Songs often get stuck in my head, which is another reason why I choose to greatly limit my listening to secular music and instead stick to Gregorian chants. However, one song has been in my head and just recently I realized that it was a “God wink.” The song is “If You Could Only See” by Tonic.
Another phenomenon that often occurs is that I rarely remember the lyrics correctly. For days the lyrics “if you could only see the way he loves me, then maybe you’d understand” kept playing in my head.
Then it struck me, I was remembering the lyrics incorrectly for a reason. I realized during prayer that God was trying to tell me something. That He loves me and wants my children and others to know how much they are loved by Him as well.
You may be thinking I am reading too much into this but if you’ve ever experienced God speaking directly to you, you will know that there are ways to discern if it is truly God who is talking to you.
Maybe if every single person on earth could see the way that God loves each of us individually, uniquely and perfectly, they would understand their tremendous value and live accordingly.
There is a quote online that I once read which stated: “how cool is it that the same God that created mountains and oceans and galaxies looked at you and thought the world needed one of you, too?”
That is exactly what we and our children should be reminded of and continued to be reminded of throughout our lives.
When we admire the breathtaking ocean or when we pick a flower and gaze upon its beauty, we can imagine that God, who made all these magnificent things, made us, too and gazes and admires His creation (us) with immeasurable and profound love.
Genesis 1:27 tells us that “God created man to his own image: to the image of God, he created him: male and female he created them.”
God loves us and wants us to love Him in return.
Jesus once said to St. Teresa of Avila, “I would create the universe again just to hear you say that you love Me.”
These words were meant not just for this great Saint, Mystic, and Doctor of the Church, but for all of us.
If our children know that God loves them no matter what and with all of Himself, then they will truly be able to love God, themselves, and others.
As my husband’s godmother once told us, “Play for an audience of one: God.”
We must instill in our children that God’s opinion is the only opinion that matters. Others’ opinions do not matter compared to God’s opinion, as He always loves us and is “rooting for us.”
Our children must be taught to have quiet prayer time each day to speak directly to God so that God can speak directly to them.
A beautiful prayer to pray with them is one from St. Alphonsus: “I love You, Jesus, my Love; I repent of ever having offended You. Never let me offend You again. Grant that I may love You always; and then do with me as You will.”
Children should understand that they must love God first, foremost, and more than anyone or anything else. They must even love God more than they love themselves or their parents.
They must also believe that God loves them regardless of any sins they may commit. This does not excuse them, nor does it automatically forgive their sins, but they must know that He loves them unconditionally. When we sin, He still loves us, but we must flee to Him in Confession.
God’s love for us is more lavish, extravagant, abundant and generous than we could imagine. We will only understand fully how He loves us if we get to Heaven.
John 3:16 explains this love: “for God so loved the world, as to give his only begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in him, may not perish, but may have life everlasting.”
God loves us so much that He does not force us to love Him. But He allows us to love Him freely and He tells us in Joel 2:12 to “return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, weeping and mourning.”
So, if it has been a little or a long while or even never since you’ve thought about how much God loves you, know this: God loves you infinitely and wants you to strive to return that love for Him.
Christina Frye is a lifelong Rhode Islander, wife, mother and founder of Catholic Mom Rhode Island, www.CatholicMomRI.com.
