A product of God's love ...

This morning in reading from 1 Timothy 5-6 as well as Titus 1-3 what caught my eyes were as follows:

Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you.

Avoid the profane chatter and contradictions
of what is falsely called knowledge;

by professing it some have missed the mark as regards the faith.

1 Timothy 5:20-21a

But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared,

he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done,

but according to his mercy,

through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit

Titus 3:4-5

These have a common Scriptural theme of what almost sounds like a contradiction: We are called by God to do good works, yet all of humanity's combined good works would not keep one person in a good relationship with God. Rather good human works should be seen as not earning God's love but as a product of God's love in me.

We believe such about God. He did not send Jesus, his Son, to earn our love but as a growth out of his unending love for us, for all.

The first reading above speaks of human works. The next reading speaks of our motivation to do so. So for now, I will ask: How did God love me yesterday? And if I want to go further, last week? over the years? And as I answer these questions I will be reminded of part of the motivation for my good works.

Perhaps it would be good for you to do so as well.