Jeremiah 31:1-7 / Matthew 15:21-28
The prophet Jeremiah was known for his cut-and-dry prophesies, most of which foretell disaster and doom to a people who had turned away from God.
Yet, in today's 1st reading, comes a statement from the same prophet about how much God loves His people.
From his mouth came these words of the Lord: "I have loved you with an everlasting love".
It is a verse is that often quoted to express the eternity of God's love.
But what is the reality of this love in our lives? Have we ever experienced God's love even in the temporary?
It might be difficult for us to understand this love of God until we have had the experience of being forgiven for committing a grave wrongdoing.
We may not understand this love of God until we had the experience of being saved from a great danger.
God's love for us is not only eternal, it is also a stubborn and persistent love that probes us in order to make us respond to His love.
God's eternal love empowers us to live in love here on earth so that we will have the foretaste and the experience of what it means to live in love eternally.