I speak to you today about the love and mercy of our Father God. And I believe that this is very important and timely, because in our current society I perceive more and more that the conception of God as Father is absent, which does not surprise me, because it is due to the social moment we are going through. We are conditioned by the society in which we live and, even if we do not want to, their ideas and valuations influence us, directly or indirectly. For example, notice that daily the news is talking about: Homes where there are no parents due to the high number of divorces. Parents who mistreat their children. Parents who mistreat the mothers of their children. Parents who sell their children to buy drugs. Parents who sell their daughters to buy alcohol. Parents who sexually abuse their children. Parents who are mere providers in the home
As you will understand all this distorts what is paternity. The figure of the father is no longer that of the man who wants the best for his children and who gives his life for them. It is very difficult, even if you do not believe it, when you teach children catechism to make them see that God is Father. I say in theory this is very easy, but to make it a reality in their lives, no.
As a consequence, God, for our society, is a very remote father, a father who works over time to buy things for his children and does not have time to dedicate to men. For this reason, I consider it very appropriate that the Church has dedicated this year to the Father, so that we may become aware of it.
Why does true love touch every heart? Why does the simple phrase "I love you" produce such joy in everyone?
Man gives several reasons, but the real reason is that every person who comes to earth is a spiritual son or daughter of God. Because all love emanates from God, we are born with the ability and desire to love and be loved. One of the strongest links we have with our premortal life has to do with how much our Father and Jesus loved us and how much we love them. Despite the fact that a veil was pulled back from our memory, whenever we perceive true love, a longing that can not be denied is awakened.
Responding to true love is part of our true being; we carry within us the desire to experience here on earth the love we felt there. Only if we feel the love of God and fill our hearts with His love can we be truly happy.
God's love fills the immensity of space; therefore, there is no shortage of love in the universe, only in our willingness to do whatever is necessary to feel it. In order to achieve this, Jesus explained that we must "[love] the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself
(Luke 10:27)
27 He answered and said, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.
Filled with His love we can cope well with pain, dispel fear, freely forgive, avoid contention, renew strength and bless and help others.
