Biblical Reflection: Love by BEROCAN Rogers, SDB

1. LOVE.

Saint Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians tell us this on love: ‘’If I speak in human and Angelique languages but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal. And if I have the gift of the prophecy and comprehend all my mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move the mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away everything I own, and if I hand my body over so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.’’ (1 Corinthians 13: 1-13)

 As a believer, I may have the possibility to everything in this world example; I may preach well and change the life of people in a second, I may be charitable towards others, I may be a good teacher, a good priest, a good nurse, a good doctor, a good politician and do even well all my daily activities and services. But if I have no love for my neighbors in all what I do, I just waste my energy and my time, because I will gain nothing from this effort I make. God is love and he love all humanity without difference. He who love his neighbor abide in God and God in him. But he who has no love for his neighbor is not for God.  Jesus manifest this Love of God for us through his death on the cross. Being God, he accepted to take the human condition so that we may take him as a living example of God’s Love among us.

Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous, love is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interest, it is not quick- tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrong doing, but rejoice with the truth. It bears all things, hopes all things endures all things. (1Corinthians 13:4-7).

Jesus because of love he had for his people was patient, kind and endured every challenges He met during his persecution. He even showed love for those who hanged him on the cross. While on the cross, he said “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34)

We should fix our eyes on the cross of Jesus, for it is where we can learn the good example of loving without looking for our own interest. Jesus never looked for his own interest but he wanted to construct the living kingdom of God amidst his people. Most of us today love in order to gain their own interests and they want to help in order to receive something after the help. If we tend to love for our own objectives, we are outside God’s project of love and we are not to be call the children of God, because our love is just to satisfy our own interest. We should take Jesus as our model so that we can love as Him.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus you were the living example of God’s Love amidst His people, grant that by your example we may love our neighbors as we love ourselves for the glory of your kingdom. We ask all this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ your Son who lives and reigns with you and the holy spirit One God forever and ever Amen.