Remember Mark 12:28-34
One of the scribes came up to Jesus and put a question to him,
‘Which is the first of all the commandments?‘
Jesus replied,
‘This is the first: You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength.
The second is this: You must love your neighbour as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.’
Reflect Love isn’t born just of itself
When someone else’s life becomes more important than your own – that is love!
God’s love for the world is of such a measure.
That is why God gave up his Son for us.
This love of God is a massive power and a terrific example for human love.
It is the motivation, the strength, the vision and hope for us.
Love is like a child of God alive in each of us.
It is what makes each of us a like Jesus – truly His Father’s daughter or son.
Mother Teresa of Calcutta stood up before crowds of thousands, she simply repeated Jesus’ call to all of us.
She didn’t say anything new or complicated: She used often repeat
“We’re sons and daughters of God and we have to love one another like Jesus did.”
People across the world listened, were inspired, renewed, transformed, converted. Nobody seemed to speak like she did.
Her authority to speak rose up out her simple love of Jesus and her simple life-style.
She spoke as one with the authority of Jesus himself.
A Story from Stephen’s Green, Dublin
Alfred O’Rahilly, in his biography of the remarkable First World War chaplain Fr Willie Doyle, tells the story of a Dublin Fusilier who happened to be home on leave in Dublin when Fr Doyle died.
Meeting a friend who told him the news, the fusilier kept repeating incredulously; ‘He’s not dead. He couldn’t be killed.‘ Then the soldier spontaneously knelt down on the pavement and began to pray. A crowd gathered round him, he recounted how; when he was lying wounded in a dangerous exposed position and expecting every moment to be killed by a shell, Fr Doyle had crept over to him, risking life and limb and carried him to a place of safety. – now that was love, Godly love!
…(Martin Tierney), Sunday Thoughts.com, www.veritas.ie
Prayer
Jesus,
you show us the Love of God.
May we walk in the shade of that love.
Help me to love and be compassionate to anyone who needs my helping love.
May I live in the way, the truth and the freeing love of your example.
Amen.
An Irish Hymn by Robert Duford
You shall cross the barren desert
but you shall not die of thirst
you shall wander far in safety
though you do not know the way
You shall speak your words in foreign lands
and all will understand
You shall see the face of God and live
Refrain
Be not afraid, I go before you always
Come follow me, And I will give you rest
If you pass through raging waters
in he sea you shall not drown
If you walk amid the buring flames
you shall not be harmed
If you stand before the power of hell
and death is at your side
know that I am with you throught it all
Refrain
Blessed are your poor
for the kingdom shall be theirs
Blest are you that weep and mourn
for one day you shall laugh
And if wicked men insult and hate you
all because of me
blessed, blessed are you!
Refrain
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