barbara Jarry

As a Grandfather gazes upon his newly born Grandson, his heart is filled with gratitude. He promises the child, “I will ALWAYS love you.”

This beautiful photo points to a longing for ALWAYS Love, that lies deep within the human heart. It is a gift to feel and know the faithful love of others throughout the years. However, the disappointment and brokenness of love can also be a reality for us.

So, as we journey through the hills and valleys of life, we are reminded that the promise of the ALWAYS Love of God is there for us.

The message in Isaiah 43:1-5 is: “Be not afraid I go before you ALWAYS; come follow me and I will give you rest. You are precious in my sight and I love you.”

Celtic spirituality gives us deeper insight into the ALWAYS nature of Love. John Philip Newell, author of Sacred Earth, Sacred Soul shares this: “What shines most deeply in the face of a newborn child is sacredness, and this sacredness is deep within each of us.”

Love, like nothing else, is the fire that fully awakens us to the sacred in one another and in the earth. In the Celtic world, reawakening to the sacred is reawakening to love. The two are inseparably intertwined.

When we love, we are most truly alive. When we love, we are most fully awake to the true heart, made of God, sacred.

The season of Lent invites an awakening to ALWAYS Love, a love that fuels compassionate presence, action and healing. This is the way of Christ, who promises: “I will be with you ALWAYS, even to the end of ages.”

May we give birth to Love – ALWAYS.

Photo caption: Grandpa Michael Ryan and baby Henry Ryan. Henry, now 3 blesses us with so much Love!