We love because He loved us first

Happy Birthday, Dick!

I woke up this morning thinking about your birthday tomorrow.  I hope you don't mind, but I'm posting the same picture I did for your birthday last year.  It reminds me of the times you took me fishing as a kid. 

But then again, this picture is more appropriate now:

Prayer for the Day

Who is Jesus to me?

Jesus is the Word made Flesh.
Jesus is the Bread of Life.
Jesus is the Victim offered for our sins on the Cross.
Jesus is the Sacrifice at Holy Mass for the sins of the world and mine.

Jesus is the Word - to be spoken.

Jesus is the Truth - to be told.
Jesus is the Way - to be walked.
Jesus is the Light - to be lit.
Jesus is the Life - to be loved.
Jesus is the Joy - to be shared.
Jesus is the Sacrifice - to be given.
Jesus is the Bread of Life - to be eaten.
Jesus is the Hungry - to be fed.
Jesus is the Thirsty - to be satiated.
Jesus is the Naked - to be clothed.
Jesus is the Homeless - to be taken in.
Jesus is the Sick - to be healed.
Jesus is the Lonely - to be loved.
Jesus is the Unwanted - to be wanted.
Jesus is the Leper - to wash his wounds.
Jesus is the Beggar - to give him a smile.
Jesus is the Drunkard - to listen to him.
Jesus is the Little One - to embrace him.
Jesus is the Dumb - to speak to him.
Jesus is the Crippled - to walk with him.
Jesus is the Drug Addict - to befriend him.
Jesus is the Prostitute - to remove from danger and befriend her.
Jesus is the Prisoner - to be visited.
Jesus is the Old - to be served.

To me Jesus is my God, Jesus is my Spouse, Jesus is my Life, Jesus is my only Love,

Jesus is my All in All, Jesus is my Everything.

Amen.

(By Mother Teresa of Calcutta.)
Blessed Mother Teresa, Pray for us.

Reflection

A little over 2 weeks ago we all shared in God’s love of humanity when Jesus sacrificed Himself for our eternal salvation. This is a love so passionate and powerful that it spread across the globe and through time to Christians the world over. Yet it does not dissipate as the year progresses because God’s love is shared with us each and every day.

How and why do we love? Whom do we love?  John 6:1-15 gives us an answer, “We love because he loved us first.” It’s a love that must be shared between ourselves and those around us and above all else, God. We must celebrate this love everyday by caring for those around us, especially those who God loves preferentially. We must emulate Christ’s ministry of bringing good news to the poor, as we read in Acts 5:34-42.  God so loved the world that He sent His Son to heal the blind, release the captives and “let the oppressed go free.” It is through God’s love for us that we ourselves are able to love. We must in turn share this love with our friends and family as well as the prisoner, the poor, and the blind.