God is Love

I'm a single woman. As such, I'm not a huge fan of this "holiday" the world calls "Valentine's Day" (as though there's not a martyr involved). And even when I was in a relationship, the thing pretty much fell flat. It's pointless. It's all about commercialism, lust, and debauchery, and less about love.

Tonight I'm going to be at the church, teaching the RCIA class about sin. I considered doing a "how-to" class, but then I looked around, considered the "holiday" and realized that all they have to do for a "how-to" primer is turn on the TV or observe some of their friends and family. That's what I always did...that's how I became a sinner. It started from a very young age.

So it's a natural inclination. I realized, then, that my calling as a single woman is to offer my singlehood as a sacrifice to my married RCIA team members; I have no one to offend. So I can talk about sin freely without fear of having to sleep on the couch.

It is a freedom to be single.

And further; we singles have no one to rely on but God. All of us, as members of the mystical Body of Christ, are all the spouse of Christ, cohesively. For we who are single, it is a good day to take a close look at where God is in our lives and turn our hearts back to Him. To recognize the mystical wedding that was the cross, to recognize the sacrifice that promises us eternal life, and to recognize our own obligations to our beloved Savior.

So I, as a single woman, am, in essence, wedded to Christ in a mystical way. And I have it on good authority that the Lord recognizes those of us who embrace our singularity before Him and offer it to Him from our very state in life. We are not all called to Marriage or to the Religious life, which would be a formal vow. No; we singles are spouses in the informal sense; we have a particular calling to serve and a particular relationship with the Lord, should we choose to accept His outstretched hand. We are celibate for the sake of the Kingdom, and even without vows, our acceptance of this state in life is a state very close to God's heart.

This is comforting to me when I consider that, as a single woman, I have nowhere to go in a disaster. Yes, I have my dear friends, and if my house burned down, any number of people I know would take me in in a heartbeat. Just as I would offer my spare room and all I have to a friend in the same circumstance. But my family is not really nearby, and my Mother is not in a position to assist in an emergency. I am truly alone as a single; personally, financially, and sometimes, spiritually.

Yet, I have come to realize, what this means is that my worldly attachments are cut. I have no one to depend upon other than God, and this indeed is a great blessing. I cannot even fathom having people to absolutely "count" upon as do those who are married or have close families.

It is a blessing to have only the Lord, for it is in our worst moments that His glory shines the most. It is through people in my situation who are most able to show the world the true love and Providence of God. That's not to say that He just "saves" us if we are in trouble, but rather, when we have a true need, He sends what is needed to remedy the situation. It gives us a wonderful opportunity to testify to others the great Love of God for even His most humble and unrecognized servants.

We are all, married, unmarried, clergy, religious, beloved of God. All of us have value, all of us have a particular relationship with Him.

Today is a day to remember that wonderful bond. Today is a day to turn towards Jesus and cling to Him with all of our hearts, minds, and strength. He will not leave us bereft. He will not abandon us. He will not deprive us of His mercy.

If you have not already, go to Mass tonight; recieve the Lord in Holy Communion, and ponder the great mystery of God become man in order to die out of love for us. Ponder the very reality that we, as the Church, the Bride of Christ, recieve Jesus in an act which is the consummation of the mystical marriage.

Is there anything more profound than this?