Love in Action

LOVE IN ACTION

When we read Jesus words to his disciples, as told to us by John 14:15, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments”, our thoughts go immediately to the Ten Commandments.  The commandments Jesus spoke of are much more difficult than those ten.  Jesus commandments are deceptively simple.

“‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’  This is the great and   foremost commandment.  The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’  On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”

These are the only two commandments by which we must live and by which we shall be judged.  The first seems easiest, but the second, not so much.  The second prompted the question, “Who is my neighbor?” and that brought us to the story of the Good Samaritan, which answers the question, “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

Faced with this message St. Paul created a simple plan to help the early Church in Rome and us, what loving your neighbor means, a plan that could be called Love in Action.

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil, cling to what is good.

Be devoted to one another in love.  Honor one another above yourselves.

Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.

Be hopeful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer,

Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.

Live in harmony with one another.

Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.

Do not be conceited.  (Romans 12:9-16)

Personally, I am grateful for the Holy Spirit, because despite all the helps we got from Jesus and the apostles and the evangelizers of the first century, loving my neighbor all the time and with sincerity would be very hard without the gift of the Spirit.  No matter how hard it is, or how often I fail, I remind myself that I do it because I want to show Jesus that I do love him and want to live up to his call; “If you love me, keep my commandments.”

Blessing,

Carol Lemelin OPA