Click here to read the daily readings from the USCCB website.

We have no idea how much God loves us. 

We can't begin to understand.

I've often heard that the greatest experience of love in our lives is but a shadow of God's love for us. It's like a reflection in a dusty mirror. Love on earth is God's way of hinting to us that there's something more.

Fr. John Burns says that the key to understanding Scripture, salvation history, God's relationship with us, and everything about our faith is found in the Song of Songs. This is a book that's been shrouded in controversy. There are many who thought it was inappropriate to include in the canon of Scripture. The Song of Songs is a love poem, even an erotic love poem. But it is pure and beautiful and symbolic.

There are many schools of interpretation of this book, but the one most commonly agreed upon by the faithful is that the lover is Jesus and the beloved is His Church, every single one of us. Some theologians and scholars have suggested that it's simply a poem between husband and wife and that we're supposed to compare their relationship to God's love for us. However, that disregards the reality that marriage symbolizes God's love not the other way around. The love between husband and wife is one of those weak reflections of God's love.

Truly, Jesus calls to us as a lover and whispers to us, "Arise, my beloved, my dove, my beautiful one, and come!"

It's the same whisper that caused John the Baptist to leap in his mother's womb in the Gospel. The love that Jesus has for each individual is pure, honest, powerful, and life-changing. It's challenging for us to understand, and I think especially for men. No, Jesus is not pursuing you with a romantic love specifically, but He does desire to be your beloved and He desires that He be yours. Is not your son the apple of your eye? Is not your brother and your father and your best friend beloved by you? 

Jesus was the Beloved of John the Baptist. Jesus beckoned to John, "Arise ... the time of pruning the vines has come." And John arose even in his mother's womb. John leapt at the command to prune the vines and he made it his life's mission, even when it led to his eventual martyrdom.

In the same way, Jesus beckons you to arise, even from Mary's womb in this Advent season. How do you respond? Will you allow Jesus to be your beloved? Will you be His? 

Take this question to prayer this week and be honest. What challenges you about this? What's keeping you from offering a whole-hearted yes? What about Jesus draws you in and what repels you? Pray about these questions and ask the Holy Spirit to help you. Leave Him plenty of silence to speak.