Page 220 - spiritual_accompaniment_montreal_archdiocese

HOMILIES

We are invited to imitate the little ones to experience the joy of having received everything.
The joy of having received all from God, our parents, from other, people we met at some point
in our life. Perhaps a professor enriched our life with a word he said in a moment when we
were searching or suffering. This, too, we have all received.

Growing in the understanding that we have all received is not something that makes us sad
or depresses us, thinking that because we have received everything, we are unable to do any-
thing by ourselves. In the contrary, we rejoice because we have all received!

Having all received, what does this mean? It means that I received life from another. It means
that someone loves me. Furthermore, if I have all received, it means that someone thinks that
I exist. The one who gives everything, the one who gives us the gifts that we need, he who
gives himself, what does he want to say? He says to us again: “It is good that you exist.”

Exploring the depth of humility, we discover not only that we have received all, but we
discover the goodness of our existence. We discover that it is good that we exist because we
exist created by God, seen by God, loved by God. We exist and are made to exist under the
protection and love of our parents, under their loving glances,

Yes, we can say it again, we have received everything.

In receiving these gifts, in receiving life, in receiving our talents, we also receive the strength
to live. In receiving love, we received the strength to love. In the end, we are all called to love,
but we cannot love if we have not been loved. We cannot love if we have not personally made
the experience of being loved. When we have not made the experience of being loved, we are
not capable of loving. Even if we desire to love, we cannot get there.

But when we have made the experience of being loved, we also made the experience that we
cannot love by counting on our own strength alone. Once again, we can turn to Jesus and say
again: “Lord, I received all, Lord give me the strength to live, give me the strength to love.”
Let our love become what we have received! In receiving existence, we also received love. We
received love. We received love and feel loved, we receive love to love.

Humility is a fundamental quality of existence, both in our relationship God and in our
relationships with each other. With an attitude of having received everything, we learn to be
humble and appreciate the gift of others. We can learn to see their capacity for truth, beauty
and goodness that is present in their soul, in their heart, and in their flesh.

(cont’d)

Collection of texts by the Most Rev. Christian Lépine 220