Father Bob's Reflections

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

We’re in the middle of a series reflecting on “What is Love?”

It’s on our minds these days as we think about our Valentines.

A question for you:

Are you more interested in giving love.

Or do you spend much of your time trying, / plotting / scheming / manipulating to get it?

Let’s spend today thinking about that.

It’s a good question for all of us

in the marriage bed

or with someone you might “hook up” with as many say in our culture today.

Or even if you are a parent.

Many alcoholic parents suck the life out of their children who are in favor one minute and out of favor the next.

You know the phrase, “It’s all about Me”

or the “Me Generation.”

Again, let’s spend today thinking about how we measure up:

Am I more interest in giving love — sharing myself

or getting love?

Maybe we ‘re just looking for a balance here.

Here’s a reprise of St. Paul’s Ode to Love that I posted the other day. . .

If I speak in human and angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal.                         And if I have the gift of prophecy and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge;                                                                    if I have all faith so as to move mountains                                                                                                                                             but do not have love, I am nothing.                                                                                                                                                             If I give away everything I own, and if I hand my body over so that I may boast                                                                          but do not have love, I gain nothing.

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.

So faith, hope, love remain, these three;                                                                                                                                               but the greatest of these is love.                                                                                                                                                                                         I Corinthians 13 (NAB)

Dearest Lord,

We all can be selfish at times.

Forgive us, Lord.

Help us become persons always ready to expand our hearts

even to everyone in the world.

Help us to love the way You love, Lord —

Everybody, without exception,

even if they are a pain in the you-know-what!

(ahem) So be it.