Love is not a strange word in our society today. It is in
fact a force that controls the world. It is the most used word and the most
abused as well. To love therefore means different things to different people.
In almost all its usage, it does convey a shallow meaning. Thus when a young guy tells a lady “I love you” it
immediately trigger a different thing in the mind of the lady and vice versa.
Love is easily misconstrued in our time. The readings of today as we celebrate
this sixth Sunday of Easter draws our mind to Love and sets before us the ideal
lover of all ages-Jesus.
What then becomes love and what does it take to love? The
readings of the day offers us some tips. Beginning with the gospel of the day,
Jesus says “ As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you, abide in my
love”(Jn 15:9). What then is this love of Jesus that we must abide in it? It is
selfless love and undeserving. Though Jesus was worthy of the love of the
Father in all ramifications because he abided in the Father, we on our part
cannot say we deserve that same love from the Son; for we continue to sin
against him. Even at that he keeps loving us.
Therefore, we must learn here that love is not given to
those who deserve it but those who do not in our judgments deserve to be loved.
God loves us not because we are holy, but even in our sinfulness he still loves
us, expecting our conversion that we may be saved. Hence, to convert a sinner
is not to stand aloof and condemn him or her but is to go close to the person
show some love and through that conversion will be easily achieved. Let us
learn to love unconditionally.
Secondly, love demands sacrifice. Jesus says “...Greater
love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friend” (John
15:13). This is the highest form of love humanity has ever experienced. St.
Paul will say “It is difficult to die for a good man not to talk of a bad man”
(Romans 5:7), yet Jesus sacrificed his life for unworthy sinners like us. Thus,
sacrifice becomes very important when we talk of love.
If we love we must learn to sacrifice selfishness for
generosity, greed for contempt, hatred for love, gossip for admonishment, lies
for truth, immaturity for maturity, materialism for fulfillment, individualism
for communal life, bad governance for purposeful driven leadership, insecurity
for security, laziness for hard work, indecency to decency, poor parenting for
diligent parenting and lots more. Individually we must identify that which we
must sacrifice for the sake of Christ. So I ask, what is my love for Christ
costing me?
As such, our love must exceed lips service and find
expression in action. To love then will be to offer prayers for a brother and
sister in need of it, to give comforting words to those in need of it, to visit
the sick, clothe the naked, make the homeless sheltered, heal those broken by
poverty and their likes.
My brothers and sisters, this love also demands total
obedience. It is the proof that we love God. Hence Jesus’ words “You are my
friends if you do what I command you” (15:14). The question could be, are we
really doing the things he has commanded us to do? Are we faithfully obeying
him in the various capacities that he has called us to serve him? What has
become of the world were sin reigns more than righteousness yet our streets are
quiet because all have gone to church? We have to learn to love God in
obedience. Obeying the laws of the land, obeying our elders, respecting human
life, holding high the dignity of the human person and obeying values that
makes life worth living makes us a loving people.
When we do this it shows we know God. Hence a good
knowledge of God helps us to be called his friends. For it is only friends that
knows the secrets of each other. As such, Jesus has revealed himself to those
who loved him; who will love him, those that are loving him now and are ever
ready to do his will; to these he will continue to reveal himself. Hence,
anybody that “Loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not
know God; for God is love “(1 Jn 4:7-8). I therefore need to question my
knowledge of God if I cannot love a brother or sister.
For this knowledge of God distinguishes us from the world
and that explains why the world will hate lovers of Christ. Thus, if the world
is so comfortable with us, if people are more comfortable clubbing than coming
to church, if people are interested more in social activities than seminars or
retreat that are organised to enhance our relationship with God, then, we
should know that we are loving the world more than the creator of the world.
Thus our love of Christ should clearly distinguish us in the world.
We pray for the grace to love the same way God loves us
so that we shall do what is expected of us as his children through Christ our
Lord Amen. May the souls of our brothers Frs Joseph Gor and Felix Tyolaha with
their companions who loved Christ to the end, rest in peace amen. HAPPY SUNDAY.
*Courtesy:
Rev. Fr Simon Peter Dzungwe, who contributed from Ibadan, being a homily for
the Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year B. (Acts 10:25-26,34-35,44-48; 1 John 4:7-10;
John 15:9-17).
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