Day 4: Act of Contrition, 4th Line

whom I should love above all things.

To be Christian is not to make Jesus a part of our lives; it is to realize that He is life, and live accordingly. Sin essentially starts at the point where we make something or someone—including ourselves—more important to us than God. When this happens, we always end-up disappointed and frustrated, because only God is good at being that important. He is the only one worthy to be worshiped, and He is the only one who can handle it.

When we truly begin to love God above all things, we find that our deepest need for love is met in Him. For most of us, it still takes a long time and a lot of effort to finally stop looking for love in lesser forms, and rely completely on God's love. We're just that broken. But when we finally start learning to depend on God's love, we also find that loving others becomes easier too, because instead of loving others because we are needy, we simply start to love all for Christ's sake. From significant others and family members to co-workers, enemies, and even ourselves, we can love simply because God loves, and we are His. This kind of love is not self-centered; it is self-giving. It pursues what is good for the other, rather than what we can get out of the exchange.

Care to share?

This reflection is a part of By Heart: A Lenten Prayer Project.