HUG OF HEAVEN | KAIROS GLOBAL | MARCH 2022

Author: Anil Israel

Intro: Anil Israel reflects upon the deepest desire of every person – to be loved. 

Babies born pre-maturely need intensive care in neonatal centres. Differently abled people too demand exclusive attention and special support. Those who retire and are lonely also crave a dose of companionship in the twilight of their lives. In fact, everyone who is added to the earth’s population, comes with an in-born desire to be at the receiving end of love. ‘Forget-me-not’ echoes the unheard cry of the abandoned lot. The greatest need in the world is presumably the need to be valued – to be wanted – to be accepted – to be loved. St Mother Teresa of Calcutta said it more succinctly, ‘The greatest disease in the West today is not TB or leprosy; it is being unwanted, unloved, and uncared for. We can cure physical diseases with medicine, but the only cure for loneliness, despair, and hopelessness is love’. 

I recall, once in a sermon, a priest mentioning that we are all beggars of love. In some way, we too might identify ourselves, pleading out to others with our empty vessels: ‘Give me love, give me love’.  Every thirsting soul silently seems to be longing for more love. Now, we ourselves are a masterpiece of love, created in the image and likeness of the Divine Creator, who is none other than pure Love, for the scriptures affirm: God is Love (1 John 4:8). Besides, we are created for love – to put love into action, as the Holy Bible resounds almost a dozen times: love one another (John 13:34). However, until we are reunited with Divine Love, our hearts unceasingly crave to be continuously filled with this essence of life – love – deprived of which life does not seem to make any sense. 

God’s love for fallen human nature is exhibited incessantly in the Divine Word – his love letter to aching mankind. God shows his loving kindness (Psalm 63:3) in saving his children from their enemies and delivering them from their troubles. He made the sea dry land (Exodus 14:21) to deliver his chosen people from the house of bondage (Exodus 20:2) and lead them to a land flowing with milk and honey (Exodus 3:8). In his eternal plan of salvation, he gave his only begotten son (John 3:16) and continues to shower his unfathomable mercy to repentant souls, who place their trust in him.

God gifts special grace to parents to love their children ‘come what may’, irrespective of the child’s response to their parents’ love. God created parents to reflect the face of the heavenly Father – to radiate the sparkle of unfading love. You are precious to me, you are honoured (Isaiah 43:4), I have engraved you on the palms of my hands (Isaiah 49:16), I have loved you with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3). Such is God’s unconditional love for reckless mankind. Such is the unchanging love that helps shape mischievous children to adorable saints. ‘Not with blows, but with gentleness and kindness you shall win them over’, was the heavenly advice, St Don Bosco – the friend of the youth, received in a dream at age nine, to guide him in his future mission to help ruffian street-boys (akin to wolves) turn to gentle human beings (akin to lambs). Conquer evil with good (Romans 12:21) seems to be the only way to go, to bring about a healing touch to wounded humanity.

Sharing his reflection on the life of St Joseph, in Patris Corde (With a Father’s Heart), Pope Francis beautifully outlines the heart of the heavenly Father, as a beloved father,  a tender loving father, an obedient father, an accepting father, a creatively courageous father, a working father and a father in the shadows. This urges all earthly parents to raise themselves to this epitome of love. St Paul’s advice is equally applicable to all parental figures, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged (Colossians 3:21). All those in influencing positions, all educational formators and caregivers, being guardians of the souls entrusted to them, shoulder an enormous responsibility to nurture with tender loving care. This is possible only in cooperation with supernatural grace from above – with the assistance of the Divine Helper – with the power from on high (Luke 24:49). People are fragile, handle with prayer.

The sun gives warmth, the moon and the stars give light. Trees give shade, flowers give fragrance, vegetables and fruits give food for nourishment. Everything in nature that gives something to humanity, highlights the signature of the creator engraved in it. Every pretty butterfly, every captivating smile, tells the fascinating news to those who dare to hope; that the message is God is passionately busy loving you and me. Everything in creation vibrantly proclaims God’s eternal message of love. Every heart shaped leaf is a constant reminder that created in the divine image of love, our lives too, ought to radiate immeasurable love. 

Even though we might consider ourselves as unworthy and undeserving sinners, God cannot help but emanate love, for God’s divine nature is love. If God unceasingly loves us, aren’t we too supposed to reciprocate in like manner? Are our thoughts shaped with love? Are our actions flavoured with love? Do our words carry the fragrance of love? Do our lives emit the colours of love? When people look at us, do they see shades of love in us? May we consciously strive to be a person after God’s own heart (1Samuel 13:14) so that our lives too may lovingly reflect the face of God (Gen.33:10).

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another (John 13:35). By our love they will know we are Christians – by our love. All that matters in the end will be, the love in you and the love in me. It’s all that matters. Where we do not find love, we must put it there. I must be the missing piece of love I wish to see in the world. May we be the ‘hug of heaven’ we are all called to be.  Nothing else matters, only love counts.