Today's readings are here: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/030412.cfm
Whenever I read the first reading, I feel ashamed and convicted because I don't love God the way Abraham did. Heck, I would have a hard time giving up my iPhone, let alone one of my kids. What did Abraham see in God that enabled him to love God above everything else in his life? I suspect it was God's love and goodness. In any case, I do not know God the way Abraham did.
What can we do to become more like Abraham in our love for God? I think it begins with realizing that God loved us first and showed it by not withholding his Son from us. Abraham loved God and did not withhold his son; God loved us and did not withhold his Son. I bet Abraham spent a lot of time pondering the love of God for him, and this gave him the strength and encouragement he needed to love God in return. The same will happen for us.
I think one way for us to ponder God's love this Lent is to spend some time meditating on the sorrowful mysteries of the Rosary with the intention that God, through the intercession of Mary, would open our eyes to the depth of his love in Christ. As we pray the sorrowful mysteries, we should think about how our sins have caused Christ such pain; and yet, even though we have done such horrible things to him, he still loves us.
May God help us to put him first in our hearts, since we were first in his.
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