In our first and second readings this weekend, we are reminded of the deep love that God has for us and that He knew us, before He formed us. I take comfort in the first line from Jeremiah and turn to it when I struggle. Some of the hardest times I’ve experienced were when I was desiring a child and for some reason (in my head) I did not understand why God was not listening and answering my prayer the way that I wanted Him to. He was probably laughing at me for sure, like I knew what was best. But the reading reminds me that He formed me, knows me, and knew the right time and formed our daughter for us. He does all of this because He loves us…no matter what our failings are, how we fall short in our relationships, or what we think we need despite His plans. He continues to love us, no matter what! We are reminded of that in our second reading too. We hear this reading mostly at weddings and are reminded of how we are to love others. Do we live out The Word we hear proclaimed? One way to pray with this reading (second reading) is to take the word “love” or “it” and use the word “I” instead. For example: I am patient, I am kind, I am not jealous…. It really can show us how we need to work on living out God’s Word in our deeds and actions and showing the love that God has to all those around us. Let that be our challenge this week: how are we doing to show God’s love to those around us and to really know that God knows us and loves us unconditionally?