by Father John Catoir
God cares enough to call you his child: “You are a child of God, by faith in Jesus Christ.” Gal 3:26. “Do not fear, I have called you by name, for you are mine.” Isaiah 43:1.
God cares enough to make you in his image: “And God said, let us make man in our image, after our own likeness … male and female he created them.” Gen 1:26,27.
God cares enough to give you new life: “Therefore those who are in Christ, are a new creation; old things are passed away, all things become new.” 2 Cor 5:17.
God cares enough to send you his Holy Spirit: “I will ask the Father to send you a Comforter, that he may abide in you and with you forever.” John 14:16.
God cares enough to send you spiritual gifts: “For by the Spirit one is given the gift of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge, to another a strong faith, to another the gifts of healing, to another the working of miracles … all these are from the same Holy Spirit, for all are members of the same Mystical Body of Christ.”
1 Cor 12:6-10.
God cares enough to give you the power to witness: “Go and teach all nations… to observe all things that I have commanded you, (…) I will be with you always, even until the end of the world.”
Matthew 28: 19,20.
God cares enough to rescue you from your enemies and deliver you from temptations: “For the Lord will fight for you against your enemies.” Deut 28:7.
God cares enough to give you freedom of choice: “No man can serve two masters; either he will hate one and love the other, or he will hold on to one and despise the other.” Matthew 6:24.
God cares enough to deliver you from your sins: “There is no condemnation for those who are in The Lord … for the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus will free you from the law of sin and death.” Rom 8:1,2.
God cares enough to judge you with fairness: “The commandments of the Lord are true and righteous … by them are you warned, and by keeping them your reward will be great.” Psalms 19:11.
God cares enough to offer you eternal life: “In my Father’s house there are many mansions … I go now to prepare a place for you.” John 14:1,4.
God cares enough to promise that you will rise from the dead: “Jesus said to them, I am the resurrection, and the life; those who believe in me, though they will die, yet shall live.” John 11:25.
Father Catoir, a native of the Brooklyn Diocese, is a retired priest of the Diocese of Paterson, N.J.
