Jesus pursues us with goodness and kindness each moment of our lives. He says, "Come to me all who are weary and find life burdensome and I will refresh you. Bind your self to me. Take my yoke upon your shoulders. Fasten to me and I will set you free to live in my peace. (See Matthew 11:28-29) It is in my goodness and kindness that I capture you in order to liberate you. I offer you life upon life and grace upon grace (see John 10:10). Relentlessly, I am pouring out the love of God in your heart through the power of the Holy Spirit (see Romans 5:5). As you can see, I am good and kind to you - all the time."

Sisters and brothers - learn to say this, speak this, believe this and teach this to others: "God is good-all the time and all the time-God is good. God is forgiving-all the time and all the time-God is forgiving. God is with us-all the time and all the time God is with us."

What is your image of God in terms of his pursuit of you? For many years I did not know he was pursuing me in the least bit. Why would God take time on an insignificant, obscure brother like me? I am just one in billions and lost in the shuffle. But then I met Jesus face to face and learned that God is pursuing me with all he's got - all the time.

I don't know how much I like the word "follow" as the way in which God wants to give us his goodness and kindness. To me that seems like it is not evident, right out in front of you. It is in the background behind you and you do not really notice it. When I personally experienced Jesus and his love for me I realized that he was a God who was in hot pursuit of me. Relentlessly, he was seeking to pour out heaven in my heart if I would but just give him the OK.

I like the image of Jesus running to me like there is no tomorrow. All that matters is that he gets to me and gives me everything he has. Remember when God ran in the bible? God ran when the Prodigal Son came home after throwing away all his inheritance. When God sees his son coming home he runs to him and kisses and hugs and embraces and welcomes him home. I love that scene but is this not the only time in the Bible where we see God running to one of his lost and hurting children? The truth is, Beloved, that God is always running to us but we do not really come to know that until we come home. Until we come home to him we will think we are obscure and insignificant.

Come home. To God. All the time. Find God running to you like there is no tomorrow.

Blessed by the BEST,

+Fr. John