Newsletter First Sunday of Lent (Year A) Sunday 22nd February, 2026
- Fr Doug
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
GOSPEL REFLECTION:
Preparing ourselves to receive God’s Love
God’s plan for us during Lent is, that we would become love, as He is love.
However, in order for us to love as God loves, it is helpful to know how much God loves us.
In the Gospel, Jesus, out of love for us, spent 40 days in a desert denying Himself all food.
We can’t imagine or conceive in our minds how great His Love for us is.
To St. Alexandrina de Costa who died in Portugal in 1955, Our Lord said: “If you knew how much I love you, you would die of joy.”
Another insight into God’s Love is found in heaven.
In heaven a soul is in the presence of God.
A soul experiences God’s infinite Love.
As a result of experiencing God’s infinite Love, the soul is fulfilled.
Joy is complete.
The soul is completely fulfilled, they can’t imagine being more fulfilled or having more joy.
However, because God’s Love is infinite or always more the soul is continually experiencing higher levels of fulfillment or joy, and that is how it is for all eternity.
Another insight into God’s Love is the Eucharist, which the Church calls “the Sacrament of Love”.
At Mass, Our Lord and God will reduce Himself to mere Food in order to feed us with Himself, in order that we who are human may become one with God.
That is why we call the Eucharist “Holy Communion”.
We cannot comprehend or appreciate that level of love.
Our Lord proved His Love by the way He lived.
After they scourged His Body, wounded His Head with thorns, forced Him to carry His cross and hammered nails into His Body; Jesus commented about these monsters:
“Forgive them, Father, for they do not know what they are doing.”
God’s inconceivable mercy is another example of how great God’s love is.
Also, it is helpful to know that Our Lord didn’t die from the pains inflicted on Him during His Passion, He died from a broken Heart. He died of Love for us.
His love for us was so great that His body could no longer withstand it.
Jesus spoke to Luisa Piccarreta about His Love:
“When you lack something enter into My Love, and you will find whatever you want,
as many Masses as you want, as many Communions, as much Love as you want.
Nothing is missing in My Love. Not only that – but you will find Love
in a divine and infinite way.”
(March 27, 1918-Vol. 12)
How do we prepare our hearts to receive God’s Love?
Firstly, have a good amount of prayer every day.
Aim to pray at least 30 minutes every morning in order to receive all the Love God is giving you.
The Church encourages us to pray for one hour a day.
Every morning, I begin my Holy Hour by meditating on God’s Love for me.
I imagine Jesus saying, “I Love you”, embracing me with all His Love.
As God is Love, by Him giving me His Love, He is giving me all of Himself.
If He could give me more, He would, but there is no more.
Another way we prepare our hearts to receive God’s Love,
especially during Lent, is to meditate on Our Lord’s Passion.
Pray the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary and the Stations of the Cross.
Also, read the Gospel accounts of the Passion.
Also, read books which give insights into the Passion such as ‘The Hours of the Passion’ by Luisa Piccarreta.
By meditating on the Passion, we learn that God’s Love for us knows no limits.
Another way to prepare our hearts to receive God’s Love is by carrying our cross.
Sacrifice is the language of love.
By accepting our suffering and problems by offering them up out of Love for God and for souls we make a difference to the world; wars may be stopped, souls may be saved etc.
We all personally know people who are suffering.
For example, we may have a family member in purgatory.
Do we love them enough to offer our Cross for them?
Our Cross may seem like our greatest negative, but if we put love in the equation, it becomes our greatest positive.
Our true home is in God’s love. Jesus wants us to stay in His embrace and never leave His embrace until we have received all of His Love.
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