How Does In God's Love relate to the Catholic Church?

How does In God's Love 
written by Janet Hurlow
relate to 
the Catholic Faith ?

  Chapter 2 We Believe in One Triune God: (continued) 4/12
            Part 3 Feelings of God

106           While titles and descriptions can help illuminate the essence of the known and unknown God, one way of getting to know a person is by observing their feelings.  God has feelings.  So, to further describe the indescribable God, we shall look at God’s feelings.  God’s feelings, like our own, may come from His essence of who He is, and therefore, may reflect that essence.  In the descriptions and titles section,, we have touched upon the God who feels compassion, love, charity and  joy.  While these feelings are often expressed in In God’s Love, there are other feelings of God that are also expressed, and these are “God’s desire for us” and “God’s anger with some of us.”

107           God has the feeling of desire.  God desires us.  The authors of In God’s Love are passionate about God’s desire for us: “His love is real, and His desire to receive you is real.”(274)  “God is so kind and merciful.  He is so loving and good.  Someone does love you and wants you.  Someone cares about your needs.”(275)   “He is, and He wants Earth beings to know He is”(276)  and that He has a “thirst”, a desire to see us and be with us.  As Mother Teresa prayed, “Jesus is God, therefore His love, His thirst, is infinite; He, the Creator of the universe, asked for the love of His creatures, he thirsts for our love.  These words: ‘I Thirst’ do they echo in our souls?”(277)   St. Augustine writes, “Whether we realize it or not, prayer is the encounter of God's thirst with ours. God thirsts that we may thirst for him.”(278)   In the same way the authors write “God is your dear Father who loves you with an endless love.  Try to understand this: He thirsts for your spirit.  Those who come to His heart will receive life everlasting.”(279)  “God is your God, and you are His people.  It hurts Him so much when the least of you, even the worst sinner, is lost to himself.  Look into His eyes today.”(280)

108           God desires to dwell with us on our journey of life.   “God loves you and wants you to speak to His Spirit.”(281)   “It is in your spirits God wishes to be while you wait.  Songs of Earth, never let God’s Spirit go.”(282)   “In those who are wise, understand this: the Spirit of God takes such interest in His own, and such comfort is in such love.”(283)   “He wants to help you find your way home.”(284)   The messengers explain that God wants us because He likes who each one of us is.  “He wants you, so small and weak, to share in His happiness.”(285)   “God wants your splendor, your individuality, your only special self.”(286)   “Children, God desires your beauty.”(287)  This is what we teach in Catechism.  This is what we know in our hearts.  This is what Mother Teresa lived.  Sometimes it is helpful to hear it from another source, other servants of the Lord.

109           God has the feeling of anger.  Sometimes God, in His justice, gets angry at us.  Repeatedly in Scripture this is mentioned, but most pointedly with Moses in Exodus which is cited in the Catechism. “Then the LORD passes before Moses and proclaims, ‘YHWH, YHWH, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.’"(288)   Scripturally, while God has justified anger and wrath, God is much more merciful and loving as depicted in the symbolic mathematical image of 333x1 or 250x1 ratio of steadfast love to justified anger used in Exodus 20:5-6.(289) 
 

110           The authors also concur with this for they write, “Slow is He to anger.  This is written: ‘God is slow to anger, very slow to anger, very merciful.’  Very quick to turn His anger away.”(290)   God is like this for they state, “righteous is our God, righteous and just.”(291)   Several times they write about the “wrath of God” and interestingly enough in one place they give a definition of the term: “This is all He asks of Earth people.  He asks to be loved and respected.  The very nature of God is kindness…  When Earth people turn away from God, they are on their own.  The protection of God is lost.  The wrath of God is upon the unprotected spirit, if that is what you want to call it.”(292)

111           This image of turning away from God's protection is perhaps what is alluded to in Isaiah 57:17, "Because of their wicket avarice I was angry, and I struck them, hiding myself in wrath, as they went their own rebellious way."  God "strikes them." by allowing them to remove themselves from Him and His protection, thus leaving them on their own.  Isaiah 54:8 also states, " In an outburst of wrath, for a moment I hid my face from you; But with enduring love I take pity on you, says the LORD, your redeemer."  A non-scriptural image that came to me was the following:  this is like living in a mosquito infested swamp and God has given us a home that is totally protected from the little nasty things.  Then we decide to embark off outside of God’s protection. 

           Part 4 Actions of God

112           We can find out a lot about a person by their actions.  The same maybe is true with God.  While this is in no way comprehensive, we shall look at seven actions of God that are woven throughout In God’s Love.  Some of these actions, such as actions of love or inspiration, are feelings and descriptions of God that have already been touched upon.  The reason to touch upon them again is to gain a deeper appreciation.   If I informed you that the waitress who just served you for the first time was a very forgiving person, you might just give a nod.  Then if I tell you that she always forgives people, even when they tip her poorly, even though her service and care are excellent, you might smile.  If I tell you that one person she often serves is a man who murdered her three children, and after a time when he asked for forgiveness, she forgave him, you now have a greater appreciation of how forgiving this woman really is, even though I had already told you she is a forgiving person.

113           First, God calls.  The Catechism asserts this: “He calls man to seek him, to know him, to love him with all his strength.”(293)  “The living and true God tirelessly calls each person to that mysterious encounter known as prayer.”(294)  

114           Likewise, the messengers of In God’s Love reaffirm that God does indeed lovingly call each and every one of us to a friendship with Him.  They mention that “God calls with a Father’s love.”(295)  “God comes to all…. God calls all.”(296)  “He calls you, “friend.”(297)   “Very surely the spirits of all men have heard God’s voice.  Blessed are you who have heeded the call.”(298)   “His calling is so sweet to those who are in His Spirit, those beloved spirits who have trusted in God’s mercy and love.”(299)   When God speaks, “so sacred are His words of wisdom.”(300)   “Why are you wise, saints of Earth?  Where have you obtained your wisdom?  In some way, Heaven has whispered, and you have listened while others have not.  God speaks to all.”(301)   God wants everyone to hear Him.  God desires everyone to hear His call.  “He wants mankind to know that He is real.  Come to me, all you who are sick and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  God is inviting those people in who do not understand.  He wants you to know that you are worthwhile, and He loves you very much.  God is your God, and you are His people.”(302)   “Blessed God is pleading with you.”(303) 
 
115           Second, God inspires us.  God’s action of calling is intertwined with the action of inspiration.  The messengers write, “God is your spiritual inspiration who inspires and comforts.”(304)    “Kind and gentle are the inspirations sent from God; God who cares and reaches for all spirits with a Father’s reaching.”(305)    “God sends wisdom so children see a wise way.”(306)  

116           Third, God has actions of compassion.  It has been noted that Catholics believe that God is a loving God(307)  and we have described God as loving.  Looking at God’s actions of love help us to truly appreciate the depth of God’s love for us.   “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life.”(308)   This action of God becoming man to save us is the paramount action of love.  (This will be discussed in the Part 8 The Son of God the Second Person of the Trinity.)   To reiterate, the messengers do indeed believe that God passionately loves us: “God loves each and every one He has created.”(309)   “Have you heard the most wonderful music on Earth?  Mmm.  Hold your baby with love and tenderness.  God’s love is like this, only a zillion of times more intensified.”(310)   Because God loves us, He will help us if we ask: “Someone loves you with a passionate love…. Ask Him to help you.  His answer might not come exactly as you expect, but it will come, and your burden shall be lightened because God is with you and loves you so very much.”(311)

117           The messengers tell us that “He (God) sends you many gifts.”(312)   “Only peace and comfort, health and peace of mind are in your spiritual blessing which comes from the Father.”(313)   God shows His love in actions of comfort and nourishment: “He (God) soothes and comforts small Earth babies.”(314)   “God shall nourish the spirit and satisfy the thirst of the soul.”(315)  

118           In Scripture, Jesus tells us that God will provide for us: “‘Do not worry about your life and what you will eat, or about your body and what you will wear….All the nations of the world seek for these things, and your Father knows that you need them.  Instead seek his kingdom and these other things will be given you besides.’”(316)   The messengers tell us that “God is a very comforting friend who can help you and a loving Father who cares and understands all your troubles and needs.”(317)   In a personalized, psalmist way of writing, the messengers write of this God who is our best, loving friend: “So many people around me do not understand me or what I am feeling….. But you, O Lord, understand.  You love me, and You help me.”(318)  “Sometimes, you cried out in your agony for those you loved, but you spoke to God, and He understood you.  No one understood, but God…. He brought you through the sorrows of loss, poverty and material need.  He brought you through a period of a dark spirit.  He was there when you were happy, sad and lonely.  He went with you through life and death because you wanted Him to be with you.”(319)   Indeed, this “God has come to the weary and bathed the soul with peace and love.”(320)

119           God’s loving actions heal the brokenness of our lives: “He is with you to gather the broken pieces of your life.  He is there to make sense of your broken life.  This is someone who loves you.  His love is real, and His desire to receive you is real.”(321)   “It is in this spirit, pain is relieved and sorrow is made lighter.  Families are brought together and healed, and signs of life enter your spirit.”(322)  This is a God of tender love that makes us whole: “It is this God who draws all good things toward Himself with such love.”(323)

120           The messengers assert that God acts with love and forgives the faults of the saint and the sorrowful sinner: “In Earth saints, there are many faults.  Such faults are seen as man grows in God’s Spirit.  Come, your God is a kind and forgiving Being.”(324)   “Come, sing with us, O poor, sad sinners.  Come, cry to God in your agony, and His Spirit shall swiftly forgive if you are sorry for your offenses in Earth.  God’s Spirit shall heal and bless.  Come, love comes close.”(325) 

121           For the sinner, the messengers assert that “God is ready to forgive the most unworthy, the most wicked of sinners.  His arms are reaching out to that person lying drunk in the gutter, to that cold-blooded murderer, to that child molester.  Satan has whispered in your ear, ‘Low-life, filth, God doesn’t want you,’ but Satan is lying.  God does want you.  Right now, turn your life over to God. His love is real.”(326)

122            Fourth, God has polite actions.  “Blessed are the meek.”(327)   When explaining this Beatitude to children, I often use the example of everyone  in a group of people wanting to say something, and the person who lets everyone else go first is meek.  They sometimes respond with, “that person was just being polite.”  I would say, “it is the same thing.”  Our God promotes politeness because He himself is polite in His actions.  As the messengers put it, “He is so polite and gentle.  He never shouts at His creation. He never roars like a lion.  He never comes charging out of Heaven with bolts of fire  to punish mankind for his offenses.”(328)   “God does not raise His voice.  He does not beat His dear ones in a great rage of anger.”(329)   “He would never be impolite to anyone in all creation.  It is God who has made beings polite to each other.”(330)

123           Fifth, God paternally corrects us.  “Chastised is the answer.  The only answer, ‘Is it not better to receive correction from such a loving Father who has spoken many times to His unruly children?’”(331)  

124           Sixth, God’s actions are ones of His choosing.  God does as He pleases.  Among a series of questions, much like the divine questions asked of Job ( Job 38:1-41:26),  the authors write, “Very wise is the man who can say, God is going to do this or that before He reveals His plans.  This is written: ‘In all such things, God does as He pleases.’”(332)   We believe that God freely chose to create us.  As stated in the Catechism, “We believe that it proceeds from God's free will; he wanted to make his creatures share in his being, wisdom and goodness: "(333)   As the authors write, “He (God) chose to love His creation.  That is His choice.  God, who chooses to love, what a blessing”(334)    God also chooses to be polite and not interfere with our choices: “This is a Being who neither shows off nor interferes.”(335)   Our God chooses where He wants to dwell and “God does not desire to go or stay where He is not wanted.”(336)   This decision of God is reflected in His eternal choice of dwelling: “God does not enter Hell.  That is a place where God has been rejected.  He does not want to go there.  He could go there if He desired because God can do all things, but He does not interfere with a spirit’s freewill, and every spirit who enters those gates is a spirit who has rejected God and decided to strike out on his/her own.  All those who have taken this path have made a decision while on the Earth.”(337)

125           Seventh, while God is free to do whatever He desires, God remains faithful.  God’s actions show His faithfulness.  It has been noted that God is faithful to His promises(338)  God, through His actions, does fulfill His promises.(339)   Just as love never fails,(340)  God never fails anyone.(341)   God’s actions show that He is a loving and polite God, who sometimes has actions of just anger, but who continues to call to us and inspire us.  God does as He pleases, but His actions show that He remains faithful to His followers and His promises.

  Next section of Part One Chapter 2 : 5/12