Love is…

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 “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 interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.”

This was taken from the Second Reading from today’s Mass, the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Take out the word “Love”. Substitute the name “Jesus” in its place.

We are Christian. We are to “put on Christ”, in other words, to be like Him. Now read that passage with Jesus’ name substituted for love. That is what we ideally aspire to.

Now go back to the original reading. Again take out the word “Love”, but this time substitute your name in its place. How far from the ideal do you feel?

Yeah, me too.

That is the destination of the lifelong conversion process we are on. That is the happy destiny we trudge towards.

(Anonymous thanks to my priest for my adoption of a portion of his homily for today. 🙂 )

Are you a creative Catholic? "The Catholicpunk Manifesto" is my new book exhorting Catholics to apply their faith to change the culture for the better!

Know someone, perhaps yourself, who might like Catholic devotionals for alcoholics? Please take a look at my books! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)