Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? Romans 8:35
“God loves, and He invites us to love Him in return… Here we will note two statements Ignatius makes to introduce it. The first is that “love ought to show itself in deeds over and above words.”
The second is that love consists in sharing: “In love, one always wants to give to the other what one has.” The Spanish word that Ignatius uses here is comunicar — “to share or to communicate.” Lovers love each other by sharing what they have, and this sharing is a form of communication. God is not just a giver of gifts, but a lover who speaks to us through His giving. God holds nothing back.
The ultimate expression of his self-giving is Jesus’ death. He shares his very life with us. He also shares with us the work He is doing in the world. Thus, the work we do is a way of loving God. It is not just work. By inviting us to share in His works, God is showing His love for us. In our response of trying to work with God, we show our love.
Ignatius raises the questions:
What does it mean for us to love? How do we go about expressing our love? How do we show our love for God, for ourselves, for others, and for our world? He invites us to answer these questions by looking at how God loves. He is a God who sets no limits on what He shares with us.”
David Fleming in What Is Ignatian Spirituality? (Chicago: Loyola Press, 2008) 4-5.
In this excerpt shared with me by my wife, Jenni, who is a big fan of Ignatius, we discover at least three profound truth about God’s sharing. God communicates unfathomable love toward us. He invites us to share in His works. And He sets no limits on what He shares with us.
As I think about sharing this year, the idea that there is no limit to the sharing of God’s love provides me with deep peace and comfort. I hope you feel it too. No pandemic or any other crisis can separate us from His love and kindness. No problem or need is so great that He cannot meet it.
The fact that God did not spare His own son, but shared His life with us demonstrates that there are no limits to His sharing. May this also inspire us today to unlimited generosity, not because we are loaded, but because we tap the only abundant source.