Safe, Protected, and Happy

One beautiful aspect of our human experience is that even the smallest moments can be invitations to reflect on our relationship with God. One such experience was finding our dog named “Friday.”

My wife found a dog walking along the side of the road, in danger of being run over. So, she pulled the car aside and called out for the dog, not knowing if he would listen and come to her. Surprisingly, he followed. This puppy with no chip, no collar, and after weeks of searching, no family, came to be ours by a simple request from my wife, “Come.”

I often think of what may have happened to our dog if my wife didn’t stop and invite him to escape the danger of the road. Maybe he would have been hit by a car, maybe attacked by another animal, homeless, or be put to sleep in a shelter. But now that he followed my wife, he is with us, at our home. He is safe, protected, and happy, and so are we.

You Are Loved

Even that little moment helped me reflect on God’s love. For God calls us, meets us where we are at, and calls us to greater love and communion. I think of my dog and compare myself to him. When I am lost, afraid, not knowing the next steps in life, I think of God meeting me, responding in love to my concerns, and asking me to trust Him completely. Then He simply invites me to follow. I could turn away, keep walking a dangerous path, or I can respond to God’s call and follow Him.

Trusting in the Lord can be difficult, for it requires us at times to abandon the path we are on, to face ridicule, to feel alone from the world. But in our Lord’s loving arms, we find true peace and joy. Nothing in the world can ever satisfy what our hearts desires most: to be united with our creator.

Every day, I’m grateful for God’s invitation to follow Him. As we continue this Lenten journey, I invite you to reflect on the moments in life that help you better understand God’s love.

Daniel Quintero is a newlywed husband, writer, and avid karaoke singer. He currently attends Prince of Peace Catholic Church where he volunteers in the lector ministry and with faith formation. His favorite motto: Awkwardness does not exist