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Stress and Peace

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The older I get, the harder it is to put my trust in God. At the young age of 24, my life is just starting to become increasingly… real. Any young adult knows how I feel. There’s the never-ending student loans, the black hole of paying rent, and the exciting/terrifying purchase of your first home. Your work and romantic relationships become more important and friendships become harder to maintain due to differences in lifestyles. Not to mention that you actually have to consciously exercise and eat healthily.

Gone are the days of handing your parents your problems and here to stay are the years of soul-crushing reality.

Thankfully, the more reality sets in, the more rewarding it has become to put my trust in God. Yes, I have all of these new and overwhelming things entering my life, but I’ve also become better at relying on the strength that is not my own.

I have finally come to a point in my faith that I understand that as long as I trust in God, everything will be okay. I understand through consistent communication with God that His plan for me is so much greater than any plan I’ve had for myself. Yes, everything new and scary is still new and scary, but by putting my trust in God, I have the ability to have stress and peace at the same time.

Still, I am human, so having faith in God is not my initial reaction to my fears. I panic and a million works-ending scenarios run through my mind. The difference is that now when I feel myself worrying, I pray.

I no longer hand my parents my problems and walk away; I talk to them about my problems and listen to their advice. Similarly, I don’t just say, “You can take care of this one, God.” I talk to God about how to handle the situation. I ask the Holy Spirit for guidance. I listen to Jesus’ willingness to give everything to God.

My fears are nothing compared to the strength of God. So why wouldn’t I put my trust in Him? Why wouldn’t I borrow the strength that He so willingly provides?  

Today’s first reading reminded me that I don’t have to shoulder the burdens of life alone. Jesus died for my sins, but he also died for my struggles. Our God does not only exist in the clouds… He has not forgotten about us. He is ever-present in each and every one of our lives.

Today, make it a point to have a conversation with God in which you voice your concerns. Tell him about your struggles. Be vulnerable. Borrow his strength. Ask for his advice.

Then, in silence, listen.

Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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Go to Him

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I found something extremely interesting in today’s Gospel. The first line says that Jesus summoned his disciples and then sent them out. A lot of the time, we may feel that we are being asked to live our lives, but feel unprepared.

As someone that loves a good plan, it can be really hard for me when things go wrong. In life, how can you plan for the unplannable? Well, that’s where Mark 6:7 comes in, because we are not just sent out into the world to magically deal with everything. First, we are summoned by Jesus Christ himself.

Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, our God, loves us so deeply that if we were the only people in existence, he would create the world all the same. He would do it all over again if it were just you. This is a God that calls us. We don’t spread the message about Jesus because it’s written in the Bible, we spread the message because we have a love so great that it cannot be contained.

I was recently talking about the song Reckless Love and how it makes me cry every time. When asked why I said that the song made me feel so vulnerable and recognize how much I needed God. Right after I said that they that told me that it’s okay to come when He calls.

So many of us are afraid of asking for help, afraid of admitting we were wrong, or even worse, we feel guilty. That shouldn’t keep us from God. These feelings of pride and guilt are feelings straight from Satan. We don’t need to hide our nakedness from God. In fact, we are summoned to him, just for having these feelings so that he can show us just how wrong we are.

We are loved and we are worth it. This is what God is trying to tell us. If we weren’t worth it, then he wouldn’t have sent his only son to be crucified. He wouldn’t have made Jesus a human, someone we could relate to. I don’t even think that God would have bothered creating Adam, let alone Eve, his companion. But he did. Because you are worth it.

So when you are feeling unworthy and unsuccessful, remember that God is not asking you to face the world alone. He is summoning you with open arms. Go to him.

Haven’t heard Reckless Love? Click here to hear my favorite version. (It’s okay to cry.)

Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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It’ in the Air

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One of my favorite phrases to hear is, “Love is in the air.” The reason I love it so much is because of today’s first reading:

“Beloved, let us love one another,
because love is of God;
everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.
Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love.
In this way the love of God was revealed to us:
God sent his only-begotten Son into the world
so that we might have life through him.
 In this is love:
not that we have loved God, but that he loved us
and sent his Son as expiation for our sins.”
(1 John 4:7-10)

It’s a short reading, but it’s more than enough to try to take in. I mean,  the fact that God doesn’t “love” us, but just exists and his existence is love?? It hurts my brain a little bit, but I love it!

God is the purest form of love that there is. In fact, we can’t even conceive of love so undoubting, so full, so nonjudgemental, so unending. Can you? I mean, my parents love me with their whole hearts, but you’re telling me that God loves me even MORE? How lucky are we?

Okay, so God loves us more than anyone else and we can’t even compare it. Now, go a step further and try to understand that not only is God love, but anyone that loves inherently knows God.

Let me repeat that. Anyone that knows love, knows God.

What does that mean? It means that the person that doesn’t believe in God is literally an embodiment of God when he loves his wife and when he loves his child. It means that pretty much everyone has encountered God in their lives, even if it’s not on a daily basis. So what does that mean for us, as disciples of Christ?

It means that love is in the air and we need to breathe it all in.

God is all around us and in us and we’re sitting here acting like it’s not totally, mind-blowingly awesome!

Today and every day, the choice to live God’s will, his love, is ours. If God is love, then all we need to do is love and we are being ministers of our faith. Simply be kind, and you will spread the Gospel. People will notice. People know God, whether they are Christian or not because he is already a part of their lives and of their existence.

Spread love – spread God – through your actions

Looking to read something about the miracle of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes? Click here!

Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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Preparation

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Have you ever been to a concert of your favorite band?

You stand in a mass of people waiting for the band to come out. Everyone just wants to get to the front, to be closer. Some are chanting the band’s name while others are quiet in anticipation.

The buzz of excited conversations about where they first heard the band, how much they love this band, and all the facts they know about them. You overhear, “I can’t believe I’m finally going to see them,” as you squeeze through the crowd to get closer to the front.

You put this day on your calendar and count down the days to this monumental event. Some people, maybe even you, drove hours to be here, listening to the band’s music the whole way in order to get into the spirit.

When the band finally comes out, everyone screams excitedly and claps. Everyone sings their songs together as they play and for a couple of minutes everyone is unified and smiling. “I love this band.”

Maybe I’m the only one that feels this way about concerts, but I think this is how we should behave as we await the birth of Christ. Yes, that was thousands of years ago, but each year we are asked to ground ourselves in our faith in order to await the birth of our Lord.

We prepare our hearts and countdown the days until Jesus arrives. We sing Advent songs as we wait and celebrate with a Mass, yet… Where is our excitement?

Everyone is excited about the gifts, but when it comes to the actual celebration of Christ’s birth in Mass, we are disinterested. In Christmas Eve Mass, everyone is yawning, falling asleep, or just plain bored. The majority is half listening and half planning when they’ll have time to wrap the Christmas gifts.

Where is the joy? Where is the love? Where is the glorious realization that God gave up his only son to make him human, to go through our mundane struggles so that he could be sacrificed to pay for our sins? Where is our priority?

On this last day of preparation, ask yourself these questions. Prepare your heart. Remember your God. Remember just exactly what the birth of Christ means.

Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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God Will Provide

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Today we are reminded that God will provide for us.  “The Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces,” and provide for us. No matter our struggle, God is good.

In today’s first reading, we are reminded that God will provide the richest of foods, destroy death, wipe our tears, and save us, thus we should rejoice. The responsorial Psalm says that we “shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of [our lives],” listing the ways God has saved us. Finally, the Gospel is the fish and loaves story. Again, God provides.

If you were in the crowd near the Sea of Galilee, would you have given up your food? You wouldn’t know that Jesus would do a miracle and multiply it. If anything, you are super hungry with one loaf left. Would you even tell anyone that you have bread? I imagine it’s like when you have a piece of gum and everyone around you immediately wants a piece. Do you choose to give your piece of gum away, cut it in half, or keep it to yourself?

Similarly, when we are almost completely drained of money and time, do we still give what we have to God or do we keep it to ourselves? If you’re keeping it to yourself, then don’t expect a miracle. Even the poor widow gave her two coins (Mark 12:41).

Time and time again, God provides for us. We do not need to offer sacrifices of lambs and first-born sons. All we need is to have faith and God tells us something along the lines of, “You are mine and I will raise you up. You will be safe and saved. 100 percent, I am here for you.”

So this holiday season, give of your time and your faith. Stop rushing around and take the time to be truly thankful for the little miracles that God has done in your life. Work on growing in your faith by going to daily Mass and praying for others. Show God that you live out your faith and he will work miracles through you.

No matter your struggles, your pain, your heartache, God is by your side and he has a plan for you.

God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good!

Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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Simplicity like St. Francis

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I wonder how many of you are spending today much as I have before. Ah, yes, the simultaneously boring and thrilling adventures of Black Friday shopping. I would be lying if I said that I have only bought gifts for others. There I would be, rushing around the store, trying to find the best deal on the new (insert techie gadget here). It wasn’t until this past year that what I have been working on is being conscious of what I have and being humble about the things I bring into my home and life. Luckily, I have two great role models to look up to St. Francis of Assisi and my mother.

Just about everyone knows St. Francis of Assisi and his story. He talked to animals and chose to be poor, right? The son of a wealthy merchant, worldly pleasures, realization, conversion, preaching, and something about living in the woods. Call me a sorry Catholic, but that’s about all I knew about him until a year or two ago. It took me 22 years before deciding to actually want to learn about my faith. The deeper I dive, the more I am enthralled by St. Francis of Assisi’s simplistic, Catholic outlook on life and want to follow in his footsteps.  

On “holidays” like today, I focus on St. Francis and how he rejected worldly pleasures, something I am trying so hard to do in a materialistic society. We are being bombarded with as many as 5,000 advertisements a day so that it can be increasingly difficult. We not only have to fight the urge to buy everything, but we also have to come to terms with the fact that not having, or even wanting, the newest thing can brand us as a loser or poor, regardless of facts.

My mother is a successful businesswoman, yet it is rare that she ever buys something for herself. Other than food and necessary clothes, I can’t even remember the last time she bought something for herself. Most of her jewelry came from either my father or her children, her purses are Christmas gifts, and how does she do it?

She is happy with and proud of what she has. Her joy is placed in her faith, her family and her work. Her joy is not in the things she has bought and owned, but the things she has created out of love and time. (Yes, it’s okay to find love and joy in your work.) She does not care what others think of her because she knows that our belongings should not dictate if we are popular or rich, but should instead answer the question of where our priority lies.

So yes, society tells us that today should be about buying things, but are they things you truly need? In fact, ask God. God, how could my time be better spent with friends or family? God, how could my money be better spent? God, how could my money be better donated? God (and dare I say it) how could my money be better saved? Finally, God, help me be humble in my choices, charitable in my actions, and strong in my will.  

These are all mini-prayers we should be asking ourselves each time we go to buy something, not just today, but every day.

Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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Remember Your Death

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“But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on Earth?”

This is the question that today’s Gospel leaves us to reflect on. Jesus being Jesus, He knows if there will be faith on Earth when He returns. He knows everything. As mere mortals, we don’t. So, this question hits us with two realizations; 1. The fact that the way our world is headed, our faith may be in question. 2. The way each of our own lives are headed, our faith may be in question.

At work the other day, there were a lot of people out sick or away on work and we were joking around, saying, “What if the rapture happened and this is who is left?” Some were quick to defend themselves with a list of reasons as if they had already written an article on the subject. (Don’t we all have a laminated copy of our own, handwritten Top Twenty Reasons Why I Would Be Raptured And You Wouldn’t in our desk drawer?) Others half laughed and got a bit paranoid, pulling out their phone and checking out a news website to double check, “Just in case.”

The event clearly had some weight to it because later in the day, I needed to microwave my food and my coworker told me that I could go first. He then followed up with, “This counts as a good deed, right? I thought about it and I gotta be more ready for the rapture, haha.”

Man, don’t we all? I mean, I believe that we should live our lives with the love and dignity that Jesus died to give us, but a little bit of fear of God and the rapture wouldn’t hurt anyone. If anything, it should remind us of our reason to live, our mission as a people.

So now that we have been given our warning question, will we change our acts accordingly? We must be faithful people every day in order to be faithful when Jesus returns. This is how our faith becomes a part of who we are and not just a show we put on for others.

So let’s say the Rosary on your way into work. Pray for each person that upsets you throughout the day. Thank God for every hardship as an opportunity and every easy task as a gift. Be fully aware and active in Mass. Sing openly and honestly to our God. Share welcome words with your fellow parishioners after Mass. Take those feelings of joy and redemption with you out of Mass and into the world.

This is how He will find faith on earth.

Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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Sharing Is Caring

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We’ve all heard the term “sharing is caring,” but what happens when it’s someone we don’t necessarily care for?

In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us a parable of a man having a dinner party. The man invites many of his friends and when everything is ready, all of his guests let him know that they cannot attend. Instead of cancelling the dinner, he asks his servants to go out and bring people in from the city streets. Servants let him know that there is still plenty of room, so he asks them to go to the highways and countryside to invite still more people.

Even though I know this parable describes how we should behave, my reaction was pretty much, “Wow I wish that I could be like this guy, but man, I don’t think I could. Goals, though, am I right?”

This knee-jerk reaction was something that I think people can connect to because it comes easily, almost naturally, to want to help those who we love or who have helped us. Our loved ones have been there for us through so much, so there isn’t much hesitation in wanting to help them. This kind of charity is wonderful, but can we honestly say that we would do the same for strangers?

Do we personally extend our charitable acts to those on the street? The poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame are all Jesus Christ in the form of a stranger. Do we personally extend our charitable acts to the those in the highways? Those we pass on the road, meet in gas stations, stand or sit next to on public transportation are all Jesus Christ in the form of a stranger. Yes, even the person who crossed five lanes of traffic only to cut you off as you’re taking the exit ramp.

Anyone can help a friend or a family member, but it takes someone with true faith in God, true knowledge of charity, and true belief in giving hope to help a stranger. So I challenge you to live out true charity.

As winter approaches, consider making care kits for the homeless. Besides water and snacks, be sure to include a new pair of thick socks and gloves. Most importantly, write handwritten words of Christian encouragement and love to let them know that God has not forgotten them.

For more information on what to include in care packages for the homeless, click here.

Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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Closed Off From The World

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As I was preparing writing this, my sister left me inspiration in a voicemail. Her words were:

“Today in religion class, they told us to put down our phones and interact. The importance of interaction. And I have to admit, that’s something you definitely taught me. When you’re in situations, you won’t hide by taking out your phone. If someone is there, you’ll be polite, talk to them, and allow them to interact with you rather than shutting yourself off.”

As my brother says, I was shooketh. First of all, can we talk about the fact that someone had to force these kids to socialize without a phone? I knew technology has taken over, but can you even imagine? That blew my mind. The second reason I’m surprised is that a recurring conversation that I have with my boyfriend embodies the complete opposite of what my sister said about me. He says that I am becoming the type of person who is always on their phone and needs to constantly be entertained. The worst part was that when he first brought it up, I couldn’t even deny it.

Still, I know both my sister and my boyfriend are right. I AM the kind of person that loves to interact with people. I love the small talk, the heart-to-hearts, the “so what do you do for fun” conversations with strangers. Sadly, I am quickly becoming the kind of person that placates themselves with their cell phone to avoid looking or feeling awkward, and that makes me so disappointed in myself. And disappointment, as we all learned as children, feels a lot worse than anger.

With today’s technological advancements, we are able to connect with more people than any past generation. Yet today’s generation isn’t doing too hot. Just checking social media (yes, from my phone) on World Mental Health Day was enough to make me realize how many of us feel alone, anxious, or depressed.

You see, when we are constantly on our phones, we close ourselves off to the world. Our phones, literally communication devices, cut off communication before it can even begin. Even when we put it in our pockets, we know we aren’t giving others 100% of our attention because we are thinking about checking our phones.

So we have to ask ourselves: How can we feed the hungry or shelter the poor or clothe the naked or invite the stranger or look after the sick when we are too engrossed in our phones to even see them around us? How can we call ourselves a proper disciple of Christ if we cannot even give the people in our lives the love and attention that they need?

We can’t.

So if you are reading this on your phone, finish this paragraph then put it down. Put it away. Yes, there will be a brief panic, but I encourage you to embrace it. Embrace the silence of your life. Embrace the stillness of your life. Just breathe. Give yourself 15-30 minutes without the worry of emails, of missed calls, and of texts. Give yourself freedom from the constant stress of missing out. Moreover, take this time to experience the world that God set in front of you. Talk to the people made in his image. If there’s no one around, then talk to God. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind.

Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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Sent In Pairs

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Jesus sent them in pairs. In today’s Gospel, he sent them in pairs to go out the cities he would later visit. He essentially told them to bring nothing but their faith. He also knew full well that it would not be easy because he said: “I am sending you like lambs among wolves.”

Our world today is full of wolves. So where is our buddy? If Jesus sent them in pairs, why am I alone?

You feel alone because you choose to be alone due to insecurities and you shouldn’t.

I personally struggle with this a lot, so don’t think that it’s easy for me to say these things. Quite frankly, these blog articles are just as much for me as they are for you, the reader. When Jesus said to let the children come to me, he did not say “oh, but only if they are perfect,” because he knows that we have flaws. When he embraces us, he embraces them and tells us to come as we are.

A couple of months ago, I confided in my friend about my history of depression/anxiety and she reminded me that self-doubt is the work of the devil. As I said, Jesus knows our flaws and still loves us, so why are we afraid of who we are? If the only person that can truly judge us can accept us, then why are we–no, why am I–so scared to be myself?

So when Jesus sends them in pairs, like lambs among wolves, He gives them faith and each other. He does not send them alone. In Genesis, Adam is given Eve. Likewise, we should not blindly cling to our pride or independence throughout our lives just because we think we will be judged. We were not put on earth to be alone, otherwise, we would be. I don’t doubt that God has the power to isolate each of us, but he chose not to.

To clarify, I am not saying that as a woman, you need a man and as a man, you need a woman. What I am trying to say is that we are not on this planet alone, so we should act accordingly. You can be independent and still want someone to share your life with. It doesn’t need to be a significant other. It can be a sibling or a friend. Regardless, you alone have the choice to bring people into your life or keep them out.

Bring faith into your life because life is hard. Keep faith in your life because it provides hope and peace. Similarly, we should invite people into our lives because life is hard. Keep people in your life because you are not alone. Even as we sit alone in our cars on the drive to work, we have our guardian angel, we have Jesus, we have God, we have the Holy Spirit, all waiting for us. We can find each of them in the people around us, but first, we have to set aside our Satan-inspired pride and insecurities.

So, today, set aside your pride and share your life with someone. Share your struggles and feel that sigh of relief knowing you are accepted. When someone shares their struggles with you, take a step to accept others as Jesus accepts them. Embrace their conversation and try to understand their struggles. Better yet, begin to accept yourself as he does, because everyone feels alone.

But we don’t have to; he is with us.

Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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Acts Of Random Kindness

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My Catholic faith has taught me more than any teacher, parent, or person ever has! Aside from the obvious “good morals,” Catholicism has taught me the value of family and friendship. It has taught me humility. More than anything, it has taught me how to love and how to be loved by following in Christ’s footsteps to become a more compassionate person.

Being compassionate isn’t easy. In fact, if I’m being perfectly honest, it sucks.

I consider myself extremely empathetic, meaning I am very sensitive to the emotions of people around me. The emotions of people around me weigh heavily on me and will even influence my own emotions. It is a genuine extension of compassion that goes beyond “oh, that’s good” and “man, that must be hard.”

For example, last week I was stopped by a train for a couple of minutes. The woman in the car behind me was crying. Like, chest heaving, ugly crying, inaudible sobs. And it broke my heart. I wanted to go to her and tell her that whatever it was, whatever she was going through, she would be okay.

So I did.

And it was awful.

Because with at least another 50 train cars to go, I put my car in park, got out, walked over to her door, and tapped on her window. When she rolled her window down, all I said was, “I’m sorry. You don’t know me, but I know that you’ll be okay.” She hiccupped, still crying, and nodded, not saying anything. Then I just got back in my car and cried.

Did I cry because I hoped she would be okay? I wish, but no. I cried because that was really hard.

As someone with anxiety, it’s a constant battle between my existential guilt and the gift of compassion. Perhaps you don’t have any experience with constant anxiety. Maybe you think it’s silly to feel guilty and wrong for doing the most mundane things. I agree with you, it is silly, but that doesn’t make it go away.

In fact, as soon as I parked my car, I already had a million thoughts going through my mind:

What would I even say to her? Everyone probably thinks that I’m one of those jerks that park in the middle of traffic. Or they think there’s something wrong with my car. Or they think I’m crazy. What if SHE thinks I’m crazy? I shouldn’t get out. Everyone will look at me and hate me. Maybe I can just pretend that I dropped something out of my window and get back in the car. This is a bad idea.

And I hadn’t even gotten out of the car yet.

Still, I think that this situation was most definitely a gift from God. It’s not that God made sure that she had a reason to cry, but I do think He put her car behind mine for a reason.  I, myself, have experienced both the sinking feeling and being tossed life rafts in the form of smiles, hugs, slight head nods, words, and prayers, and MAN is it powerful.

Unlike Rose in The Titanic (spoiler), we can share our floating door and save Jack’s life. Even when we are in danger of drowning, God gives us the opportunity to reach a hand out to a stranger.

All it takes is an Act of Random Kindness, an ARK if you will, to keep us from sinking.

Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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Unconditional Love

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We are loved unconditionally and I’m not sure that many of us understand the meaning of that.

To be loved beyond our every sin, loved beyond our every expectation, loved far beyond our comprehension.

God, Our Heavenly Father, did not send His son to remind us that He still existed. He did not send Jesus to condemn us and tell us that there’s no hope for us because we’re all terrible human beings. He sent the Messiah to remind us that we are forever, irrevocably loved.

I don’t have any children, but my mother has always told me that although she didn’t use to like kids, carrying me inside her, holding me in her arms…she would do anything for me. Most parents know that the bond and love between a parent and their child is a love stronger than any other they have known.

Now imagine that kind of love, magnified a million times over and completely unbreakable.

We lie, we cheat, we defy, we deny that God even exists. Still, that does not stop Him from loving us. In fact, He never doubts His love for a single second. Can you imagine that kind of love? The kind of love that we have been dreaming about since middle school. The kind of love that sweeps us off our feet. A kind of love that will chase you down when you try to leave and tell you that everything will be okay.

I have seen in my own life how He will fight for us even when we have no fight left for anything or anyone. When we give up all hope, He is there to comfort us and remind us that we are not alone and we are loved. When we are ready to stop breathing, he gives us life.  

He knows we are worthy of love.

He knows our name before we are born.

He knows us far better than we know ourselves.

He has called us by name and claimed us as His own.

Click here and here for songs that remind us of God’s love.

Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.