As a married woman of almost 25 years, some of the most beautiful moments of that union are the ones where I encounter a deeper, more intimate glimpse of my husband. Maybe it is an insight he shares or a wound that is opened that together we can help heal. Sometimes it is his laugh, a youthful one not filled with the worries of adult parenting.
These moments draw us closer to each other. I want to know Jesus in the same way.
Scripture says, “Ask and it shall be given to you. Seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened to you.” I know my Lord wants that intimacy with me. I imagine the warmth of His laugh, the joy of His heavenly smile. The freedom that comes from letting Him work through my wounds, which allows me to know Him more closely.
A simple ask of me, and a big give from Him. And yet, maybe the ask is not so simple. Words can be simple, but the meaning, the follow-through is important. It is one thing for my husband to say, “I want us to spend more time together because I love you and want to know you more deeply.” It is another for him to schedule a sitter, take time out of his schedule to meet me for lunch and focus solely on our relationship, even for one hour.
It’s the follow-through that matters. And oh, do I feel so loved by the gift of that time! I feel cherished.
I am convinced as I reflect and write that I need to invest that same time more fully into my relationship with Jesus. Our diocese is offering 40 days of Adoration, a specific time to remind us to draw near to Jesus. Each parish is given a day where Jesus will be exposed in the Blessed Sacrament for quiet adoration. I am inviting all my friends and family to join me in that investment, one hour with Jesus.
Lately, I have spent a great deal of time asking, seeking and knocking … and, of course, the door opens … and I peek my head in and tell Jesus I’ll be right back … but I get distracted. In these 40 Days of Adoration, we are given a time to be more intentional. We can show our commitment, our dedication to the Lord by taking that time to listen, to encounter the Lord in the Eucharist.
My dear friends, I am imagining how full our Lord’s heart would be if His churches were filled. I can see the brightness and feel the joy of His Eucharistic heart as we, one by one, follow through on all the times we’ve told the Lord we want to know Him more fully.
I imagine the warmth of my husband’s smile, the brightness of his eyes as I lean in to fully see and hear him. I love how marriage mirrors God’s love for us. The love reflected there is just a small glimpse of the love the Lord has for me. He has that same love for all of us.
I invite everyone to take time during this season to visit our Lord in Adoration, to allow ourselves to be transfigured by His love for us.