Faith ND

Today’s gospel presents a model from God of what self-giving love looks like at the ultimate level. God calls upon all Christians to follow this model of love. As I read this passage, I’m reminded of how my maternal grandmother followed God’s model of love throughout her life. Growing up I always looked forward to getting home from school to be welcomed by my grandmother and the smell of her delicious Mexican cooking. Both my parents worked full time so my grandmother would go to our home in the morning and spend half the day in the kitchen working hard to prepare a good meal for my brother and me to eat when we returned from school. Even after spending half the day in the kitchen, she could rarely stay off her feet the rest of the day. She was always looking for ways that she could help my parents out around the house. Her focus was on how she could best take care of those she loved.

The last time I traveled back home from abroad before my grandmother passed away, she was fragile and had to rest most of the time, yet she insisted on getting up and cooking me one of my favorite meals. She felt happiest when she could cook a meal for those she loved. I now remember my grandmother every day with great admiration for the self-giving love she showed our family and her example inspires me to also be as giving as she was to others.