“I have called you by name, you are mine.” (Is 43:1)
These words from our Heavenly Father are addressed to everyone who comes into this world. He wants each of us close to Him. In fact, He has created us in His image and likeness, and we know that our Father spares no effort to ensure that people hear His call and return with joy and gratitude to Him.
However, we also know that people can abandon this intimate communion of love with God because they have been endowed with freedom. The Old Testament tells us of those who closed their ears and hearts, breaking their covenant with God. Again and again we encounter this tragedy: a Father full of love and, on the other hand, a child who turns his back on Him. It continues to happen to this day!
In contrast to man’s unfaithfulness, whose love easily grows cold, our Father responds with supreme love so that man may finally hear Him calling his name and awaken to his deepest dignity as a child of God.
In the Message to Mother Eugenia, our Father exclaims,
“They will ignore My presence, even though they will be near Me. In My Son they will treat Me cruelly, notwithstanding all the good He will do for them. In My Son they will speak ill of Me, they will crucify Me to bring about My death.” Shall I stop because of this? No, My love for My children, men, is too great. I did not stop there.”
What joy it brings to assimilate this truth from God and know that we are sustained by Him! The Lord will never revoke His promise. As long as we do not turn away from Him deliberately and become obstinate, we will be able to go through all the difficulties of life hand in hand with our Heavenly Father, always remembering “I have called you by name, you are mine.” (Is 43:1)