Sunday, September 8, 2019

Owe nothing to anyone except love.....

Every now and then I am surprised at how the Holy Spirit guides me to my reflections. It’s usually the readings from Mass or a homily. But tonight, He decided to use a movie I just happened across while channel surfing. The movie is “The Fifth Element”. The story's premise is that every five thousand years, in conjunction with a planetary arrangement, a 'Great Evil' appears whose purpose is to destroy life. The only thing that can save life is to get all 5 “elements” working in unison to destroy the evil. One of the final lines is “What on Earth is worth saving?” To which the hero replies “Love”. It brought to my mind one of the great passages from Paul’s letter to the Romans. (Romans 13:8)

“Owe nothing to anyone except love . . .”

Love is the fulfillment of the law. It is the fulfillment in a great many intricate ways. Jesus said, “I come not to do away with the law but to fulfill it.” (Matthew 5:17). And what is Jesus but incarnate Love?

Love does no harm. It wishes no ill. It does not flatter or puff itself up. Love is selfless and love is joining with incarnate love in the desire for the salvation of the entire world.

Love cannot be outdone or undone. Love speaks to us in our hearts and tells us what we should do. Love serves all and rejoices when there are more to serve. Love is Jesus Christ entering for a moment into our lives. Jesus Christ is Love incarnate, redeeming, protecting, and calling all to salvation.

Love is the fulfillment of the law and the first duty of all Christians. So let the world know we are Christians by the love we display each day. Let love be our evangelization.

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"I demand from you deeds of mercy, which are to arise out of love for Me. You are to show mercy to your neighbors always and everywhere. You must not shrink from this or try to excuse or absolve yourself from it.

I am giving you three ways of exercising mercy toward your neighbor:
the first — by deed, the second — by word, the third — by prayer. In these three degrees is contained the fullness of mercy, and it is an unquestionable proof of love for Me. By this means a soul glorifies and pays reverence to My mercy.

Many souls ... are often worried because they do not have the material means with which to carry out an act of mercy. Yet spiritual mercy, which requires neither permissions nor storehouses, is much more meritorious and is within the grasp of every soul.

If a soul does not exercise mercy somehow or other, it will not obtain My mercy on the day of judgment. Oh, if only souls knew how to gather eternal treasure for themselves, they would not be judged, for they would forestall My judgment with their mercy".