The love of God

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Uthando Olungaka

Ladysmith Black Mambazo

Today is Sunday the 2nd of August, beginning the 18th week of Ordinary Time.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo sing: ‘Uthando Olungaka’: ‘Who will separate us from the love of God?’ That’s a good thought to enter into prayer with, to begin my prayer today: to rest easy in the love of God, to know that I am safe in that love which nothing and no one can take away from me.

4:05

Today’s reading is from Saint Paul's Letter to the Romans.

Romans 8:35, 37-39

Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

5:28

Weight of Glory

In this passage, Paul is trying to persuade his friends that they have nothing to lose by accepting what God has done for them. He makes a list of things that might make us think we would be separated from the love of Christ: “hardship, distress, persecution, famine, lack of clothes, mortal danger.” Do you see these as “separators” from Christ?

Then there is a second list of such perils: “death, life, angels, rulers, present things, past things, future things”. What is your relationship with the things in this list? Perhaps one causes you more concern sometimes than the others.

Paul comes to a striking conclusion: “nothing in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord”. Ponder for a moment your relationship to this statement... do you really believe this to be true?

Now listen as the passage is read once more for you. See if you can allow your heart to go deeper into the consolation this scripture can bring...

9:22

Romans 8:35, 37-39

Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

10:32

Finally, just reflect on these last few minutes of prayerful reflection. What are the feelings that you noticed bubbling up inside you? Could you perhaps turn them into a prayer to God?

12:17

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be

World without end

Amen