Within the ‘love command’ of God there is a ‘demand’…the demand is to ‘sell all’. This ‘demand’ to sell all is not easy…still ‘with God all things are possible’. It seems that ‘virtue’ is not enough, that is the virtuous living of the ten commandments. Why would God ask something extra, beyond keeping these commandments?

“It is written in the prophets: ‘They shall all be taught by God’.  Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me’” (Jn 6:45).  If we took just this sentence into prayer, how are we each being addressed by these words of Jesus?  There exists within us the reality that God is ready to teach us and, presumably, at any given moment. 

The readings for the Mass today center on the ‘shepherd’ theme.  Jesus realizes that his disciples need some solitary, silent time and space.  As they retreat to a lonely place, they see before them a crowd of people who arrived there just before them. 

Jesus: the icon of God’s love, the icon stamped upon our hearts. Thus, this is our end goal (telios) to become fully open, arms outstretched in mercy and compassion.  “Acquire a heart and you shall be saved”.  This desert saying coming out of the fourth century from Abba Pambo can accompany us for our whole life’s journey!  ‘Acquire a heart’, ‘find your heart’ – To do so is our salvation. 

Holy Trinity: God-love.  ‘God-love’ is how Pope Francis addresses the Triune God.  This name he gives for God reveals in a terse, poetic way the nature of the triune God: Love, unconditional Love.  Pope Francis writes: “Jesus made manifest the face of God, in substance One and in persons Triune; God is all and only Love, in a subsistent relationship that creates, redeems and sanctifies all: Father and Son and Holy Spirit” (Angelus, June 11, 2017).