God The Loving Parent

I have always had some hesitancy in relating to God in terms of father or parent. Part of this difficulty, I am sure, is due to the fact that in my own life I have had various issues relating to my own father, father figures and parents in general.

There is one experience I have though that has helped me to make real the image of God as parent and the love and concern that God has for me. About I year ago, I was traveling through the town where my paternal grandparents lived. I took a chance and called my grandparents before my trip and asked if I could come by for a short visit. My grandparents and I were not really close but we did speak on the phone on occasion. My visit with them was arranged. My grandfather (96) had just been released from the hospital the day before. As I visited with my grandparents that day, I felt the love and care that they had had for me throughout my life though at a distance. I was surprised to find out that they had scrapbooks with clippings of my accomplishments through school and into adulthood. My grandfather who was visibly very weak seemed to light up when I was there and hang on to every word during our visit. When it was time to leave I had two things with me: a photo of my grandfather responding to a story I was telling him and, more importantly, the knowledge that I was really loved and accepted in a different way than ever before. My grandfather died a few weeks later.

That visit with my grandfather, though, gave me new insight into the love which God has for each one of us. No matter how many turns or how distant we may be from God at times--God is very deeply in love with us. God is watching over us and waiting for us to return to that love and to respond in love.

Sr. Catherine