Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Fatherly Love


The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/061416.cfm) reminds me that God wants us to love others the way he does. 

They say that no one is perfect. In reality, this is true. Everyone sin and has shortcomings. However, in the gospel, Jesus tells us that we can try to be perfect, just as God, our Heavenly Father, is perfect.

Perfect love loves the unlovable.

It is easy to love those who love us. It is easy to do good to those who are good to us. It is easy to serve those who appreciate our service. Even criminals and thieves love their own. We see a “good” side of convicted criminals, thieves and corrupt officials when they signify their love for their children and family. They also love and protect their own. It is easy to do this because these people are also good to them. They need these people. And of course, especially as Filipinos, family has a special part in our hearts. However, God wants more from us, his children.

God wants us to love others the way he does. 

In the first reading, we see a very evil man. An evil king. Ahab. He worshipped other gods. He had Naboth killed and took his possessions. He wanted to punish Ahab. However, when he saw that Ahab really humbled himself and asked for forgiveness, God forgave him. God loved him. His love is greater than the sins of Ahab. This is how God wants us to love. 

God wants us to love those unlovable

God wants us to love the annoying person in the office. That someone who speaks ill of us. The person who does not affirm or acknowledge the good we are trying to do. The ungrateful person we have always been helping. The family member who always has something bad to say about us. It is easy to love those who love us, but God wants us to love these unlovable people in our lives. Just as the sun shines on the good and bad, and the rain nourishes the just and unjust, God wants us to love these unlovable people. For probably, the reason they are unlovable and they act this way is because they do not know love. They do not experience love. You can’t give what you don’t have, and if your life is not filled with love, then you cannot give love.

God has loved us before we were born, and will continue to love us. Let us soak that in, experience that love, and let it overflow in our lives – not just to the people who are easy to love, but more importantly to the unlovable people in our lives. May we love like Jesus.


Father God,
Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for reminding me of your love.  thank you for another chance to experience your love. Sorry for the times I do not follow your command. Sorry for only loving the unlovable, those who love me and those who are easy to love. Sorry for not being willing to suffer and experience pain for love. Sorry for not stepping out of my comfort zone to love others especially the unlovable. I ask that you never give up on me. I ask that you continue to love me and fill me with your love. As you do, help me pass on that love to others – especially to the unlovable people in my life. Use me to make your love more alive in this world. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,
-g-

Ps
See related reflections:


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June 14, 2016
Tuesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 366



Reading 1 1 Kgs 21:17-29


After the death of Naboth the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite:
“Start down to meet Ahab, king of Israel,
who rules in Samaria.
He will be in the vineyard of Naboth,
of which he has come to take possession.
This is what you shall tell him,
‘The LORD says: After murdering, do you also take possession?
For this, the LORD says:
In the place where the dogs licked up the blood of Naboth,
the dogs shall lick up your blood, too.’”
Ahab said to Elijah, “Have you found me out, my enemy?”
“Yes,” he answered.
“Because you have given yourself up to doing evil in the LORD’s sight,
I am bringing evil upon you: I will destroy you
and will cut off every male in Ahab’s line,
whether slave or freeman, in Israel.
I will make your house like that of Jeroboam, son of Nebat,
and like that of Baasha, son of Ahijah,
because of how you have provoked me by leading Israel into sin.”
(Against Jezebel, too, the LORD declared,
“The dogs shall devour Jezebel in the district of Jezreel.”)
“When one of Ahab’s line dies in the city,
dogs will devour him;
when one of them dies in the field,
the birds of the sky will devour him.”
Indeed, no one gave himself up to the doing of evil
in the sight of the LORD as did Ahab,
urged on by his wife Jezebel.
He became completely abominable by following idols,
just as the Amorites had done,
whom the LORD drove out before the children of Israel.

When Ahab heard these words, he tore his garments
and put on sackcloth over his bare flesh.
He fasted, slept in the sackcloth, and went about subdued.
Then the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite,
“Have you seen that Ahab has humbled himself before me?
Since he has humbled himself before me,
I will not bring the evil in his time.
I will bring the evil upon his house during the reign of his son.”



Responsorial Psalm Ps 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 11 and 16


R. (see 3a) Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
For I acknowledge my offense,
and my sin is before me always:
“Against you only have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight.”
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Turn away your face from my sins,
and blot out all my guilt.
Free me from blood guilt, O God, my saving God;
then my tongue shall revel in your justice.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.



Alleluia Jn 13:34


R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I give you a new commandment:
love one another as I have loved you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.



Gospel Mt 5:43-48


Jesus said to his disciples:
“You have heard that it was said,
You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.
But I say to you, love your enemies
and pray for those who persecute you,

that you may be children of your heavenly Father,
for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good,
and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.
For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have?
Do not the tax collectors do the same?
And if you greet your brothers only,
what is unusual about that?
Do not the pagans do the same?
So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

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