My Father Loves Me: "You have made me a little lower than the angels and crowned me with glory and honor."

   Fall is definitely coming! The two hour hike early this morning was magical. Saying the rosary in the midst of such natural beauty was truly a blessing! Psalm 8 came to mind. As I recalled the words of this familiar psalm I was particularly impressed by a couple of verses which I highlight here:

O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory in the heavens.
Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.
When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?
You have made him a little lower than the angels and crowned him with glory and honor.
(Psalm 8:1-5)

I was struck by how much God enjoys the praise of children and infants! My wife and I participated in the Life Chain event on Sunday. I remembered taking our children out on such occasion when they were quite small. I often wondered if it was appropriate to bring children to such demonstration. Now I am quite assured that God uses their presence to establish a "stronghold" against the forces of evil in our society.

I was quite aware during the hike through the woods that my Heavenly Father loves me. Who am I that should deserve such glory and honor? God, who made heaven and earth, has the creative power to transform a worthless person to someone fit for the King of Heaven! I am reminded of St. Paul's words in 1 Timothy 1:15-16
"Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life."

This is deep mystery. I shall never understand why my Heavenly Father loves me this much.

"For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength." (1 Corinthians 1:25)