I just returned from celebrating a communion service at the nursing home. In the Gospel from Sunday, Jesus gave a new commandment, "Love one another as I haved loved you." Who would have thought how difficult it is to put those words into practice. Jesus loved with a genuine and unconditional love. He did not place limits or restrictions on the love that He showed, and He did not just talk about it; he showed us how to do it! We see countless examples in the bible of how Jesus reached out to people and had pity on them because of their condition in life. He forgave the woman caught in adultery when everyone else was ready to stone her to death. He gave her a challenge..."go and commit this sin no more." He didn't try to change her behavior by saying that He would forgive her, but only if she stopped committing adultery! The ultimate example of love was His excruciating and painful death on the cross. He made the ultimate sacrifice and we are the recipients of that love.
How hard it is these days to love others with that same kind of love; it is even more difficult to love those that make it hard to love them. People are always trying to change us. Spouses try to change undesirable behaviors or habits. Our children let us down and disappoint us much like the prodigal son. They wander and stray and fall into bad habits and destructive behaviors. They look for love and acceptance in the wrong places. They fall in with the wrong crowd. Sometimes the people that we are closest to and love the most are the most difficult to love. We are often hurt by the ones that we love. People in the days of Jesus had problems and issues, but it is much worse today. Satan is trying hard to destroy the Church and bring as many people down with him as possible. There is much violence and evil in the world. We see our leaders in the Church who have betrayed the trust of their flock. Priests and bishops have abused children and others have covered it up and swept it under the rug. Who can we trust? Church leaders? The Government? Politicians?
If we look to our political and religious leaders to save us, we will surely be disappointed. There is only one person we should place our trust in and that is God alone. Yet, our society is trying to shove God out of the way! Perhaps that is why we are seeing an increase in natural disasters of every kind....it is punishment for our sins and for our disobedience of God. Just as in the days of Noah, when God sent the flood and wiped out the entire population; once again, God is purifying the Earth. Our Blessed Mother at Fatima warned of the impending chastisements; could it be that now is the time?
One of my professors in the seminary used to say that "the Church is not a dysfunctional family in need of reform, rather we are a sinful people in need of redemption." Thus, the title of my blog. In this month of May, let us pray to our Blessed Mother for her guidance and intercession. May she help to hold back the hand of her Son and lessen the force of the chastisement. May we strive in this Easter season to live according to the command of our Lord, "Love one another as I have loved you."
Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us.
Mary, Queen of Peace, pray for us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, have mercy on us.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.
