“This I command you: love one another.” (John 15:17) This simple little sentence is packed with challenge and opportunity. Imagine “commanding” one of us to love the “other.” I always thought you could not be commanded to love. So often I wiggle out of the command with multiple, perfectly logical excuses and all of them in the end, are no argument against the command from the One who is love. As we work through this day it may be a good idea in prayer to place faces on who the “others” may be right now. I have to remind myself that Jesus teaches “what is impossible for us is not so with God.” So I cannot lose courage when I look at my own limitations and “wiggling out” excuses. I must hang in there and God will give me (and you) the grace. I find that if I pray for the person whom I find difficult to love, it really helps my heart (maybe it takes time). Have you any ideas to share? –Msgr. John Barry
Posted on: Fri, 23 May 2014 13:30:00 +0000