Jesus
Christ, out of love for his hometown, speaks a difficult message to
them, and they are unwilling to receive it. It fills “them with
rage,” and we see the first glimpse of how the Gospel will end, Our
Lord suffering death for standing up for the truth in live.
Veritatem
in Caritate,
the truth in charity, is the episcopal motto of our Bishop Kevin
Rhoades, and this is exactly the witness I have always seen him bear
to our diocese. This role is a challenge for us as Christians, to
speak the unpopular truth with compassion, but it is an essential
part of true love, because Love and Truth go together. Charity does
not abide in fantasy, it rather faces reality as it is – along with
faith and hope to guide it.
But
what really hits home for us today is how often we fit the role in
today's Gospel not of Christ, but of the locals. How many times have
we failed to listen to what we know is true because of how much it
hurts? How many times have we disregarded the message because of a
personal or social hang-up we have for the messenger? I know I have
been guilty in the past of disregarding people I disagree with, of
ignoring people I haven't forgiven, and of slandering (at least in my
heart if not in my words/actions) people who have rubbed me the wrong
way. If we fail to hear the hard truth, instead of growing and
learning from our failings, we will only continue in the same
shortcomings.
Sin
is always easy, because of our concupiscence – since we have a
tendency to self-love, it is always a challenge to be charitable, to
be selfless, to model the Lord's Cross.
Saint
Paul reminds us today of the essence of love, the essence of the
Christian life. One practice I would ask you to do is to look at
this passage for 1 Cor. 13, and replace the word Charity with Jesus,
and see what it teaches you. Then replace it with yourself, and use
that as an examination of conscience. You will find this remarkably
helpful.
Living
in love is the trademark of Christians, of God's adopted children.
CCC-1828 The practice of the moral life animated by charity
gives to the Christian the spiritual freedom of the children of God.
... (Basil)
If we turn away from evil out of fear of punishment, we are in the
position of slaves. If we pursue the enticement of wages, . . .
we resemble mercenaries. Finally if we obey for the sake of the good
itself and out of love for him who commands . . . we are in
the position of children.
Let
us be those children who love for love's sake. And if we can't do it
in every part of our life, let us fake it 'til we make it. Practice
it until it truly is a part of your soul.
In
order to know what charity looks like, let us recall its fruits:
CCC-1829 The fruits of
charity are joy, peace, and mercy; charity demands beneficence and
fraternal correction; it is benevolence; it fosters reciprocity and
remains disinterested and generous; it is friendship and communion:
(Augustine) Love
is itself the fulfillment of all our works. There is the goal; that
is why we run: we run toward it, and once we reach it, in it we shall
find rest.
And
these last words are why we are here today: God is love, and by
coming to Him in our daily prayer and especially in the Mass, where
Love itself is poured out into our hearts from this altar, we are
restored and strengthened to live as children of God. Thank you
Jesus, let the Love from your Sacred Heart fill our souls.
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