Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Love one another. It’s not an option but a command to be taken seriously if we are to be
genuine friends of Jesus. Why was this non-negotiable for Jesus? Because loving others does three things:
- Authentic love brings us out of ourselves;
- Loving others is what keeps our faith from simply being a collection of beliefs or philosophies;
- Love is the great evangelizer.
When we love others, it is a decision in that we freely choose to leave our own concept of comfort. It moves us beyond ourselves. Love is never self-serving. Even as we respect ourselves and honor what our personal needs are, we do so in order to be healthy enough to serve others. Exercise, rest, nutrition, spiritual enrichment and ongoing faith formation are all necessary for us to have the strength to love and serve others. Self-care is not about being inwardly preoccupied; it’s always about having the ability to offer ourselves for others.
Many have said that religion is bad because it indoctrinates and imposes a set of beliefs and rules. This is true if there is no love. As Catholics, we profess our faith and we subscribe to various disciplines (spiritual, moral, intellectual, etc.) because they are rooted in the love of Christ. How boring would Catholicism be if merely a set of rules!
“See how they love one another.” Since the early Church, outward charitable signs have been the very mark of discipleship. Caring for the poor and the widow, the orphan and those on the margins – in other words, the most vulnerable – are tangible signs that followers are living out the Gospel, the Good News. These are signs that people are overflowing with love and they want to generously share it. This is attractive for those seeking assurance that God is always near.
How is loving others a priority in our life as disciples of the Lord?
Joyfully yours in Christ,
Fr. Gurnick