Just as a mother loves her child not only when he is good and lovable but even when he is wicked, so too does Jesus love us in every situation. And he even likes us, though we are nothing but sinners.
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux
This past November I had the privilege of witnessing my little sister’s marriage. Her wedding was the third happiest day of my life, right behind my diaconate and priesthood ordinations. I confess that I “ugly-cried” when my dad walked my sister, Claire, down the aisle.
That day I noticed something about the bridal procession that I’ve never noticed before. When my sister was walking down the aisle with my dad, everyone stood up, turned around, and looked at her . . . except for one group—the married women.
They were all looking at the groom. Instead of looking at Claire, all the married women immediately looked at Mark. I was fascinated and moved to see them so riveted by the adoring gaze of love on Mark’s face. They had all experienced this look before when they were the chosen one, walking down the aisle, having the love of their life adore them.
You know what? This is also how Jesus Christ looks at you every time you go to adoration. Of course, we adore Our Lord and Our God in the Blessed Sacrament, but he adores us! Jesus Christ is gazing with love upon you!
Daughter of God, you are his beautiful bride, his precious creation. He regards you with the same understanding and compassion as he regarded the woman at the well, Mary and Martha, and his own mother. He revels in your femininity.
Son of God, Jesus looks at you with the same affection, the same infinite patience and understanding that he shared with Peter and the rest of the Twelve. He honors your masculinity.
St. Thérèse of Lisieux would go before the Blessed Sacrament, hold out her hands, and say, “Jesus! Love me as much as you want!” This bold prayer shows that she knew the truth that Jesus delighted in her and was perpetually gazing with love upon her.
We hear all the time in our religion classes, homilies, and sacramental preparation: Jesus loves you! And of course that’s true. But what’s more radical is that Jesus likes you! He delights in you. Jesus likes even the things that you may not like about your personality, your body, and your quirks. He likes those things.
Adoration is the most perfect time when we don’t have to hide anything in shame. He is in the Blessed Sacrament right now, loving and liking you!
LECTIO DIVINA
Luke 10:21–22
At that very moment he rejoiced [in] the holy Spirit and said, “I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”
IMAGINATIVE PRAYER
Read the scripture passage above and imagine the joy that Jesus is experiencing. He gives praise to the Father for having revealed his love to you, his child. Imagine how Jesus delights in you. What does he look like? How does he delight in you?
This excerpt from Jesus, Make Me Fully Alive: 30 Holy Hour Reflections is reprinted with permission of Ave Maria Press.
Fr. Tim Anastos is a priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago and the assistant chaplain at the St. John Paul II Newman Center at the University of Illinois–Chicago. He serves as a eucharistic preacher for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and wrote
Jesus, Make Me Fully Alive: 30 Holy Hour Reflections.
