Loving Embrace Like No Other

For the first time in while I was asked to be a confirmation sponsor. So last night I found myself sitting in church for a mass I hadn't been to in 12 years. The last time I was at this mass I was an altar server. The year before I had been at the mass for my own confirmation. Our diocese was in between bishops so I was confirmed by the chancellor of the diocese who was a Monsignor. But 12 years ago I was there for the mass as an altar server because my best friend and his girlfriend were getting confirmed. It's a memory I will never forget. Standing to the right of and slightly behind our new bishop, I held the oil of chrism as he confirmed many of my peers, and more importantly my best friend and his future wife.
Last night I was back. This time I was sitting as a sponsor with a wonderful young lady sitting in front of me waiting in anticipation to be confirmed by that same bishop that confirmed by friends 12 years before.
As mass went on, as usual, words of the bishops homily got me thinking. There have been many people I have been praying for recently and the word "embrace" caught my ear. I've never thought much about hugging Jesus, but when I have it was always myself Jesus was embracing. But last night I imagined Jesus embracing those that I've been praying for and that image brought me more joy than I can explain or understand. My mind almost raced as I went through each image in my mind of Jesus lovingly embracing all the people I care so much more, some I've met and some I've never met.
More and more each day I'm coming to understand that I need to place my trust in Jesus and I also need to understand that Jesus loves those that I love infinitely more than I can, so I need to trust in Him when it comes to those that I love.
I long for everyone to experience the loving embrace of Jesus.

Peace all