Thursday 10th September – Thursday of week 23 of the year

LOVE: THE BOND OF PERFECTION

Colossians 3:12-17

“So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13

An identity card is usually issued out as a proof that the bearer has an affiliation with the institution that issues the card. As our Lord neared the end of his earthly life, He gave His disciples that a commandment that was to serve as an identity: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you…by this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34).

What was so “new” about this commandment? The newness of this commandment stems from the standard by which we are called to love. Rather than loving our neighbour just as we love ourselves, this commandment calls us to something more sacrificial – loving others as Christ has loved us. It calls us to laying down our lives for others. For when one loves a person, he thinks nothing else about the beloved except how to make him happy.

Think about the love of Christ for us. A love that made him leave his glory to live amongst us and endure discomfort, shame, suffering and death for us while we were yet sinners. His love for us is incomparable and that is the love we are called to emulate. A love that is manifest in our sincere compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, forgiveness and patience as St Paul tells us in today’s reading. Christ implores us to love and pray for our enemies. It is such selfless love that truly marks us out as His children.

PRAYER: Oh Lord, help me to love sacrificially even my enemies just as you have loved me. Amen.

KNOW YOUR FAITH: YOUCAT 402 –What is love?

Love is the free self-giving of the heart. Through the overflowing of divine love, we participate in the eternal love of God. The more a person loves, the more he resembles God. Love should influence the whole life of a person, but it is realized with particular depth and symbolism when man and woman love one another in marriage and become “one flesh” (Gen 2:24). 

HIDE A TREASURE: “Yes, may you come to know his love-although it can never be fully known-and so be completely filled with the very nature of God” Ephesians 3:19

Today’s Readings: Colossians 3:12-17; Psalm 150:1 -6; Luke 6:27-38