Psalm Reflection: The Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle A)

“I love you, Lord, my strength.” - Psalm 18

“What is your story?”

“How did you come to know God?”

“Tell me about your conversion!”

These are questions I had heard, received and asked others so many times. After being in ministry for over ten years, they kind of became a cliché to me. Do not get me wrong, testimonies can be powerful, but I think I had told mine so may times and in so many different ways that I found myself getting lost in the details. I spent so much time talking about all of the winding turns of my very colorful past with the Lord, because I wanted to communicate all of the wild adventures the Lord had led me through. I did not realize that this approach was much more about me and not enough about the Lord.

That all changed when someone asked me the same question, but in a way I had never heard it expressed before: “How did you fall in love with Jesus?” Now that may sound a little too “made-for-TV-movie” to you, but it forced my perspective to shift. Being married I know a little bit about falling in love. In thinking about my wife and how I fell in love with her and continue to every day, all of the moments that rise to the surface are not really about me at all. Instead, I think about her sacrificial love for me, her quirks and her incredible talents, how she lights up when she gets passionate or excited about something, and how she has always accepted and love me as I am, which makes me want to be the best possible version of myself.

That was really what happened with me and Jesus, too. When you boil down my story, what simply happened was that Jesus received me as a broken, addicted, hurt, grieving and wildly messed up sinner and loved me as I was. He died for me so that I could experience true freedom from all of those things. He proved His love for me 2000 years ago on the cross and He proves it day in and day out by continuing to forgive me and show me His mercy, even though I do not deserve it.

I love Jesus, He is my Lord, my God and my strength. No story I have to tell about my life nor any achievement on my resume will ever change or overshadow that simple truth.

So this week, I invite you to consider these questions: 

Have you fallen in love with Jesus? 

If so, how did that happen? 

If not, what is standing in the way?

Take some time reflecting, journaling, or even talking to your close friends and family about these questions, exploring your own understanding of the love story between you and Jesus.

I am praying for you this week.

See you in the Eucharist.

Matt