Prayer of the Day

Second Week of Advent

Some of the images of God that we have inherited are distorted.  For example many of us see God as a severe judge who rewards and punishes all our actions.   The only way that we can please this God and earn our salvation is to work ourselves to a standstill in an endless flurry of good works.  As a result we may never take time to see ourselves as we really are and allow God’s healing love to touch us.  We may even become enslaved to the false value of ‘achievement.’   In today’s gospel Jesus shows us a totally different image of God. This is a God who like a concerned shepherd is prepared to risk everything, even death on a cross, in order to prove how much each individual is loved.  There is no question of deserving that love – it is unconditional.  Our response for such an outpouring of undeserved love can only be trust.