Sixth Sunday of Easter Reflection

O God, you have prepared for those who love you such good things as surpass our understanding: Pour into our hearts such love towards you, that we, loving you in all things and above all things, may obtain your promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Sixth Sunday of Easter BCP 225)

When parents, grandparents, family, and friends hold a newborn child for the first time, there is always an outpouring of undeserved love. The newborn infant hasn't done anything to earn love, but we offer our love for the baby anyway, usually with some other unasked for promises and desires for them. We wish good health and happiness, wisdom and strength, and sometimes things like wealth and a good job on the little ones. None of this is understood by the baby of course, all the baby wants is sleep and food and warm comfort.

Naturally, as we grow up, we learn and grow in understanding, and we can understand all the wishes and desires our families have for us. However, when it comes to God, many times we are still like those newborn infants, not understanding or comprehending the wishes and desires God has for us. God's understanding is so far beyond our own, God's desires for us are so different than our human desires, that trying to understand them is like trying to learn Cyrillic upside down under water. It's confusing and bewildering, and we cling to the few moments of clarity we do have.

Thankfully we can trust that what God desires for our lives comes out of love for us. We know God's desires for us are based in God's unending love for us and God's desire for us to love each other in the same way. We can trust that even when we don't understand, God is speaking to us in love.