On God's Infinite Love

On God’s Infinite Love


A Reflection for the 30th Sunday of Ordinary Time 2011

By Rev. Bob Johnnene OFD

Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus/ Franciscans Divine Mercy

www.franciscansdivinemercy.org

www.missionstsergius.org





This week’s Gospel Reading is from Matthew 22:34-40 and it is the root of all we are to do in order to live as God would have us live our daily lives. “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with your entire mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”

Each day the Liturgy of the hours, and the mass readings strengthen that message. Upon reflection I find that throughout the Gospel messages there is one very strong and repeating theme. That theme is God’s Love and His forgiveness.

In John 13:34-35, Jesus tells us “I give you a new command: Love each other as I have loved you. All people will know you are my followers if you love one another”. In John 15:13 Jesus tell us how much He loves us by what he foretold would be His ultimate show of Love, “The greatest love a person can show is to die for his friends”

Jesus gave His life so that we might have the opportunity to gain eternal live with Him and His Father. Christ’s death and resurrection allowed for the total forgiveness of the sins of all mankind.

One of the ways we can demonstrate our Love for God is found in Matthew 5:44 “I say to you, love your enemies. Pray for those who hurt you. If you do this, you will be true children of God”

To follow this, I know is not easy, our human reaction when someone does something that hurts or offends us is to retaliate. But that is not the way of Christ and a follower of Christ.

In Ephesians 5:1-2, we are advised “You are God’s children whom He loves, so try to be like Him. Live a life of love just as Christ loved us and gave himself for us”

To love someone and have someone love us back, totally and completely, is one of the greatest gifts we can have as humans. So often we go in search of that love. And far too often, we go in search in all the wrong places.

We often mistake sexual gratification or gifts as an expression of love. We seek love out in selfish ways, wanting our will to dominate or be gratified and not thinking about how our selfish desires are affecting the other person.

In 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 we are told “Love is patient and kind, Love is not jealous, it does not brag and it is not proud. Love is not Love is not rude Love is not selfish and does not get upset with others. Love does not count up the wrongs that have been done. Love is not happy with evil but is happy with truth. Love patiently accepts all things. Love always trusts, always hopes and always remains strong”

So who of all we know best fits all these descriptions of Love? The Answer is simple, Almighty God in and through our redeemer Jesus Christ.

So as we go in search of love in those who we choose to associate with let us look for the qualities of perfection of Love as found in Jesus Christ in those we seek out.

As we search for love let us first perfect ourselves in accord with the guidelines we find given by God and be happy in who we are while seeking to perfect ourselves so that we can truly love another as God‘s Children.

Let us seek out Christ in others in our search for human love and not judge them on their portfolio, assets, or physical outer appearance but rather on their inner self, their soul, their resemblance to God in words, deeds, and action.

When we do that, we will find a lasting love that transcends earth and continues into eternity.

Amen