In today's first reading, Ruth 1:1, 3-6, 14b-116, 22, Naomi and her husband Elimilech, natives of Bethlehem, moved to Moab. They bore two sons, Mahlon and Chilion. These sons married Moabite women, one named Orpah and the other Ruth. Naomi's husband died, as did her two sons. Following the death of her sons, Naomi decides to move back to Bethlehem and tells her daughters-in-law to stay in their native country. Ruth, however, insists on staying with Naomi, saying to her: "Do not ask me to abandon or forsake you! For wherever you go, I will go, wherever you lodge I will lodge, your people shall be my people, and your God my God."
What self-sacrificing love on the part of Ruth! Ruth leaves all that is familiar to her and goes to a foreign land, a country that is not her own. As an immigrant in Bethlehem, she encounters hatred and prejudice and is saved by a kinsman, her future husband Boaz.
In the Gospel, Jesus is asked which commandment is the greatest of the laws. Jesus responds that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord our God with our whole heart, our whole mind, and our whole soul and that the second commandment is like it: Love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Ruth models both commandments: Love of God totally and love of neighbor to the point of sacrificing all for that person.
These scripture passages challenge us to ask ourselves the following questions: Do we allow ourselves to fall in love with God, to love God totally, that is, with our whole mind, our whole heart, our whole soul? Do we love ourselves and, if not, why not? What do we need to do to fall in love with ourselves--the good and the bad, the beautiful and the ugly part of ourselves? Do we love our neighbor as we love ourselves? Furthermore, are we like Ruth, willing to leave all for the sake of another person and, like her, open to learning more and more about the one true God? And finally, are we like Boaz, willing to get to know the stranger and protect such persons from being oppressed by hatred and prejudice against them?
Showing posts with label Self-sacrificing Love. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Self-sacrificing Love. Show all posts
Friday, August 23, 2019
Saturday, February 2, 2019
Presenting Ourselves in the Temple of the Lord
Today, the Feast of the Presentation, "Mary and Joseph took Jesus to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, 'Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord'" (Luke 2: 22). In the collect of today's liturgy, we pray: "Almighty ever-living God, we humbly implore your majesty that, just as your Only Begotten Son was presented on this day in the Temple in the substance of our flesh, so, by your grace, we may be presented to you with minds made pure."
At our baptisms, each of us, like Jesus was by his parents, is presented to the Lord to be purified and consecrated to Him in the waters of baptism. May we continue ti cooperate with God's grace as we live our our consecration to the Lord in our daily lives by living justly, loving tenderly and doing what s right in God's eyes.
That is my prayer this day for all of us, the least to the greatest, the richest to the poorest, the healthiest to the sickest in body, mind, and soul. And may our minds continue to be made pure through the Body and Blood of Christ, which we Catholics receive in Holy Communion at every Mass. May we complete and become the Eucharist we celebrate by pouring out our lives every day in self-sacrificing love for the good of others.
At our baptisms, each of us, like Jesus was by his parents, is presented to the Lord to be purified and consecrated to Him in the waters of baptism. May we continue ti cooperate with God's grace as we live our our consecration to the Lord in our daily lives by living justly, loving tenderly and doing what s right in God's eyes.
That is my prayer this day for all of us, the least to the greatest, the richest to the poorest, the healthiest to the sickest in body, mind, and soul. And may our minds continue to be made pure through the Body and Blood of Christ, which we Catholics receive in Holy Communion at every Mass. May we complete and become the Eucharist we celebrate by pouring out our lives every day in self-sacrificing love for the good of others.
Tuesday, December 18, 2018
Christ Comes to Set Us Free
The Entrance Antiphon of today's liturgy reminds us that "Christ our King is coming, he is the Lamb foretold by John." In the Collect of today's liturgy, we lift our voices, saying: "Grant, we pray, almighty God, that we, who are weighed down from of old by slavery beneath the yoke of sin, may be set free by the newness of the long-awaited Nativity of your Only Begotten Son."
Each one of us, every day, experiences the "slavery beneath the yoke of sin" that weighs down upon us. We may do things or say things that we regret having said or done, or regret not having said or done things that we knew needed to be done or said. Also, our thoughts may be anything but kind. We, as well, may find ourselves grumbling or complaining about something, resentful of what is being asked of us as a committed responsible member of a religious community or as a father/a mother, a child, a student, an employee. We may even tell God that what is expected of us is too much to ask of us.
Let us turn to the Lord and ask to "be set free by the newness of the long-awaited Nativity of [God's] Only Begotten Son." Let us acknowledge our weaknesses and/or our complaining about the challenges we face in our lives, knowing, in faith, that because of our humanity we need God's help. In graciously, humbly and courageously meeting our responsibilities in life, we need God to infuse us with the graces of the Holy Spirit to be faithful and committed, to hold nothing back, as Jesus held nothing back for us as He gave His life in self-sacrificing love on the cross. On the crosses of our lives, may we do the same for others as Jesus did for us--pour ourselves out for the other's sake, "bread" shared and broken as at every Eucharistic sacrifice of the Holy Mass!
Each one of us, every day, experiences the "slavery beneath the yoke of sin" that weighs down upon us. We may do things or say things that we regret having said or done, or regret not having said or done things that we knew needed to be done or said. Also, our thoughts may be anything but kind. We, as well, may find ourselves grumbling or complaining about something, resentful of what is being asked of us as a committed responsible member of a religious community or as a father/a mother, a child, a student, an employee. We may even tell God that what is expected of us is too much to ask of us.
Let us turn to the Lord and ask to "be set free by the newness of the long-awaited Nativity of [God's] Only Begotten Son." Let us acknowledge our weaknesses and/or our complaining about the challenges we face in our lives, knowing, in faith, that because of our humanity we need God's help. In graciously, humbly and courageously meeting our responsibilities in life, we need God to infuse us with the graces of the Holy Spirit to be faithful and committed, to hold nothing back, as Jesus held nothing back for us as He gave His life in self-sacrificing love on the cross. On the crosses of our lives, may we do the same for others as Jesus did for us--pour ourselves out for the other's sake, "bread" shared and broken as at every Eucharistic sacrifice of the Holy Mass!
Wednesday, September 19, 2018
Living a Life of Love
Today's first reading, 1 Cor 12: 31-13:13, contains the famous passage on the greatest of spiritual gifts, love! "If I speak in human and angelic tongues," Paul warns me, "but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away everything I own, and if I hand my body over so that I may boast but do not have love, I gain nothing."
Paul could also say to me and you: If you make millions and billions and have no love, you gain nothing and are nothing! Or, if you win the most prestigious awards or secure the most prestigious of positions and have no love, you gain nothing or are nothing!
It's all about love! We have only to look at the love of a mother/father for their child/children, parents willing to sacrifice everything for the well-being of their children, parents who discipline their children, teach them Gospel values, how to focus on the Living God, and how to live honest, just self-sacrificing love for the sake of others, and we see love at its finest. Persons who live a life of love are kind and patient, compassionate and understanding, merciful and caring of others. Such persons do not "brood over injury" or "rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoice with the truth." Such persons find ways to forgive and let go of past hurts, returning good for evil and kindness for a lack of kindness! These kind of persons, filled with hope and gratitude, are graced to endure all things in a way that strengthens their loving spirit. May you and I be such persons!
Paul could also say to me and you: If you make millions and billions and have no love, you gain nothing and are nothing! Or, if you win the most prestigious awards or secure the most prestigious of positions and have no love, you gain nothing or are nothing!
It's all about love! We have only to look at the love of a mother/father for their child/children, parents willing to sacrifice everything for the well-being of their children, parents who discipline their children, teach them Gospel values, how to focus on the Living God, and how to live honest, just self-sacrificing love for the sake of others, and we see love at its finest. Persons who live a life of love are kind and patient, compassionate and understanding, merciful and caring of others. Such persons do not "brood over injury" or "rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoice with the truth." Such persons find ways to forgive and let go of past hurts, returning good for evil and kindness for a lack of kindness! These kind of persons, filled with hope and gratitude, are graced to endure all things in a way that strengthens their loving spirit. May you and I be such persons!
Sunday, March 25, 2018
O the Love of our God
A reflection on today's reading from Isaiah 50: 4-7. In this passage, Jesus says to you and me:
Because I love you, (insert your name), I did not flee from my persecutors. I deliberately, willingly and courageously entered Jerusalem this day. I knew what lay ahead for me, even though palm branches were strewn on my path and people shouted "Hosanna to the Son of David. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord." I went to Jerusalem for you, (insert your name). I have not rebelled against suffering. I have not grumbled against my persecutors. I gave my beard willingly to those who plucked it. I gave my face to those who spit upon me, mocking me, making fun of me: "Look at him. Spit running down his his face. How disgusting is this man." I gave my head to those who pushed a crown of thorns upon it, mockingly saying "Behold the King of the Jews." I gave my back to those who viciously beat me with whips laced with razor blades. I cried out in pain but not in curses toward those torturing me.
My Father was there helping me and I felt no shame. I did not feel disgraced, though I took on the shame and disgrace of all sinned against and those abusively sinning against others. I took all your shame upon me, insert your name, to free you from its burdens!
O Lord, our God, have mercy on us!
O Lord, our God, thank you for your love.
O the Love of our God!
O the tenderness of our God!
O the courage of our God!
O the compassion of our God!
O the strength of our God!
God, be praised!
God be glorified!
God be thanked!
Because I love you, (insert your name), I did not flee from my persecutors. I deliberately, willingly and courageously entered Jerusalem this day. I knew what lay ahead for me, even though palm branches were strewn on my path and people shouted "Hosanna to the Son of David. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord." I went to Jerusalem for you, (insert your name). I have not rebelled against suffering. I have not grumbled against my persecutors. I gave my beard willingly to those who plucked it. I gave my face to those who spit upon me, mocking me, making fun of me: "Look at him. Spit running down his his face. How disgusting is this man." I gave my head to those who pushed a crown of thorns upon it, mockingly saying "Behold the King of the Jews." I gave my back to those who viciously beat me with whips laced with razor blades. I cried out in pain but not in curses toward those torturing me.
My Father was there helping me and I felt no shame. I did not feel disgraced, though I took on the shame and disgrace of all sinned against and those abusively sinning against others. I took all your shame upon me, insert your name, to free you from its burdens!
O Lord, our God, have mercy on us!
O Lord, our God, thank you for your love.
O the Love of our God!
O the tenderness of our God!
O the courage of our God!
O the compassion of our God!
O the strength of our God!
God, be praised!
God be glorified!
God be thanked!
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