Loving others

You have set aside the commandment of God. (Mark 7:9) 

It was an easy trap to fall into. In their zeal for the faith, many of the scribes and Pharisees created layers and layers of traditions and practices that would set them apart from “the world.” Over time, these layers began to complicate and eclipse the true nature of the Law of Moses—to the point that some people were able to turn the Law on its head. 

In contrast to the complexities these scribes and Pharisees introduced, Jesus focused on two simple, fundamental commandments: love God with all your heart, and love your neighbor as yourself. Every law and commandment of the Lord can be summed up by these two verses from the Torah.

But no matter how simple these commands are, they certainly aren’t easy. How can we love everyone all the time? There are times when we can barely tolerate members of our family, let alone the stranger next door or the co-worker who gets on our nerves. How can we avoid the temptation to introduce complexities and excuses so that we can free ourselves from the command to love?

By letting God’s own love teach us how to love.

It may not be easy, but it is simple. Jesus loves you. Not because you do the right things. (No one is perfect.) Not because you embrace every one of his teachings. (Everyone struggles with at least one commandment.) And not because you have shown yourself to be better than other people. (God’s rain falls on the just and unjust alike.) No, Jesus loves you because he looks into your heart and sees how “very good” it is (Genesis 1:31). He looks past the hurts, the resentments, and the unconfessed sin, and peers right into the center of who you are.

It’s right there, in the center, that Jesus sees the love he has placed in you. He sees your desire to please the Lord. He sees the goodness and purity that God created you with. And what he sees pierces his heart with love. With joy. With compassion. It’s this gaze that can melt our hearts and teach us to love as he does—simply, mercifully, and equally.

“‘My soul yearns and pines for the courts of the Lord. My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God’ (Psalm 84:3). Jesus, teach me to love.” 

from wau.org

Simple, yet not easy

Do not be terrified. (Luke 21:9)

Jesus names a long list of problems that sound all too familiar to us: earthquakes, famines and plagues, wars, and the overthrow of what seems so powerful. His counsel in the face of all this upheaval, however, is brief: “Do not be terrified” (Luke 21:9). When the existing state of affairs seems to be deteriorating and conflict is sweeping peace away, when disaster and rumor are headlines, how are we not to fear? It seems rather simplistic to say, “Don’t be alarmed; don’t panic.”

But it is that simple. 

Remember, though, simple is not the same as easy. Heeding Jesus’ command here requires discipline, practice, self-control, and, especially, a deep, abiding assurance of your Father’s love for you. We’re generally pretty good with the discipline and practice side of the equation. Or at least we know what that entails and have some way of doing it. But discipline and dedication can take us only so far, and that’s why we need to immerse ourselves in God’s love. 

St. Francis de Sales once advised, “Half an hour’s meditation each day is essential, except when you are busy. Then a full hour is needed.” The same applies when you are anxious or worried.

Spend time today (and every day) contemplating this central truth of our faith: God is taking care of you, today, tomorrow, and every day. St. Francis says that either God will shield you from suffering, or he will give you his strength and grace to bear it. You are God’s very own child, and he will lead you safely through all things, however calamitous. He holds your hand, adjusting his steps to yours, and promises to carry you in his arms when you cannot stand.

So tell Jesus what terrifies you right now, and ask him to help you. His command “Do not be terrified” is not impossible. Just try to set aside the thoughts that rob you of peace, and ask the Holy Spirit to give you new thoughts—his thoughts—on whatever is upsetting you. Write down whatever uplifting and encouraging thoughts come to you, and go back to them whenever fear rears its alarming head.

Every day, declare, “I will not be terrified,” and watch what God does.

“Jesus, hold my hand today, and whisper your thoughts to me. Lord, I want to live in your peace, unafraid of what’s ahead.”

from wau.org

Expanding love.

Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you? (Matthew 18:33).

Science has suggested that humans use only 10 percent of their brains. Moving from this idea, some people have suggested that if we could access the other 90 percent, we would be able to solve so many problems like poverty and world hunger. There may be some merit in this speculation, but we should also acknowledge that much of the problem lies in our hearts and not just in our brains.

Imagine what could happen if we were able to access more of our hearts! What would this world look like if we could love more, forgive more, have more empathy, and look at ourselves and each other the way God does.

Today’s Gospel tells the story of a man who was given the opportunity to do just that but who refused. Having received the pardon of an immense debt from his master, he turned around and acted out of a stingy heart instead. Somehow, even though he had been given a huge gift, he remained as hard-hearted and ungenerous as before. And so it was not the master’s decree but the servant’s own ingratitude that landed him in prison. He excluded himself from the forgiveness his master had offered him.

As far as Jesus is concerned, anyone who has been forgiven much should be so touched by this forgiveness that he or she is moved to love much. But that will happen only as we allow our hearts to be melted by the mercy given to us. Again, it’s a heart issue as well as a brain issue.

Jesus gave all he possibly could when he died on the cross. Don’t take this gift lightly. There’s no way you could possibly repay him for what he has done for you. The only real response—the response of the heart—is to embrace his love and let it make you into a more merciful person. It’s only if we close our hearts to God’s mercy that our love shrinks, allowing criticism and harshness to creep in. So stay mindful of all that you have been given, and you’ll find your capacity to love expanding day by day!

“Thank you, Father, for treating me with so much love! May that love overflow in me, touching every person I encounter today.”

from wau.org

Friends

I have called you friends. (John 15:15)

Doesn’t that make your heart skip? Jesus has called you his friend. You aren’t a slave or a subject or a liability. You are a friend, sharing a mutual trust and affection with him. The Son of God has chosen you. He has set his heart on you so that you can bear fruit for his kingdom, fruit that will last.

Lasting fruit—this isn’t an impossible goal, because Jesus, your friend, has given you access to his Father and all the resources of heaven. As a friend, he freely shares his Father’s thoughts and plans with you. And this is precisely what can make you have a lasting effect on the world. Because Jesus has his Father’s permission to give us whatever we ask for in his name, we will always have whatever we need to bear fruit. This is a far cry from slaves fulfilling their master’s whims. It’s a loving collaboration!

The only condition Jesus makes is that we love one another by laying down our lives for each other, just as he did for us (John 15:13).

Now, few of us will end up physically dying for someone else, but that’s not really an obstacle. We all have opportunities to practice self-sacrificing love every day. We can “die” by not insisting on our own ideas in an argument. We can die by doing something as simple as agreeing to watch a television show someone else chooses or by giving up a little bit of our time to get to know a new neighbor. Kids can do it by giving up some computer time to run a load of laundry for tired parents. Maybe we can visit with someone who lives alone or cook a meal for a neighbor who is sick or has a newborn. There is no shortage of ways we can lay down our lives!

The best news is that God will give us whatever strength, kindness, self-control, or patience we need to fulfill this call. We’re friends of his Son, and he is a very generous God. 

“Thank you, Jesus, for calling me your friend. Pour your grace into my heart so that it overflows to those around me today. I trust that you will give me all the resources I need to bear fruit that will last.”

taken from wau.org

THE CHURCH?

I received this piece from a friend yesterday and just wanted to share it with you:

I felt so broken and alone, the burden on my heart felt like it was on my back; its weight broke my back, I couldn’t even stand straight. I couldn’t see the sun, it added to my burdens; death was all I could think about. Life was meaningless and there was nowhere to go, no one to turn to and I would sleep an endless sleep than wake up to hear the birds singing the dirges that would be sang when I am finally laid to rest.

The blue skies mocked me and they made want to scream, they smiled when all I could do was weep, tears were the food of my soul. No one even smiled, the whole world was in a rush and I was at a standstill.

I heard my mother’s voice, so soft and tender and her touch so gentle; she had come only to remind me that I would find solace, peace and someone to listen to me if I go to the church. I remembered the Apostle Paul saying that the Church is the Body of Christ; I had heard so much about Christ, I even saw the great things He did and how He turned the ugly into the beautiful. The Body of Christ- His eyes, ears, lips, tongue, hands, feet and most of all His heart. The Church would be the right place to find solace.

I had done so much wrong; I needed a place to offload this over-weighted burden. I went to the Church...

Why did everyone look at me so strangely? Did my sin show on my face? At last! Someone to talk to before the service started. It felt so good to have someone listen and tell you about the love of God and the salvation Christ brings.

Why is everyone walking away when I try to get close? Why is the gentleman who spoke to me before the service hiding from me? Why do I still feel lonely and left out like I did before I came in? Why are they staring at me with their noses turned up and their eyes so full of condemnation? Why do I feel worse than I did before service? Why are they judging me?

Doesn’t the Good Book say that Jesus came for the broken? Didn’t Jesus say that those who are well do not need a doctor? Why do I feel like the medication given me is making me worse off than before?

The Good Book says God’s heart is full of compassion; the Church is God’s heart isn’t it? Why is it so cold? The Church is God’s hand, why is it so short in reaching out to a sick person like me? Why aren’t these hands wrapping me up and warming me up? Why isn’t it taking the burden off my back? But Jesus said I should come to Him with my burden and He will give me rest; why then do I feel like I have to carry my burden along with the judgement and condemnation it comes with? The Church is God’s feet, why isn’t it walking to me with the love and forgiveness I so seek?

If indeed the Church is the Body of Christ, why didn’t I find solace like my mother told me? Why didn’t I find the consolation and forgiveness I so sought?

Was I better off coming to the Church? Why do I have to be relegated to the back for doing the wrong I didn’t really want to do? Why excommunication when I could have been given mercy?

Is the Church really the Body of Christ? Is that how Christ would have treated me? If He is the doctor for the fit, perfectly holy and sanctimonious person, then what about people like me who are sick, dying and perishing and being lost every day? Where do we stand in this world?

Are all those holy people in the Church really holy? Aren’t they covering up their dark deeds by their bright and holy faces and sanctimoniously pious actions? Are they worse than I or I worse than them?

If I can’t find solace, peace and a haven from my burdens in the Church, where would I find it?

credit: Benita

Passionate Lover.

Even if this should seem impossible in the eyes of the remnant of this people, shall it in those days be impossible in my eyes also, says the Lord of hosts? (Zechariah 8:6)

It’s the classic plot for a romantic comedy: A man is in love with a woman who doesn’t seem to know he exists. He goes out of his way to run into her, he sends her flowers, he writes love letters. And still she scorns him. He hates seeing how her other suitors leave her disappointed and empty. But he can’t envision life without her, so he continues doing everything he can to make her fall in love with him. Finally, somewhere in the depths of her heart, she realizes it’s meant to be. In the end, they ride off together into the sunset.

We may be a bit embarrassed to think that God loves us in a very similar way. He is jealous for us. Don’t worry; this jealousy is not the selfish, “green-eyed monster” type. It’s a jealousy that passionately wants the best for us. And that “best,” of course, is to be united with the Lord. We were created for him. Any other suitor, anything else that competes for our love, only threatens the “happy ending” that God has in store for us.

You may look at your life with some skepticism. You may not think you’re worthy of such passionate love from God. It’s easy to focus on the obstacles or the other “lovers” that have claims on our hearts. But thank goodness God doesn’t look at things with our eyes! He is ready to go out and fight all of his opponents: our sin, our guilt, anything that accuses us. He will stop at nothing to redeem us and make us completely his.

So let God woo you. As deep calls to deep, let him sweep you off your feet. There is no area in your life that he can’t win over by the power of his love. There is no element of your resistance that he cannot wear down. Just be still, and let him show you the beauty and peace that come from a life devoted to him. That’s how attractive he is!

“Lord, I am like the Beloved in the Song of Songs, hiding from you. As the Bridegroom of my soul, win me over with your single-minded devotion to me. I am yours!”

taken from wau.org

A call to LOVE.

God is calling us to be vessels of love to all people we meet. We read about how Naomi and Ruth showcased love to each other (Ruth 1). I believe that Ruth decided to stay with Naomi because she had become convinced of Naomi's love, even to the extent of leaving her life and taking up a new way of living, with Naomi. Ruth sacrificed her family, her faith etc, to follow Naomi. Something about Naomi pulled the attention of Ruth and I believe it was her showcase of love to her.

Ruth also showed Naomi love by not abandoning her in her moment of grief and agony. We learn later on in the story how Ruth and Naomi's lives changed as eventually, Ruth gets married and becomes the great-grand mother of King David and inevitably, she was counted within the ancestral lineage of Jesus!!! She would have missed this opportunity if not for the love she experienced and showed.

The Lord calls us to love one another. Today, may we not take this command lightly since it has shown to have destiny influencing potential. May we extend love to all we meet today, for you would never know what seed you have sown. 

Lord make us instruments of your love.