There are numerous examples in the Scriptures where our relationship to God is compared to that of a wedded couple. Today’s first reading demonstrates this analogy with the portrayal of love, dedication, and service of the husband and wife to each other. The powerful comparison between God’s love for us and the love a married couple has for each other is profoundly described in Proverbs today.

However, the idea of marriage as an everlasting, anchoring, and sacred friendship – like God’s love – is hard to relate to in our temporal, usable, and throw-away culture. Relationships in our society have adopted these same characteristics. The culture in which we live tells us that people are objectifiable, their emotions can be discarded, and the permanency of friendships is temporary. The selfish and self-satisfying lifestyles that saturate our society degrade the concepts of friendship, relationship, and marriage to disposable terms where immediate gratification is a prominent characteristic. The result of this “usable” mentality is evident in the number of people who engage in premarital sex, spousal and domestic abuse, and the psychological, emotional, and social isolation that children experience because of excessive-working or absent parents.

In this light, how then can a Christian understand the relationship that God has for us, when our experiences of relationships with other people have taught us that we have little value? Today’s first reading provides several ways in which we can serve God while also striving to form relationships with others that mirror the longevity, dedication, and strength of love that God has for us. By serving others, valuing the commitment of another’s heart, and praising hard work and humility, we are coming in contact with God. It is through valuing another person that we are given a glimpse of the ideal love: that of God.

Every day, I experience and witness God by having my commitment of love returned ten-fold by my family and friends. It is because of these experiences, that I understand the importance of establishing relationships that are perpetual and valued. It is through these relationships that I have come to comprehend the unwavering love that God has for me.