Scripture passages turned upside down.

Yesterday, Good Friday, a dear lady told me that she envisioned me identifying with Mary’s suffering in a more profound way this year and I have to confess, I have not let my mind go there yet.

Right now I find myself identifying more with God the Father actually.  Thursday I was finishing  Peter Kreeft’s book “Everything You Want to Know About Heaven” and he tries to answer the question “How many are saved?”  He says even Jesus won’t answer that question but said, “Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.  For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”  That is a very familiar passage and I confess that my understanding of it was probably no different than many others, in the sense of taking it literally, ‘many’ meaning lots and ‘few’ meaning not very many.  But Mr. Kreeft goes on to say that the words “many” and “few” were uttered by love.  Instantly I understood what he was getting at before he finished explaining.  For God who is our loving Father even one soul who chooses the way of destruction is too ‘many’ and if heaven is missing even just one beloved soul it will still have too ‘few’.  It turns the passage totally upside down and gives us a glimpse into God’s heart.

I then really understood for the first time the parable of the lost sheep and how the shepherd could leave the 99 and go after the one and rejoice more in the one lost and found than the 99 who were not lost.  That parable came alive to me as never before because again, it was told from a perspective  of total love.   People have said to us  ‘well be thankful you have five children to continue to love’.  True, but five will always be too few now!  Even if God were to bless us with another child then six would be too few!  Seven would be too few.  It’s not that we love Bernadette more or the others less, it’s not that at all.  Without Bernadette our family will never be complete.  And God the Father must feel the same way – except on an infinitely bigger scale.

Dear Patti
Thanks for sharing the glimpse into Gods heart it means a lot to me.

Br Raymond

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Wow. Oh, wow! Your heart is shattered with grief yet you lead us all to ever more profound insight into the love of God. Your journey, your path speaks of God’s love in ways we have not thought of. Like all prophets you walk that path with dread and heartbreak and humility and yet you light our way. I’m sure you don’t want any of this and yet God chose you. My heart breaks for you in your own agony and crucifixion. Your resurrection is sure to be overflowing with the light and love of God with Bernadette and her siblings in the center of that radience. Prayer hugs to you and your family. V

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