--- title: Come Let Us Adore Him … Still description: Caroline Godin contemplates true love through the meaning of the word 'adore.'  image: https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/20250220%20CGodin%201.png --- [![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) [![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/come-let-us-adore-him-still#) [FAITH](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/tag/faith) # Come Let Us Adore Him … Still Feb 20, 2025 10:00:00 AM  |  by [Caroline Godin](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/caroline-godin) ![featured image](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/20250220%20CGodin%201.png) *Caroline Godin contemplates true love through the meaning of the word “adore.” * --- The Christmas season came to a close with Candlemas on February 2nd. It was the last day we might (liturgically) sing "O come let us adore Him." As we prepare for the season of Lent, which begins March 5th this year, can we show Jesus the same Adoration amidst the suffering of the Cross?    ## What Does it Mean to Adore?  We may think of adoring someone as loving in a joyful way as we do when we hold a small child, but [to adore means to love and respect deeply and even to worship or venerate](https://www.google.com/search?q=define+adore). The word *adore *comes from the Latin *ad *meaning “to” and *ore *meaning “speak or pray.” Knowing this might change how easily we say we adore things. In fact, knowing this, can we say we would adore Christ on the Cross?    ![null](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/20250220%20CGodin%203.png?width=1080&height=1350&name=20250220%20CGodin%203.png)   ### Easy Love  Culturally, we say we adore someone or something to mean we love strongly. It’s not wrong, but it’s at times too loosely used. We love little babies. We love cute outfits. We love a person’s friendliness or kindness. Fun and positive things and people are easy to love, but can we love ugliness?    ### Tough Love  Not all love is pretty. Married couples take a vow to love in sickness and in health, for better or for worse. Stick around and those things will happen. Stick through them and love grows stronger, but it’s not easy. Love is tough and sometimes ugly.  There’s nothing pretty about the Cross. It’s a brutal form of capital punishment. The way Christ died for us was violent from the moment the night of the arrest began. He sweat blood while praying, yet still healed the ear of the soldier who arrested Him. He endured questioning and being paraded around and mocked. He took on a crown of thorns and a horrid lashing with the whip. He bore the Cross to Calgary, falling three times but getting up each time and enduring the suffering.  On the Cross, amidst the final moments, He asked the Father to forgive those who tormented Him. His love never faltered. He never turned away from us. He took on the Will of the Father out of love for God and man. He became the Sacrificial Lamb.    ### Adoring in the Ugliness  Not all love is pretty. Some love is ugly. Sometimes we love right in the muck of life. We love our kids when they get sick. We love our spouses when they lose a job. When times are tough, we’re still called to love. We love during old age and all of its ugliness. Sometimes loving in the ugliness of life is harder than we want it to be. Some relationships don’t survive. Those that do can be scarred. It’s difficult, but to truly love and adore is not meant to be easy.  Christ’s love for us was not and is not easy. (I, for one, don’t make it easy; I’m working on that.) Yet still Christ loves us as the Father loves us. His love is free and we are called to do the same. It’s the real meaning of being created in His Image, to love unconditionally, that sacrificial love, mimicking Christ’s love and suffering for us.  ### True Love  As Lent approaches, let’s think of ways to increase our love for God and for each other. Lent is a time of inward reflection, sacrifice, and contemplation of Christ’s suffering. Can we make it a time to increase in love as well?    ![null](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/20250220%20CGodin%202.png?width=1080&height=1350&name=20250220%20CGodin%202.png)   ## Uniting Our Suffering to Christ's We can never love as strongly as God loves, but our imitation should pull us to our knees, so that our suffering is united to Christ’s suffering. If we can adore Christ in the manger, we must also adore Him on the Cross. If we love in the joys and happiness of life, we must also love through the ugliness.  That is, after all, what true love really is.    Share your thoughts with the Catholic Mom community! You'll find the comment box below the author's bio and list of recommended articles. --- Copyright 2025 Caroline Godin Images: Canva ### Share this article [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fcome-let-us-adore-him-still%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fcome-let-us-adore-him-still%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fcome-let-us-adore-him-still%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=Come%20Let%20Us%20Adore%20Him%20%E2%80%A6%20Still) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fcome-let-us-adore-him-still%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fcome-let-us-adore-him-still%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ** #### About the Author ![Caroline Godin](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Caroline%20Godin%20Headshot%20-%20Caroline%20Godin.jpg) ### [Caroline Godin](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/caroline-godin) Caroline Godin is a freelance writer, catechist, and martial artist. She is married with 3 children. She enjoys finding new house projects to start and never finish and going camping. She takes a light-hearted view of life and keeps her eyes on eternity. One day, she may be the patron saint of ADHD or procrastination, if she gets around to it. ## Related Blog Articles [ Teaching Love Over Tolerance Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/teaching-love-over-tolerance) [ 'No' Means 'I Love You' Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/no-means-i-love-you) [ Rosary Reflections for Pregnant Mothers: Fifth Glorious Mystery Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/rosary-reflections-for-pregnant-mothers-fifth-glorious-mystery) ## Comments ## Donate now [![Support Catholic Mom](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545) [![CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png?width=1806&height=731&name=CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png "CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) ##### Subscribe to Catholic Momcast on iTunes or Spotify [![itunes-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/itunes-logo-black.svg)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-momcast/id1362352357)[![spotify-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/spotify-logo-black.svg)](https://open.spotify.com/show/15CoipHL7z61IDcYErV0b8?si=hqaQJSxDQgq7S1hxCwsoxQ) ##### CatholicMom on Social Networks [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) ##### About Catholic Mom [Who We Are](https://www.catholicmom.com/about-us) [Contact Us](https://www.catholicmom.com/contact) [Support CatholicMom.com](https://www.catholicmom.com/support-us)   ##### Associated Links [Holy Cross Family Ministries](https://www.hcfm.org/) [Family Rosary](https://www.familyrosary.org/) [Family Theater Productions](https://www.familytheater.org/) [Congregation of the Holy Cross](https://www.holycrossusa.org/) [Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.](https://www.fatherpeyton.org/) [The Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life](https://www.peytonfamilyinstitute.org/) ### **Stay connected!** Don’t miss a thing! 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