The Greatest is Love

[1 Cor. 13:13]

Today we read St. Paul’s remarkable “Hymn of Love” Paul doesn’t give us a definition of Love, but rather suggests how a loving person acts. Paul describes what love looks like. “Love is patient and kind, love is never jealous or arrogant, love delights in the truth and is always ready to hope and endure. And love will go on for all eternity. This love will carry us across the threshold of death. Death does not destroy this love. St Paul in his epistle to the Romans 8:38 says that nothing in heaven or earth can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.

We can take the word love and replace it with the word Jesus. If we apply all the attributes of love to Jesus, they fit. He fulfills all the great things that St. Paul claims for love. How about us? If we each put our name in the place of “love” would our lives live up to all the beautiful things love looks like? While we may be struggling to be patient, kind, forgiving, enduring and hoping in all things, we will fall short. But we know that with the Grace of God all things are possible. In spite of our failures we continue to strive to fulfill the dictates of love. In spite of all our limitations, weaknesses and brokenness The Lord loves us.

We celebrate Gods love for us in every Mass. We celebrate the truth that “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son to save us.” (John 3:16) Jesus told us that the greatest act of love is that a person be willing to sacrifice their lives for their friends. (John 15:13) He also said, “Love one another as I have loved you.” (John 13:34) What a challenge! Love that makes the world goes round is a love that is not just a nice feeling and sentimentality. No. It’s a line that teaches us to measure our lives by losses rather than gains; by sacrifice rather than self preservation; by time spent for others rather than time lavished upon ourselves, by love poured out rather than love poured in. It’s a rule of life that “God blesses those who give of their lives and resources….” (1 Cor. 9-6) This is the kind of love that gives life because it is Christ’s kind of love.

There is a poem by an unknown poet which helps us discern what love looks like in the daily ups and downs of life. It reads:

“Love is silence- when words hurt

Love is – patience when another is curt

Love is – deafness when another’s mad

Love is – gentleness when another’s sad

Love is – promptness when a need is seen

Love is – courage when another’s mean

Where do we stand in the above rankings?

Or, where do we stand in St. Augustine’s beautiful definition of love:

He asks, “What does love look like?”

Augustine responds: It has feet to go to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery. It has ears to hear sighs and sorrow.

Prayer to St Blaise

Lord, hear the prayers of Your Martyr Blaise.

Give us the joy of Your peace in this life

and help us to gain the happiness that will never end.

Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives, and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen