The first reading from today’s Mass us one if the most beautiful expressions on LOVE, from 1Corinthians: “Love is patient, love is kind, love is not jealous,love is not pompous, love is not inflated, love is not rude, love does not seek its own interests, love is not quick tempered and does not brood over injury, love does not rejoice in wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things. Believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. So, faith, hope and love remain, but the greatest of these is LOVE.”
These words should be emblazoned in our memories like a beautiful prayer. We hear them most frequently at weddings which is unfortunate because they are words for all seasons, times, and ordinary, everyday life. This “love” is not the romantic kind, but a choice that couples and individuals must make every moment of their lives. When romantic love begins to fade, this love “kicks in.” This love sends us out into the deep waters of God’s love, a love which knows no bounds or limits.
This way of loving seems to be sadly missing in our day to day interactions with each other. Just look at any social media outlet and you will be saddened. Can you imagine if each one of us prayed these words before responding in a difficult or tense situation, how different the outcome might be? If you want to become a saint, and we ALL are called to do so, let your life witness to the love expressed in this beautiful poem. Become a human embodiment of LOVE.
Peace,
Fr. Frank