Love

First Reading: Jeremiah 1:4-5, 17-19

Now the word of the LORD came to me saying, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations." But you, gird up your loins; arise, and say to them everything that I command you. Do not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them. And I, behold, I make you this day a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, its princes, its priests, and the people of the land. They will fight against you; but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, says the LORD, to deliver you."

Psalm: Psalm 71:1-6, 15-17

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:31 -- 13:13 or 13:4-13

Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never ends; as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.

For our knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is imperfect; but when the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away.

When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I gave up childish ways.

For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall understand fully, even as I have been fully understood. So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love

Gospel: Luke 4:21-30

And he began to say to them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." And all spoke well of him, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth; and they said, "Is not this Joseph's son? And he said to them, "Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, `Physician, heal yourself; what we have heard you did at Caper'na-um, do here also in your own country.' And he said, "Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his own country. But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Eli'jah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when there came a great famine over all the land and Eli'jah was sent to none of them but only to Zar'ephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Eli'sha; and none of them was cleansed, but only Na'aman the Syrian." When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath And they rose up and put him out of the city, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw him down headlong. But passing through the midst of them he went away.

Reflection
By Grace Madrinan

“Love is patient, love is kind.
It is not jealous, it 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.” (Corinthians 13: 4-7)

 

“Ahwwww…” I used to feel all giddy whenever I hear this verse. During my younger years, I always associate this verse with weddings, couples’ romance and the like. But now that I matured (got older, that is), I learned that this verse is more than a romantic verse for “I dos”.

 

It is our manual on how to be in the likeness or image of God. It brings out the definition of real love which we sinners often interchange with a lot of earthly pleasures. It weeds out selfishness, qualifies our actions and purifies our motives.

 

Along with my maturity in faith, my inclination was shifted to this verse instead, “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.” (Corinthians 13: 12)

 

I can always turn to this verse to humble myself, to be reminded of what my greatest motivation should be, on what is most important. This tells me that no matter how successful I become in my work, no matter how many places I travelled and no matter how much time I spent in church, it all equates to nothing if I have not loved. If I have been unkind to my peers at work, if I have been arrogant and proud, I am a fraud.

 

“ Fortunes fail and disappear, like castles in the sand. Power spoils and causes fear, but yields to stronger hands. Fame lasts for a moment, then, in a moment, it is gone. Oh, but love, love goes on.”

(From the song “Love goes on” by David Phelps http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43RdG4DhiLE”

 

Prayer

 

Heavenly Father, thank You for loving us unconditionally to the extent of sending Your Son for our salvation. May Your love for us be our constant reminder to remain faithful in our daily challenges and our ultimate motivation to serving You in others. Amen.