Tuesday 6^th January – Tuesday after Epiphany

Reflection: 1 John 4: 7-10

LOVE GOD, LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR

Love is a strong feeling of deep affection for someone or something. True love possesses characteristics like: kindness, patience, selflessness, compassion, gentility and so on. In today’s world, love is greatly misunderstood and is interpreted in a variety of ways by different people. However, as children of God, our standard of love should be none other than God himself, for He loves us despite our sinfulness and gave up His only son Jesus Christ to redeem us (1 John 4:9; 1 John 3:16).

Dear friends, if God out of his unconditional love for us could sacrifice his only son for the whole of the human race, what excuse do we have for failing to love our brethren? Let us show love to all irrespective of who they are: that person who detests you and picks on you unnecessarily, that lonely person in your neighbourhood, that helpless old fellow who has been abandoned or the little child who is homeless and hungry. In showing love to these ones, we are loving God for if we don’t see God in our brothers, we will never see Him face to face (cf Matthew 25: 45) “If we say we love God but hate our brothers and sisters we are liars. For people cannot love God, whom they have not seen, if they do not love their brothers and sisters whom they have seen” (1John 4:20).

As humans, we often expect the love we show others to be reciprocated or rewarded. However, as beneficiaries of God’s love, let us show love selflessly without expecting anything in return. As we do this, God will meet us at our needs beyond our human expectation.

PRAYER: Almighty Father, you gave up your only begotten Son for me long before I came into existence. Help me to appreciate your love for me and also show it to the world. Amen.

KNOW YOUR FAITH: YOUCAT 305 – What are the three supernatural virtues?

The supernatural virtues are faith, hope and charity. They are called “supernatural” because they have their foundation on God, are directly related to God and are for us men the way by which we can reach God directly.

HIDE A TREASURE: “Happy are those who are merciful to others; God will be merciful to them”. Matthew 5:7 GNB

Readings for Today: 1 John 4: 7-10; Psalm 72: 1-4, 7-8; Mark 6: 34-44