It is very hard to love like Christ, yet this is the command given to us: Love one another as I have loved you, not like yourself, as found in the Old Testament, Leviticus. 19:18. However, it is not impossible to love as he did because he has shown us “how” to love.
The Christian life is about loving, forgiving, doing good, and praying for all especially those who hate and are out for us. There is no better way to put it than how Jesus articulated it in today’s gospel: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who abuse you.
God is love, and his love manifests itself in the great and little things of life—the great things like the mystery of the Incarnation and the little things around us daily. The theme of love is our principal focus. Indeed, we celebrate the moment of encounter with God and one another that is life-changing forever
Nothing brings us greater joy than putting God first, others second, and ourselves. This is the principle of Christian spirituality: God first in all things. The urgent call is to seek God’s kingdom and its righteousness first, and then other things will be added (Mat.6:33).
There is a miracle of abundance and superabundance when there is love and sharing with others. This is the central focus of this Sunday’s readings, especially the gospel. It is God that multiplies, but not out of nothing. It is what we bring to God in faith and trust that he multiplies into abundance for us all. The love action of sharing our little is the miracle of abundance for many who are lacking.
The unfathomable mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is the celebration of God in a community of love and fellowship. It is also a feast of the individuality of distinct Persons in the community of the Divine Godhead: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The implication of this mystery is fundamental for all
God is love is the greatest single statement about God in the whole Bible. There is no doubt that love is the essence of the Christian faith and life. For God is love, we are called to live in love as Christians. This life of love is not how we love, but how Jesus loves us. Our love is imperfect and erroneous but God´s love is perfect.
God is love (1 John 4:8). Hence, to love is not only to be religious and spiritual but also to be God-like. Inarguably, love is at the basis of our religious teaching, preaching, doctrines, theology, philosophy, ideology, practices, and even rituals and rites. If these are devoid of love then religion is as useless as any human venture.
The mystery of the Incarnation and celebration of Christmas is a total demonstration of God’s love for us. It is the feast of Immanuel: God with us! The Dwelling Presence of God among men and women forever. That is, God who builds the house among us! It is God who sends the Saviour! It is God who comes to Mary and through Mary gives us the Saviour. All comes from God and all returns to God, but the present is the most important time because it is now that God and humans are in a relationship.
Love is all that there is to life and Christian living. Hence, no matter our intelligence and knowledge of the Holy Scripture, doctrine and theological discourses on God, the Church and Christian life, faith and spirituality. If our lives do not reflect the basic empathy to relate, connect, feel or love, then all is nothing. Love is all there is in the Christian faith, life and spirituality.